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Parents and students demand action after repeated anti‑Semitic graffiti; district outlines investigations and policy review
Summary
Community members described at least nine incidents of anti‑Semitic graffiti and racist social‑media posts at Hopkins High School and called for immediate, visible action. Superintendent Mary Perry Reid said law enforcement and district investigators are reviewing evidence and the district will revise policies and accountability processes.
Community members told the Hopkins School Board on June 2 that a string of hate‑related incidents at Hopkins High School — including multiple swastikas drawn on bathroom ceilings and racist slurs — have left families shaken and demanding swift action.
"These are not acts of misguided children," said Eric Mandel during the meeting’s public‑comment period. "They are acts of children who have learned the warm embrace of the power of being in the in‑group." Mandel said he was shown photographs taken May 21 showing swastikas and slurs in a gender‑neutral bathroom; he also referenced reporting that identified nine such incidents since February.
Superintendent Dr. Mary Perry Reid told the board the district has treated the incidents with urgency. "There are many individuals partnering with law enforcement, interviewing students, interviewing families, and using what's within our policy and regulations to apply consequences for students who have been found," she said. Reid said the district had not yet identified the person or persons responsible for the graffiti but that staff had reviewed hours of camera footage, interviewed witnesses, and would continue to pursue leads.
Reid and other administrators said the district will pursue both immediate response steps and longer‑term systemic changes. Short‑term measures include increased monitoring, law‑enforcement coordination and disciplinary processes where appropriate; longer‑term work will include policy review and the planned relaunch of an equity and inclusion advisory structure that will include students and caregivers.
"We are acting with urgency to improve our systems," Reid said in a formal statement read at the meeting, adding that the district is reviewing harassment and bullying policies with legal counsel and considering a community‑harm framework to guide consistent responses.
Board members acknowledged the distress the incidents have caused and thanked community members who brought them forward. Several members also promised to move quickly on policy changes: the board’s policy and monitoring committee said it will review policies 413 and 514 and further develop protected‑class language and a proposed anti‑Semitism policy for Hopkins.
The board also addressed a separate safety incident: an anonymous call to the high school on June 1 that was interpreted as a threat and prompted an early release after law‑enforcement consultation. Student representatives praised administrators' calm response to the call and the steps taken to keep students safe.
What’s next: the district said investigations remain open and that any disciplinary action will follow policy and due process. Officials asked families and staff to report concerns and said the district will share updates as investigations permit. The board also said it would work with community partners and law enforcement to strengthen prevention and response.
