Students from Branham High school in support of local Jewish communities staged a peaceful walkout on Wednesday, to show their disapproval of hate on campus.<\/p>\n
The students were responding to a Dec. 3 Instagram post showing a group of eight young people \u2013 later identified as Branham students \u2013 lying on the Branham football field, forming a swastika using their bodies, with an accompanying quote from Adolf Hitler.<\/p>\n
Revelations of the swastika\/Hitler images at the southwest San Jose high school prompted immediate expressions of outrage and condemnation from local school officials and political leaders, as reports of the incident spread to national and international media.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, a week after the incident, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan weighed in with social media posts:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened at Branham High School was not a joke, not a prank, and not self-expression \u2014 it was an act of hatred,\u201d the mayor wrote. \u201cThe fact that this was planned and posted publicly makes it even more disturbing. This behavior has no place in our community, and it will not be tolerated. I stand with our Jewish residents and support real accountability for everyone involved.\u201d<\/p>\n
The school was alerted to the photo via an anonymous tip line Wednesday evening, as first reported Dec. 5 by The Jewish News of Northern California<\/a>.<\/p>\n The photo was initially posted on Instagram by an account that featured the first and last name of a student who attends the San Jose public school, the news service reported. The post and account were removed from Instagram by Friday morning.<\/p>\n Branham High School Principal Beth Silbergeld condemned the incident on Dec. 4 in a statement sent through an online portal for Branham parents, according to The Jewish News.<\/p>\n \u201cBranham High School is aware of a recent incident circulating on social media that does not reflect the values of our school community,\u201d Silbergeld said in the statement, as reported by the news outlet. \u201cThe incident is being investigated in accordance with district procedures, and appropriate follow-up will occur. We want to be clear: Branham stands firmly against all forms of hate, discrimination, and intolerance. Acts that target, demean, or threaten others have no place on our campus.\u201d<\/p>\n Silbergeld, who is Jewish, reported last week that the school recognizes the incident as antisemitic and said she is working with the San Jose Police Department, the Anti-Defamation League and the Bay Area Jewish Coalition \u201cto ensure that we receive appropriate support and guidance as we work to repair the harm that\u2019s been done to our community.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe acknowledge that it\u2019s an act of antisemitism and hate that doesn\u2019t reflect the values of the school,\u201d she told The Jewish News. \u201cOur student and staff leaders are collaborating to prepare information and hold space for young people next week. We share collective responsibility to ensure safety and a respectful environment. We remain committed to maintaining an emotionally and physically safe school environment for all of our students and staff and the larger community that surrounds Branham.\u201d<\/p>\n San Jose police told media that they are investigating the students\u2019 actions as a hate crime.<\/p>\n