Shippensburg Area High School -
Incident on February 17, 2017
At approximately 9:00 AM this morning, February 17, 2017, a
Shippensburg Area High School Administrator was notified by a parent that his
daughter reported to him that two Swastika’s were painted on the school Spirit
Rocks. The Administrator immediately
investigated and found the report to be true.
The Maintenance Department was contacted at 9:17 AM and the rocks were
repainted with blue paint prior to 10:00 AM.
The Shippensburg Area School District Administration is
considering this a hate crime and an act of vandalism. A report has been filed with the Shippensburg
Police Department and our high school Administrators are continuing to
investigate the matter. If anyone has
any specific information on the matter, please contact any of the High School
Administrators immediately.
Our schools stand for respect and inclusion, a place where all
are welcome and appreciated. Someone or
some group painted the two swastikas, a long standing symbol of the worst kind
of hate, on our Spirit Rocks. This is personal to our students and staff. It is
deplorable, and we denounce it. A full
investigation is underway. Hate has no
place at this school. We, as a school
community, stand for respect and inclusion, a place where all are free to learn
in a safe and welcoming Greyhound environment.
We have work to do.
Our school wide PBIS programs of promoting positive behavior will
continue and we have been in discussions about bringing in the Rachel’s
Challenge program to our schools in the Fall of 2017. The Rachel’s Challenge program is an
anti-bullying program which educates students about tolerance, diversity,
bigotry, racism, and anti-bullying across a broad spectrum in an effort to
promote a positive school climate through education and understanding.
We ask for the community’s help in educating all citizens
about incidents such as this. Please use
social media to educate others. We are
not in denial, but we also feel strongly that an incident such as this one is
not Shippensburg! We are better than
this and it is not part of our Greyhound pride!
Again, if anyone has further information on the person or
group who committed this act, please contact the high school Administration at
717-530-2700 immediately. 