She “included” Nazis in her diversity rainbow.
A Seattle-area elementary principal sparked outrage when she bizarrely claimed not all swastikas are bad in a letter calling for the “inclusivity” of cultural symbolism — after the vile mark was graffitied at her school, according to reports.
Heather Snookal of Phantom Lake Elementary in Bellevue first sent out a text Monday alerting parents that a painted swastika — which she initially called a “symbol of hate” — was found by a fifth-grader on a a campus wall, according to KOMO News and other sources.
But a few hours later — after apparently getting a complaint from a parent — she sent out a follow-up email apologizing and walking back her condemnation of the symbol.
“In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and other ancient cultures, the swastika is a symbol of peace, prosperity, and good fortune. We recognize that for many of our families, this symbol has a positive and spiritual meaning, completely unrelated to the hateful associations it took on in more recent history,” she wrote in the tone-deaf letter.
“As a school committed to inclusivity and cultural understanding, we want to ensure that our students from all backgrounds feel welcomed, valued, and celebrated,” she wrote.
“We also want to make sure our community is educated about the diverse meanings and histories behind symbols like the swastika so that we can all avoid misunderstandings that could inadvertently marginalize or hurt our students.”
But her follow-up email infuriated parents, who said the swastika clearly represents hate in its current context — vandalism — as reports of antisemitic incidents skyrocket in the US.
“To me, it is the most warped version of inclusion we could come up with — to ask Jewish families in this day and age to be tolerant of the swastika,” said Tirzah Dondanville, a parent with two daughters who attend Phantom Lake Elementary.
“I believe the principal should resign,” said another parent, Irina Menn. “It just creates a trust issue. I don’t know how we can trust an educator who can’t recognize a call for violence from a call for peace to be educating our children.”
Another parent fumed, “The takeaway was that it’s OK to have a swastika painted at a children’s school.”
Snookal was later placed on administrative leave, and the school district said it was investigating the matter.
“We share in the burden and pain that our Jewish families feel regarding the rise in antisemitism locally and across our country. Bellevue, like other districts, has seen a rise in antisemitic incidents, particularly this past year, and we are taking action to address it,” Bellevue School District said in a statement.
“Vandalism on a playground using a swastika is antisemitic and goes against our district’s commitment to building what Dr. King championed as ‘The Beloved Community’ — a place where people truly care for one another, and there is no hunger, poverty, or hate.”