Portland Racism: Two Schools Hit With Racist Graffiti, Threats

PORTLAND, OR — Students attending two Portland schools are going to class at crime scenes. Bridlemile Elementary and Robert Gray Middle School were both subjected to racist incidents in the past few days. Police and the district officials are investigating the incidents.

At Robert Gray, students found a note threatening violence against other students.

"We need to inform you of a deeply troubling incident that happened at school on Wednesday afternoon," Principal Lisa Newlyn wrote in a letter to staff and families.

The letter, which was found in a school bathroom, said that on Friday, the author of the note would bring a gun to school and shoot Black students.

"The students who found the note reported it to school staff, and we are grateful to them," Newlyn wrote. "Police and district security were immediately notified and we are conducting a full investigation to determine if there is a viable threat.

"Hate is not tolerated in our community and this incident, targeting our Black students, is an affront to our core values of racial equality and social justice, honesty and integrity."

Newlyn told parents that "we know this incident will be troubling to you and your student. We understand that Racial trauma, or race-based traumatic stress s emotionally painful and can have detrimental psychological impacts on individuals and their wider communities."

Newlyn said that the school made available counselors and "affinity spaces for Black/African American students and Students of Color."

Meanwhile at Bridlemile, Principal Jerome Townsend wrote parents and staff to let them know that "there was an unfortunate incident this weekend which involved disturbing racist hate speech and vulgar graffiti painted on the Bridlemile school grounds.

"The graffiti, which did not include any threats, has been moved and the Portland Police Bureau and PPS security have been contacted."

Officials say that the graffiti involved use of a racial epithet used to denigrate Black people and there was also a lewd message including a depiction of the male anatomy.

As with the incident at Robert Gray, Portland Police are investigating.

This is not the first incident at Bridlemile.

There has been previous instances of racist graffiti and once a noose was found on the playground.

Townsend said that the school and community's Community Equity Teams "will ne discussing next steps as well as an action plan in response to this incident.

"Hate will not be tolerated in our community. As we have demonstrated, we will get through this together and prevail as we continue to fight and teach anti-racism in our school, our community and our homes."