Westfield School Board Cracks Down On Punishments For Hate Graffiti

WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield Public School District has seen its fair share of hate graffiti, as a series of swastikas were discovered etched into bathroom stalls over the past academic year.

At a Board of Education meeting on June 21, the board unanimously voted to strengthen its code of conduct by increasing punishments for students who commit bias or hate offenses.

The updated code of contact includes the possibility of expulsion for the most severe offenses, which encompasses perpetrators of bias graffiti.

The most recent incident of hate graffiti occurred in March when a swastika was drawn in pencil in a first-floor girls bathroom at Westfield High School.

At the time, Principal Mary Asfendis said the responsible parties would not only be suspected but also be required to participate in "educational activities" so that the severity of the action was understood and not repeated.

Read more: Another Swastika Drawn At Westfield High School, District Investigates

Prior to this incident, two swastikas and a racial slur were discovered carved into a bathroom stall at the high school in December.

Read more: Westfield Officials Investigate Several Hate Incidents At WHS

According to the code of conduct, penalties for students increase depending on grade level. For instance, a student at the elementary level would receive a lesser punishment than a high school student who commits a hate crime, according to the document.

A student now may be required to repay the school for any damaged or defaced property that they cause.

The maximum level of penalties for an intermediate or high school student include long-term Out of School Suspension, a formal Board of Education hearing (which could result in additional penalties), referral to the County Prosecutor for possible criminal prosecution, as well as expulsion, according to the document.

The code also states that the Board of Education "may deny participation in extra-curricular activities, school functions, sports, graduation exercises, or other privileges as disciplinary sanctions when designed to maintain the order and integrity of the school environment."

Superintendent Raymond González first announced these potential changes to the district's code of conduct at a meeting in December.

"As someone who has faced discrimination in many forms throughout my entire life, I share in the collective anger and frustration that these expression of hate continue in our town and our society," González said at the December meeting. "We are prepared to impose the harshest consequences according to our student code of conduct."

The full code of conduct can be viewed on the district's website.

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