The principal of a suburban Seattle elementary school has been suspended after criticizing swastika graffiti found at her school.
Heather Snookal sent a text alert to parents of students at Phantom Lake Elementary School in Bellevue, Washington, on Monday.
Snookal informed families that a fifth-grade student had discovered a swastika on a campus wall and described it as a “symbol of hate.”
But it was met with fury for failing to recognize that the Nazi emblem is also a peaceful symbol for multiple religions, including Buddhism and Hinduism.
After the text message, the parents said KOMO News They received an email addressing their use of language in the text message and apologized for calling it a symbol of hate.
Snookal informed families that a fifth-grade student had discovered a swastika on a campus wall and described it as a “symbol of hate.”
Its text read: ‘In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and other ancient cultures, the swastika is a symbol of peace, prosperity and good fortune.
‘We recognize that for many of our families, this symbol has a positive and spiritual meaning, completely unrelated to the hateful associations it acquired in more recent history.
‘As a school committed to inclusion and cultural understanding, we want to ensure that our students from all backgrounds feel welcome, valued and celebrated.
“We also want to ensure that our community is educated about the various meanings and stories behind symbols like the swastika so that we can all avoid misunderstandings that could inadvertently marginalize or hurt our students.”
But Snookal’s confusing series of communications ended up offending everyone.
The symbol, which comes from ancient Sanskrit, was used for centuries by Hindus and Buddhists before it was adopted by the Nazi Party in Germany.
Its use in religions generally points counterclockwise, while the Nazi version goes in the opposite direction.
Angry parents who spoke to KOMO called the confusing communication “unacceptable” and said they sent an email to Snookal on Monday expressing their dismay.
Tirzah Dondanville told the outlet: ‘Basically the conclusion was that it’s okay to paint a swastika in a nursery school. For us, the swastika means fear, terror and hatred.
Eitan Gor added: “It is very evident that the intention in this case painted on the wall in a specific Nazi appearance was to be a Nazi swastika.
‘I don’t think he has bad intentions, I think he understood the meaning of the symbol. It’s just not clear why the focus is on that.”
Before the end of the school day, the Bellevue School District took steps to place Snookal on administrative leave while they investigate the matter.
Angry parents who spoke to the outlet called the communication “unacceptable” and said they sent an email to Snookal on Monday expressing their dismay.
A close-up of a swastika at Asakusa Shrine in Tokyo, which has been used for centuries to indicate temples.
In a statement, the Bellevue School District said: ‘There is absolutely no place for hate in the Bellevue School District.
‘In a time when words and symbols are used to divide us, we are working with administrators, staff and students to convene our community in courageous conversations to affirm each other’s cultures, beliefs and identities.
‘We share the burden and pain our Jewish families feel regarding the rise of anti-Semitism locally and across our country.
‘Bellevue, like other districts, has seen an increase in anti-Semitic incidents, particularly in the past year, and we are taking steps to address it.
‘Vandalism on a playground using a swastika is anti-Semitic and goes against our district’s commitment to building what Dr. King championed as “The Beloved Community” – a place where people truly care about each other, and there is no hunger, poverty, or hatred.
“We recognize the pain that every incident like this has on our entire community, but especially on our Jewish community.”