Baraboo High School Class of 2019 junior prom photo Image by twitter

The boys in a Wisconsin high school class appear to have posed in a Nazi salute in a junior prom photo, the Baraboo News Republic reported.

The boys of the Baraboo High School Class of 2019, about 50 people, huddled together on the steps Sauk County Courthouse, where many held up their arms in a Sieg Heil. Not all of them saluted, and one boy in the front made the “OK” hand gesture, which can be construed as a symbol of white power.

The photo was posted online with the hashtag #barabooproud, following the caption, “We even got the black kid to throw it up.”

Antisemitism Notebook

Your weekly guide through the news and the noise of how rising antisemitism and disputes over how to address it are shaping American Jewish life.

Terms(Required)

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

Email(Required)

this post has since been deleted, but i just want @barabooSD to be aware of the disturbing actions that are represented in this photograph. this is BEYOND sickening. pic.twitter.com/Fer5heTted

— carly sidey (@CarlySidey) November 12, 2018

In response, Baraboo School District Administrator Lori Mueller said the situation was being investigated.

The photo of students posted to #BarabooProud is not reflective of the educational values and beliefs of the School District of Baraboo. The District will pursue any and all available and appropriate actions, including legal, to address.

— Lori M. Mueller (@LoriMMueller) November 12, 2018

Journalist Jules Suzdaltsev, who helped circulate the photo, found that the choice of pose may not be surprising — based on responses from students who reached out to him, the high school seems to have a racism issue.

I spoke with the only student who is visibly not comfortable with the “salute”, he provided this statement. pic.twitter.com/HbNBc8xLOK

— Jules Suzdaltsev (@jules_su) November 12, 2018

Alyssa Fisher is a news writer at the Forward. Email her at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount