A suburban Toronto, Canada middle school has sent a letter home to parents notifying them about two antisemitic incidents, one of which involved students performing Nazi salutes in front of classmates, CTV News reported.
In a letter addressed to parents, the principal of Charles H. Best Middle School, which is located in the North York area of north Toronto, called the incidents “unacceptable.”
In the first instance, students performed Nazi salutes in front of classmates and following that incident, two other students depicted swastikas.
“As soon as these incidents were brought to our attention we took immediate steps to address the issue and continue to investigate,” Principal Elever Baker said. “On behalf of Charles H. Best Middle School, we acknowledge and regret the harm this incident caused to members of our school community and to our shared school climate.”
The letter noted that the antisemitic incidents “are not reflective of who we are and what we stand for as a school community.”
"We take great pride in our school as a welcoming, safe, and inclusive place and this has always been our message to students," Baker said.
According to CBC News, the incidents occurred last week in the morning before the start of classes.
Baker said that they are continuing to investigate and are also implementing steps to address what occurred.
"We are committed to the work of intentionally identifying, interrupting, and addressing racism and discrimination in our school, with a focus on antisemitism," the letter states.
In response, the school said that it is consulting with Toronto School Board equity advisors “to establish new strategies and tools for addressing antisemitism.”