Statement on the Incident of Hateful Graffiti at Winter Park High School

We are deeply disturbed and saddened by the racist and anti-Semitic graffiti that was found in a bathroom at Winter Park High School on August 31st. These words and images are extremely hurtful to many people. The Holocaust Center has had the privilege of working closely with many Winter Park students on the committee of our Take Action Institute, and have become familiar with the tremendous leadership qualities and innate compassion they have. We applaud Principal Arnold for the school’s strong response and quick identification of the student, and we welcome his invitation to bring Holocaust education to the Winter Park campus to address the perils of prejudice in a lasting way.

While we are heartened in knowing that this graffiti is not at all representative of Winter Park High School and the next generation of students in our community, these types of incidents underscore why the work of Holocaust Center and our programs like Take Action Institute are so important today.