Several students are being disciplined after officials say a poster with the Nazi flag was hung up in a restroom at Grayslake North High School Tuesday.
Grayslake North High School Principal James Roscoe sent an email to students and families in Grayslake School District 127 about the incident.
Roscoe said that the school was made aware of a social media post that “directly contradicts the values of Grayslake North.”
The post showed a swastika poster in a Grayslake North High School bathroom, Roscoe said.
The post was edited to include other messaging in various reposts of the photo.
Roscoe said an investigation showed that the swastika poster was stolen from a 9th grade World History classroom by a student in the class.
The poster was then used to “fashion a highly offensive public display in a bathroom,” he said.
A student who came upon the poster immediately reported it and it was taken down within 10 minutes of being hung in the restroom.
The non-profit organization StopAntisemitism said on Twitter that the display was “horrifying” and called on Grayslake North High School to complete a “full investigation” into the incident.
In an update Wednesday afternoon, the school said they were able to identify the students involved.
The individual families were contacted and students will face disciplinary action in accordance with District 127 school policy, Roscoe said.
“This act is deeply concerning and does not represent the values of Grayslake North High School or District 127. The district is committed to ensuring all students feel safe and we stand strongly behind the statement that hate speech does not belong in our school or community,” Roscoe said.
He said that the school was deeply saddened by the event and that teachers will use it as a teachable moment.
“The actions from yesterday are a reminder that we must also recommit to the values that make Grayslake North an inclusive, welcoming, and caring place,” Roscoe said.