A shocking photo of eight students lying in the shape of a swastika on a high school football field in San Jose, California, has sparked outrage among the Bay Area Jewish community. Local leaders and organizations were the first to respond and strongly criticize the offensive video posted on Instagram. Whoever drafted it alerted it to an anonymous tip line on Wednesday evening.
The impact of the incident has rippled far outside of San Jose, with representatives from the Bay Area Jewish Coalition (BAJC) registering their outrage. Maya Bronicki, the education lead of BAJC, is a passionate advocate for better Holocaust education. She emphasizes the necessity of teaching the history behind hate symbols such as the swastika. She continued, saying that news stories such as this one expose a troubling lack of awareness among students today.
After the controversy erupted, school principal Beth Silbergeld released a statement addressing the incident. In her remarks, she acknowledged that while the actions of these students do not reflect the values of the majority, “the harm it caused is real and must be addressed.” Silbergeld further stated that she believes the district has the capacity to educate students on the importance of inclusivity and fighting hate.
“Many in our community were rightly appalled by the image. This incident is troubling and unacceptable. Professionally, we are committed to learning from this moment and moving forward with greater unity and purpose.” – Beth Silbergeld
The school district looks forward to working in close partnership with BAJC to address and repair the harm created by this incident. They will be partnering with the Anti-Defamation League, and the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Bay Area. Together, they are working to raise awareness and foster a more inclusive school climate.
The inflammatory post received a second boost after a screenshot started spreading around Reddit last Thursday, drawing over 500 comments and counting. Tali Klima, a spokesperson for BAJC, voiced her distress over the incident, stating, “To have children echoing Hitler’s words is frankly just shocking and heartbreaking, and the entire community has been rocked by this.”
By Friday morning, the platform had deleted both the post and the violator’s Instagram account. The incident’s effect is still being felt across the community.
“Our message to the community is clear: this was a disturbing and unacceptable act of antisemitism. Actions that target, demean, or threaten Jewish students have no place on our campuses. CUHSD and Branham stand firmly against all forms of hate, discrimination, and intolerance.” – Beth Silbergeld