Image by File

Three incidents of anti-Semitic graffiti have been reported at a predominantly Jewish public high school in suburban Boston since fans of an opposing Catholic school basketball team shouted anti-Semitic chants during a championship game.

The graffiti at Newton North High School in Newton, Massachusetts, includes swastikas, according to local reports.

Police were immediately informed of the graffiti and are working to find the perpetrator, interim Newton North principal Mark Aronson said in a letter to parents Wednesday, the Boston Globe reported. The Globe also said that anti-Semitic graffiti was found in the high school’s bathroom in December and racist incidents occurred in the run-up to last month’s Black Culture Day.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

On March 11, students from Catholic Memorial School in West Roxbury shouted “You killed Jesus” during the division title game against Newton North. The chants reportedly were in response to those about Catholic Memorial being an all-boys school, including “Where are your girls?” and “sausage-fest,” which conjured images of male anatomy.

Newton School Superintendent David Fleishman told the Boston Globe that police are investigating whether there is any relationship between the chants and the latest graffiti incident, but said there is no evidence to suggest that Catholic Memorial students were responsible.

The Catholic Memorial students were reprimanded and each personally apologized to the Newton North principal and shook his hand immediately following the game. Earlier this week, Catholic Memorial students were banned by their school administration from attending a state semifinal basketball game because of the chants.

A Newton middle school has been the target of at least three incidents of anti-Semitic graffiti since October, including one last month. Parents were not notified promptly of the first two incidents, for which the school’s principal has apologized.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. We’re near the end of our Passover Fundraising Drive, and we have a very ambitious goal of $127,000 by April 21.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a Passover gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Make a Passover Gift Today!

$90 $180

$360

Other amount