March 7, 2025 By Carol Britton Meyer
Select Board Chair Joseph Fisher prefaced Thursday’s select board meeting with a statement regarding a swastika that was found by a student on a wall at Hingham High School earlier that day:
“This morning at Hingham High School, a swastika was discovered in the boys’ restroom.”
Dr. John Buckey, the high school’s interim principal, issued a statement that includes the following important words:
‘It should go without saying that antisemitic symbols have no place in our school. Such expressions of prejudice are completely unacceptable and totally at odds with our values as a community. We are both saddened and outraged that a student would deface a bathroom wall in this manner.’
This afternoon the Hingham-Hull Religious Leaders Association issued their own statement:
‘In response to the recent discovery of an antisemitic symbol of hate in a boy’s restroom at Hingham High School, the Hingham Hull Religious Leaders Association condemns this act of hate and stands united against prejudice and in support of the Jewish Community. Acts of hatred diminish the sanctity of the individual as well as the community, both of which we tirelessly endeavor to elevate. We call on all members of our community to speak out against this and all acts of hate and remain united as we continue working together to build a stronger and more supportive community.’
I would add my own words of outrage and sadness that we are experiencing a surge in antisemitic activity here in our home state of Massachusetts.
Today’s incident of a swastika at Hingham High School, follows yesterday’s incident in the town of Wayland, just west of Boston, where a swastika had been painted on the Wayland Community Pool, which is located in the Wayland High School.
The Wayland incident follows last month’s occurrence in the town of Uxbridge, located in the center of Massachusetts, where a swastika was found painted in an Uxbridge High School bathroom.
The month before, in January, a student at the Westfield Middle School found a swastika drawn inside their notebook.
And the list goes on.
⦁ Our towns and our schools need to be vigilant.
⦁ We cannot be complacent.
⦁ We cannot assume that antisemitism exists somewhere else, but not here. Because it is happening here.
⦁ It is up to us, as community leaders, to make sure that we all support each other and that we refuse to tolerate acts of hate.
The Hingham Unity Council Board also denounced this hate crime on Facebook with the following statement:
“The Hingham Unity Council stands in solidarity against antisemitism and neo-Nazism. We were deeply disturbed to hear of the defacing of a boys’ room at Hingham High School with a swastika symbol.
To those who feel threatened in this moment: we see you, we stand with you, and we support you. Our greatest strength lies in our ability to work together and not only bridge, but also celebrate, our differences. We are a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-faith community that rejects all forms of hate. We all belong here.”
According to Hingham Police Public Information Officer Lt. Steven Dearth, this incident remains under investigation.