Leon County School officials are addressing an incident involving a Leon County High School student who came to school dressed up in a Nazi costume.
A video of the student has been making rounds on social media.
Leon County High School Principal Scotty Crowe released a statement saying in part,
“While we encourage creativity and fun during Halloween activities, <b>hateful, discriminatory, or culturally insensitive costumes will not be tolerated. </b>Costumes that mock or stereotype individuals or groups based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other identity are strictly prohibited.”
Crowe goes on to say any student who wears a “hateful, offensive, or otherwise inappropriate costume” will face disciplinary action in accordance with the school’s code of conduct.
Leon County Schools released a statement saying,
“We are aware of an incident in which a student came to school dressed as a Nazi soldier. This behavior is deeply offensive, hurtful, and entirely contrary to the values of our school community. Symbols associated with Nazism represent hatred, violence, and genocide. They have no place in our schools, where our mission is to promote respect, understanding, and inclusion for all students. School administrators have taken immediate action to address this incident in accordance with our districts code of conduct. We want to be clear: our schools are places of learning, safety, and belonging. We condemn all forms of hate speech, discrimination, and acts that demean or intimidate others.”
The Holocaust Education Resource Council also released a statement saying in part,
“HERC is deeply disturbed and saddened by an Instagram post depicting a Leon High School student dressed in a Nazi costume for Halloween. This is not the only time a Leon County high school student has posted Nazi symbolism on Instagram…Symbols of Nazism represent genocide, antisemitism, and the extermination of six million Jews and millions of others. Wearing a Nazi costume trivializes those atrocities and causes lasting damage to Holocaust survivors, their families, and our community as a whole….HERC stands ready to work with teachers, administrators, parents, and students to ensure that this moment becomes a turning point from ignorance to understanding, from indifference to action.”
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