A Nevada mother has opened up about an alleged antisemitic attack his son suffered at his former high school.
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, told COLlive.com that her 17-year-old son, a student at Clark High School, had a swastika carved on his back when he came back home from school on 9 March. The boy, who is non-verbal and is on the Autism spectrum, also had his service dog’s equipment bag broken.
According to the mother, the teen may have been targeted because he wears a Kippah, a traditional head covering for Jewish men.
“My son is the only student I know of who wears a Kippah at the school,” she told COLlive.com.
The concerned mother claims she reported the attack to officials at the school, but was told nothing had happened. She then decided to file a report with the Clark County Schools Police on 13 March.
The Anti-Defamation League of Nevada (ADL) issued a statement decrying the alleged attack, noting that school should be a safe place for every student.
“ADL condemns this violent, anti-Semitic act,” regional director Jolie Brislin said. “Not only was this student targeted for his identifiable faith, but he was particularly vulnerable due to his disability. This incident illustrates points of intersectionality in how hate can show itself across marginalized communities.”
She continued: “ADL Nevada, in partnership with Jewish Nevada and the Safe Nevada Security Initiative, has been in close contact with the parents, CCSD and law enforcement, and will be working with Clark High School to provide anti-Semitism education.”
FBI officials have said they are ready to investigate but did not clarify whether they have already joined the probe.
“We are aware of the incident and are in regular contact with local authorities. If during the local investigation, information comes to light of a potential federal civil rights violation, the FBI is prepared to investigate,” the agency told NBC in a statement.
The boy has since been removed from school by his mother. While the district said that no type of discrimination towards students will be tolerated, officials denied the existence of any evidence that the attack took place at the high school.
The Independent has reached out to Clark County High School for comment.
