Swatiskas, offensive graffiti found at western Mass. school

HARVARD, Mass. -- Police are being asked to investigate after swastikas and other offensive graffiti were found at a Massachusetts school.

Superintendent Linda Dwight of Harvard Public Schools sent an email to parents Friday saying that a rock in front of the Bromfield School had been vandalized with swastikas, homophobic symbols and racist words. One of the swastikas was marked over a Jewish Star of David.

“It is with dismay and a heavy heart that I share with you that the rock in front of Bromfield was recently vandalized with threatening symbols and hate speech,” Dwight said in a statement. according to CBS Boston. “These symbols included multiple swastikas including one covering the Star of David, sexist and homo-phobic symbols, and racist terms.”

Dwight said the school district condemns the graffiti and has asked police to investigate. Police in the town of Harvard could not immediately be reached for comment.

In the future, Dwight said the school will focus on inclusion and tolerance.

“Moving forward, although we have made tolerance a part of our curriculum, in light of these and other racist incidents we will intensify our efforts to assure the safety of all students, with a specific focus on our core value of respect, especially for students and families from minority and marginalized groups,” Dwight said. “The Diversity Committee, the School Committee, and the school leaders will explore the best ways to bolster the curriculum so that these incidents are less likely to occur. We appreciate any input the community has to encourage tolerance for diversity.”

The Bromfield School is located 30 miles west of Boston and teaches about 700 students from sixth grade through high school.

Last week, officials in nearby Billerica, Massachusetts, said a shuttered elementary school had also been vandalized with a swastika.