A swastika was found on the grounds of Rye Country Day School. Head of School Randall Dunn notified parents of the incident on Tuesday.
“A swastika, an abhorrent insignia of hate and violence, was drawn in water on a campus walkway and is therefore no longer visible,” Dunn said in his note. “It is especially painful that this took place in close proximity to a horrific antisemitic shooting in Australia, and I know members of our Jewish community feel particularly hurt and scared. I want our Jewish students and families – and every RCDS community member – to know unequivocally that hateful language or behavior has no place at our school.”
Dunn promised a “thorough investigation” and “appropriate disciplinary action”.
“This antisemitic act at RCDS – while appearing innocuous and innocent – is only a first step in a long series of anti-Jewish hateful acts that leads directly to shameless acts that we saw earlier this week in Australia,” Rabbi Daniel Gropper of Community Synagogue of Rye told MyRye.com. “I am grateful to the leadership at RCDS for confronting this act directly and for condemning it. There must be zero tolerance towards acts that target Jews or any other minorities and I am thankful to the administration of RCDS for courageously confronting this shameful act to nip it in the bud.”
“Because this matter involves our school community, we are not able to share additional details,” said a Rye Country Day School spokesperson when asked if the school has identified any responsible individuals. “RCDS is committed to maintaining the safety, well-being, and privacy of our community.”
The story was first reported by News 12.
The full school communication:
RYE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL
Office of the Head of School
Dear Upper School Parents and Guardians,
I am writing to you about a recent and deeply upsetting incident of hate speech graffiti on our campus. A swastika, an abhorrent insignia of hate and violence, was drawn in water on a campus walkway and is therefore no longer visible. The RCDS Administration and Security Department are conducting a thorough investigation into this hateful message. Additionally, our counselors are available to anyone who needs support.
Earlier today, Ms. Heath and I gathered the Upper School students to address this incident. Although we currently have no reason to believe Middle Schoolers saw the temporary markings, Mr. Vineyard will address the issue with Middle School students on Thursday during their division meeting. This is an important teaching moment.
Speaking to our Upper School students, Ms. Heath and I both emphasized the gravity of this offense, and we stressed the importance of being a community of upstanders and not bystanders. As parents and guardians, please support these important themes with discussions at home to reinforce our school’s shared values and our promise of maintaining a community where every person belongs and thrives without fear of discrimination or hate.
Please take a moment to read Ms. Heath’s remarks, which were extremely moving. I want to thank Ms. Heath for her thoughtful leadership in championing our core values.
It is especially painful that this took place in close proximity to a horrific antisemitic shooting in Australia, and I know members of our Jewish community feel particularly hurt and scared. I want our Jewish students and families—and every RCDS community member—to know unequivocally that hateful language or behavior has no place at our school. We are committed to maintaining a learning community that is a welcoming, inclusive, and bias-free environment for all.
Though this disappointing incident reflects negatively on our community, we will respond with intention through offering resources, education, and support. Please know that we are taking this offense very seriously and taking appropriate disciplinary action.
Thank you for your partnership in upholding our shared commitment to respect, compassion, tolerance, and inclusivity.
Yours,
Randall Dunn
Head of School
(This story was updated 12/18 at 8:30am and 4:00pm.)
