The ugly messages of bigotry happened on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
On Monday, a day revered and celebrated for civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., we were reminded why racism and hate are such scourges on our nation. Overnight, vandals tagged the inside of the press box at Blue Valley High School’s football stadium with some of the most vile, racist, antisemitic and homophobic slurs one could think of. No need to repeat the tasteless words in this space. The missives target Black, Hispanic, Jewish, gay and other marginalized people, law enforcement officials told us.
For good measure, the vulgar and foul language included a crude reference to George Floyd, tagged in red paint.
District officials were working with Overland Park police to nab those responsible. They could face charges that include criminal property damage and burglary, according to law enforcement officials. Did the culprit run afoul of federal hate crime statutes because of antisemitic and racist messages? That remains to be seen, police said.
“We’re taking this very seriously,” said Overland Park police officer John Lacy.
Our hope is the district and others nearby will use the hateful act as impetus to continue or improve its anti-bias and anti-harassment work.
“Hate and malicious acts of vandalism have no place at Blue Valley High or at any Blue Valley school,” the district said in a statement. No argument here. All students deserve a safe and welcoming environment to thrive.
The investigation into the vandalism is still early. As of Tuesday, no arrests had been made, according to Overland Park police. We applaud the school district’s leadership for forcefully denouncing the messages of hate and bigotry. Only a thorough investigation can determine the appropriate legal consequences.
Racism and hate, studies have shown, are learned behaviors. Parents, teachers and fellow students all have an obligation to eradicate multicultural prejudices and bias, scholars say.
Other external factors play a role, too. What would possess someone — anyone, for that matter — to act in such a way? The malicious intent of the messages could also be a cry for help, according to mental health professionals.
It must be noted that such acts of vandalism come at a time when politicians on the right seek to ban teaching our nation’s racial history in the classroom. Republicans in both the Kansas and Missouri legislatures have taken aim at so-called “critical race theory” in schools — a false characterization of existing curricula.
“Antisemitism is rising in the United States, and this recent, local act of hate is not an isolated incident,” read a statement Tuesday afternoon from Overland Park’s Jewish Community Relations Bureau|American Jewish Committee. Its 2022 Antisemitism in Schools Survey showed that “81% of students surveyed reported experiencing or witnessing at least one form of antisemitism at school.”
As of Tuesday, monetary damages to the press box and stadium had not been assessed, Blue Valley School District officials said. But what about the well-being of the children returning to school? School staff will support students as they process the vandalism, Principal Charles Golden told The Star. Students will also have access to a counselor or member of the student support team, Golden said.
On Monday, in a letter to district families, Golden wrote: “I am reaching out to you today with extremely upsetting news. This morning we learned the Blue Valley High School football stadium and press box were vandalized overnight. The vandalism includes the destruction of property, graphic images and vulgar and racially offensive language. Hate like this has no place at Blue Valley High and is not representative of our Tiger community.”
Golden’s words hit the right mark — but the district needs to decide whether they’re enough. Perhaps the entire student body should hear from an anti-bias expert or a similar speaker. Open and frank conversations about our differences are sound policy. An upsetting new display of hatred and intimidation, particularly during this week, shows we can’t shy away from those difficult discussions.
