Two incidents of hate and antisemitic vandalism at Northwood High School are being investigated by administrators and Montgomery County Police, including the “posting of professionally designed flyers containing horrific hate speech,” according to a letter posted by school principal Jonathan Garrick.
The MoCo Show reported Wednesday that police filed a report on Thursday, Feb. 2, but additional details regarding the investigation are not available at this time.
The full text of the letter is below:
Hello Northwood Community Partners:
Northwood High School has recently been the victim of two incidents of hate and antisemitic vandalism of our athletic field. This has included the posting of organized and professionally created flyers containing horrific hate speech. This matter is currently under investigation by Montgomery County Police and our Community Engagement Officer Russell Larson.
We are asking assistance from the community to please report any similar flyer postings within the immediate community to Officer Larson at [email protected]. If, when using Northwood facilities, community members see any postings or vandalism to contact me as soon as possible as well ([email protected]). Our entire community stands united that this hatred will never be allowed and those committing it will face severe consequences.
In the course of our investigation, the individual is entering [the] property from the practice fields/Loxford Terrace side of the facilities. We strongly suspect this is in avoidance of our lighting and camera system. For the safety of our students, staff, and community, the Loxford Terrace gate will be closed until further notice. It is our hope to force this individual to either cease their hateful actions or to use our well lit and camera secured front side to enter [the] property where they can be identified.
I know this closure of the Loxford Terrace gate is an inconvenience for our community. It is our sincere hope we can reopen it once a suspect is caught, or we are confident these hate crimes have stopped.
Please note that we are not altering any access to our facilities for the public: our track, tennis courts, and practice fields will maintain the same community access hours.
We appreciate our community’s understand[ing] and vigilance in sending a clear message that this hatred will never be tolerated and will be actively opposed.
Jonathan Garrick, Ed.D.
Principal
Northwood High School
Montgomery County Public Schools
Photo: G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
