Needham HS Officials Reviewing Video To Find Swastika Vandal

NEEDHAM, MA — Needham High School officials are reviewing hours of security camera footage to determine who drew a swastika near the entrance of the building, Principal Aaron Sicotte wrote in a letter to the high school community Thursday.

In the letter obtained by the Boston Globe, Sicotte said that the assistant principals and himself have spoken to students with pieces of information in addition to watching the camera footage.

There are no suspects but the incident remains under investigation.

The symbol was found Tuesday and school officials say that it was drawn either late Monday night or early Tuesday morning. In an email to the community Tuesday, Sicotte wrote, "NHS needs to be a safe haven, free of graffiti like this and those we saw in December, and able to provide the support we need when the hate does permeate our walls."

But Needham High School continues to have problems with hate-filled graffiti. A review of Needham Patch stories and Needham Police Logs show at least five other incidents across the school district this school year, including one at Pollard Middle School and Mitchell Elementary School On Dec. 8,students at the high school walked out in protest of recent homophobic and racist graffiti discovered at the school.

"The graffiti we have endured this year serves as clear reminders to us all that we have much work ahead of us to continue to shape the environment here and to support those who have been hurt and offended,” Sicotte wrote.

Image: File Photo