By Raiza Giorgi

Santa Ynez Valley Union High School officials spoke adamantly against hate speech after a swastika and other symbols were spray-painted on one of school’s buildings on Friday, Dec. 13.

“We had a crew of people show up early Saturday morning after someone reported it to us and the Sheriff’s Department, and it was removed immediately. We do not condone such behavior and are actively trying to find out who it was,” said Superintendent Scott Cory.

Cory said the high school was very busy the night before with several winter sports games, auto shop activities and robotics activities, and there was a tour bus on campus.

“Since I started at the school we have installed many more cameras. We total 53 as of now, and unfortunately this incident took place in a blind spot,” Cory said.

The high school’s IT department spent hours scouring footage from the other cameras in hopes they might see something, but nothing out of the ordinary was observed, according to Cory.

The Sheriff’s Department is also reviewing the footage and asking for any witnesses to come forward.

Cory said that four of the seven markings made reference to song titles of various punk rock and rap artists. The swastika was spray-painted to a punk rock title and Cory assumes it was there for shock value.

“We had punk rockers back in my day at the high school that wore swastikas for the shock value. While I do not condone the drawing of that symbol, I am not sure it was necessarily hate speech. We haven’t had one instance of discipline on campus this year related to that,” Cory said.

Local religious and community leaders have taken note of the offense and have condemned it.

“The members of the Jewish community spiritually and personally enrich the life of St. Mark’s and the life of the Santa Ynez Valley region. It grieves me and the St. Mark’s faith community to witness the insensitive and reprehensible expressions of hate and intimidation that threaten not just one segment of our diverse community but all of us. Together we care that our hometowns and neighborhoods are safe and sound and as vibrant and beautiful as our natural surroundings,” said Rev. Randall Day of St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church.

The group of political and religious leaders sent a statement that said, in part, “Anti-Semitic symbols have no place in Santa Barbara County or in the Santa Ynez Valley. Not here, not now, not ever. We condemn all acts of anti-Semitism, all forms of bigotry, bullying, and hate … The use of such a harmful symbol as the swastika, which represents a genocidal attack on the Jewish people, is an act of aggression and hate that has no place in our vibrant, diverse, and welcoming community”

Cory said he communicated with his staff and students that such behavior will not be tolerated, and he hopes this incident will never be repeated. The immediate solution is to identify all the blind spots on campus and get additional cameras installed or position existing ones to cover them, he added.

“I joined in the statement as I too believe swastikas have no place in our community, and we support the Jewish community completely. I just hope this wasn’t one of our students who did this,” Cory said.