She “included” Nazis in her variety rainbow.
A Seattle-area elementary principal sparked outrage when she bizarrely claimed not all swastikas are dangerous in a letter calling for the “inclusivity” of cultural symbolism — after the vile mark was graffitied at her college, in line with studies.
Heather Snookal of Phantom Lake Elementary in Bellevue first despatched out a textual content Monday alerting mother and father {that a} painted swastika — which she initially known as a “image of hate” — was discovered by a fifth-grader on a a campus wall, in line with KOMO Information and different sources.
However a couple of hours later — after apparently getting a criticism from a guardian — she despatched out a follow-up e mail apologizing and strolling again her condemnation of the image.
“In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and different historical cultures, the swastika is a logo of peace, prosperity, and success. We acknowledge that for a lot of of our households, this image has a optimistic and non secular which means, fully unrelated to the hateful associations it took on in newer historical past,” she wrote within the tone-deaf letter.
“As a college dedicated to inclusivity and cultural understanding, we wish to make sure that our college students from all backgrounds really feel welcomed, valued, and celebrated,” she wrote.
“We additionally wish to ensure that our group is educated in regards to the various meanings and histories behind symbols just like the swastika in order that we will all keep away from misunderstandings that would inadvertently marginalize or harm our college students.”
However her follow-up e mail infuriated mother and father, who stated the swastika clearly represents hate in its present context — vandalism — as studies of antisemitic incidents skyrocket within the US.
“To me, it’s the most warped model of inclusion we may give you — to ask Jewish households at the present time to be tolerant of the swastika,” stated Tirzah Dondanville, a guardian with two daughters who attend Phantom Lake Elementary.
“I imagine the principal ought to resign,” stated one other guardian, Irina Menn. “It simply creates a belief challenge. I don’t understand how we will belief an educator who can’t acknowledge a name for violence from a name for peace to be educating our kids.”
One other guardian fumed, “The takeaway was that it’s OK to have a swastika painted at a youngsters’s college.”
Snookal was later positioned on administrative go away, and the varsity district stated it was investigating the matter.
“We share within the burden and ache that our Jewish households really feel concerning the rise in antisemitism regionally and throughout our nation. Bellevue, like different districts, has seen an increase in antisemitic incidents, significantly this previous yr, and we’re taking motion to handle it,” Bellevue Faculty District stated in an announcement.
“Vandalism on a playground utilizing a swastika is antisemitic and goes towards our district’s dedication to constructing what Dr. King championed as ‘The Beloved Group’ — a spot the place individuals actually take care of each other, and there’s no starvation, poverty, or hate.”
