EASTHAMPTON — The Easthampton Public School District is investigating an incident in which swastikas were drawn on the ground in chalk at the Mountain View School playground Wednesday afternoon.
“We are committed to being as transparent as possible with issues that occur — hate has no place in our schools,” Superintendent Michelle Balch said in an interview Thursday morning. “We are focused on prevention but when an issue does occur we will do everything we can to address it.”
Balch said at about 1 p.m. on Wednesday a teacher reported the incident to Mountain View administrators after discovering the drawn swastikas. Balch said the district’s investigation is ongoing, but indications show it was likely drawn by a student.
The district sent an email informing Mountain View families about three hours later, signed by Head of School Jill Pasquini-Torchia, and it was reported to police. Balch said there will soon be a staff meeting to discuss the incident.
Police Chief Chad Alexander told the Gazette that the incident was reported to the Easthampton Police Detective Bureau, describing it as one swastika written in chalk. The report says that the teacher who saw the drawing erased it immediately, according to Alexander, and police looked at nearby surveillance camera footage but there was nothing to see at the time of the incident.
“Today, swastikas were discovered drawn in chalk on the playground at Mountain View School,” the email’s opening sentence states. “This symbol of hate has no place in our schools or in our community.”
The email continues, “We want to be clear that Easthampton Public Schools has zero tolerance for hate-based or discriminatory behavior, including antisemitism. Symbols like the swastika carry deep historical and emotional harm and directly contradict our values of belonging, safety, dignity and respect for all members of our community.”
Student, teacher and guardian resource options are included in the email, encouraging parents and guardians to talk with students about the, “meaning and impact of hate symbols, the importance of respectful behavior and the responsibility we all share in creating a safe and inclusive school community.”
Students and families also are encouraged to report any similar incidents through “Anonymous Alerts,” or directly to a trusted adult. Balch said when incidents like this happen the district also holds an educational piece with students.
Adam Solender, chief philanthropy officer of the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts, sent an email to district administrators and School Committee members on Thursday morning, thanking them for the way the district responded to the incident.
“I want to express our sincere appreciation for your transparency, communication, and leadership in responding to this discovery,” Solender wrote. “At a time when antisemitism is rising at alarming rates across our nation, your willingness to address this incident openly and directly reflects both moral clarity and a deep commitment to the wellbeing of your students and community.”
Earlier this year, the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education concluded an investigation of the Easthampton Public Schools, finding that the district responded appropriately to a series of alleged antisemitic incidents in 2024.
“How we as a school community are addressing (similar) occasions and taking a proactive stance is crucial,” Balch said. “We are always improving and learning, and we are actively going out and seeking the experiences of kids and I think that’s really important.”
