Teens Arrange Beer Cups In Shape Of Swastika, Play Drinking Game

Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
A southern California school district sent a letter to parents apologizing after images spread on social media showed students partying while giving Nazi salutes and playing drinking games with cups arranged in the shape of a swastika.
“We were recently made aware of social media postings involving some students who created inappropriate anti-semitic symbols, and possible underage drinking,” a letter from the leaders of the Newport-Mesa United School District said. “While these actions did not occur on any school campus or school function, we condemn all acts of anti-semitism and hate in all their forms.”
The president of the school district told local news station KCAL that they had had an emergency meeting on Sunday to address the incident, which involved students or recent graduates of Newport Harbor High School.
Newport Harbor student Bianca Lutz told the Los Angeles Times that some of her Jewish friends were scared by the incident, and that she was “extremely disturbed by the ignorance of those at the party.”
The Anti-Defamation League runs educational programming at several area schools but not at Newport Harbor, the organization’s regional director confirmed to the L.A. Times.
In the past school year, high school students in Minnesota and Wisconsin have been disciplined for doing Nazi salutes and posting photos of their actions online.
Contact Aiden Pink at [email protected] or on Twitter, @aidenpink
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