Updated: Supt. notes ‘unacceptable’ delay in reporting CCHS swastika to police, parents

Schools Superintendent Laurie Hunter apologized Thursday after Acton-Carlisle High School delayed notifying families or police about hateful graffiti on the CCHS campus.

The high school’s co-principals asked for the community’s help in a Wednesday email that said the school had investigated a spray-painted swastika discovered at the CCHS skate park over April break.

But Acton Police brass told The Acton Bridge on Wednesday night that school officials had never told them about the incident, as they should have done.  

In a Thursday mass email to families, forwarded to The Bridge by district spokesperson Tom Lucey, Hunter pointed to “a very difficult time for the school community” in the wake of the death of three students in a spring break car accident. 

She apologized “for any further stress that may have resulted.”

“We acknowledge this delay was not acceptable and will ensure our reporting is timely going forward,” Hunter said. 

‘The first we’re hearing of it’  

Although Principals Katie Stahl and Brian Miller said the graffiti was discovered over April break, Hunter said the vandalism wasn’t reported until May 12. At the time, the superintendent said, officials “were heavily focused on supporting those in grief” following the fatal crash.

Hunter said school officials investigated and removed the swastika but that they “were drawn back into the needs of the grieving community” and didn’t notify police. 

Approached outside Town Meeting at the high school Wednesday night, Police Chief Thomas Mulcahy and Lt. Tim Landers said the graffiti was news to them. 

“If this happened back in April, this is the first we’re hearing of it,” Landers told The Bridge. 

Trying times

Landers acknowledged April break was a difficult time for Acton, but said the schools should have notified CPD of the graffiti immediately; police would have photographed the swastika for their records.

He said he walked to the skate park after speaking with a Bridge reporter and found the mark had been painted over.

Police planned to file a belated report and notify the Middlesex District Attorney’s Anti-Hate Anti-Bias Task Force. Law enforcement also planned to contact the Massachusetts State Police Hate Crimes Awareness and Response Teams and the Anti-Defamation League. 

“We take this extremely seriously,” Landers said. “There is no place for this.” 

‘This needs to stop’

CCHS also dealt with bigoted graffiti in the fall. 

In that case, police were involved early in the process. Months later, Stahl and Miller wrote in their Wednesday email, “It is incredibly disappointing and frustrating to be here, yet again.” 

“This needs to stop,” the principals wrote, “and we need the help of the community.” 

Stahl and Miller said the swastika “is not only an act of hate but also one that directly contradicts the values of inclusivity, kindness, and unity that we strive to uphold at CCHS.”

Photos reviewed by The Bridge on Thursday show a white spray-painted swastika at the top of a ramp.

The principals said they hadn’t identified the person responsible and urged anyone with information to come forward. Officials said graffiti is happening at the skate park “all too often.” 

Stahl and Miller said crews are repainting the facility and will install cameras. The principals said CCHS will also work with police to ensure the skate park “stays a safe place for those who use it.” 

Landers said police would contact CCHS officials and add patrols around the park. 

Prior incidents

Last year’s round of bigoted graffiti started showing up in CCHS bathrooms in mid-November. Issues continued into December and included “antisemitic, transphobic, and racist” messages, administrators said.

Principals notified the community about the bathroom vandalism on December 9. At the time, Hunter attributed the delay to ongoing investigations. 

Critics, including former METCO School Committee representative Domingos DaRosa, skewered the response at a School Committee meeting on December 10, saying issues were being “pushed aside.”

In March, then-Select Board candidate Paul Boehm noted the CCHS vandalism and said hate-based incidents “can’t be swept under the rug.” 

Now a Select Board member, he said he agrees with the principals’ condemnation of the April graffiti but is “concerned about the delay in notifying the police and the entire community of this incident.” 

“The entire Acton community, not just the school community, must be urgently made aware of such incidents and collectively and decisively take steps to both educate and condemn,” Boehm said in an email. 

Boehm copied Mary Hartman (who is finishing her year as board chair but will remain on the panel) on his message and said he expects the Select Board and the School Committee “will have additional discussions on this matter.”

Town Manager Kerry Lafleur said antisemitic vandalism at the skate park “is deeply troubling” and she recognizes “the pain and concern this has caused for many residents.”

“While the response is being led by the appropriate authorities, including school leadership and law enforcement,” Lafleur told The Bridge on Thursday, “I share the broader community’s concern and support continued efforts to ensure that Acton remains a respectful, inclusive, and safe place for all.”

State Rep. Simon Cataldo (D-Acton), who co-chaired the state legislature’s Special Committee on Combating Antisemitism, said he spoke with Hunter on Thursday.

Despite his work on the subject, “It hits differently when it’s so close to home,” said the CCHS alum. 

“I appreciated and greatly respect that the school district expressed contrition for how this unfolded.”

‘Especially heartbreaking’

Outside Acton, recent weeks have brought high-profile cases of what authorities have called violent antisemitism in Washington, D.C., and Boulder, Colorado.

This week, Stahl and Miller wrote to families that they’re “committed to creating an environment where every student, staff member, and family member feels safe, valued, and respected.” 

“While this discovery was especially heartbreaking given it is not the first time this school year,” they wrote, “it does not diminish our resolve to stand against hatred and bigotry in all its forms.”

The principals thanked the community for its strength and support at a challenging time. “Together, we will continue to move forward, ensuring that hate will never define who we are or what we stand for,” they said.

Belief in transparency

The Bridge sought comment from Hunter and Lucey before publishing its initial coverage of the delayed police notification Wednesday night. Neither responded. 

In her message to families, Hunter said, in part, “we believe strongly in condemning and being transparent about hateful acts” and said the delayed notification “does not reflect our lack of tolerance for hateful acts.” 

“Our commitment to equity and inclusion is a core value of our schools,” Hunter said. “Hate is not and will not be tolerated.” 

Trace Salzbrenner contributed reporting.

Thursday, 6 p.m.: This breaking story has been updated.