Baraboo High School's class of 2019 gained infamy when a group of young men decided it was perfectly okay to collectively throw the Nazi Salute in a group photo. (Some teens in the picture are not participating in the salute). The photo was taken before prom but it doesn't look as if there will be any repercussions for the racist act of hate.
Superintendent Lori Mueller sent a letter to parents explaining the decision is based on their First Amendment rights and that:
"As previously stated, we cannot know the intentions in the hearts of those who were involved."
This seems to fly directly in the face of a recent decision to expel students who protested campus events. Can we assume free speech is only free for some and not all?
If anybody from Baraboo High School in Wisconsin can clue me in on why it appears the entire male class of 2018 is… https://t.co/Qta3FYllI2— Jules Suzdaltsev (@Jules Suzdaltsev) 1542002876.0
Her original post shows that the photo was tweeted out from a now private account, stating, "We even got the black… https://t.co/zDdqKfiNhg— Jules Suzdaltsev (@Jules Suzdaltsev) 1542002984.0
Correction: The photo of students doing salutes is the Class of 2019, not 2018, and was taken during their junior p… https://t.co/IvwDWzGHVJ— Jules Suzdaltsev (@Jules Suzdaltsev) 1542007400.0
There were promises of an investigation.
The Baraboo School District sent the following letter to parents this morning in response to a photo circulating on… https://t.co/jg6WE69Qix— School District of Baraboo (@School District of Baraboo) 1542039601.0
Apparently the investigation didn't go very far.
It wasn't the response people were looking for.
Baraboo school superintendent Lori Mueller, two weeks ago: “This is not who we are.” Mueller now: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ https://t.co/MTMxvrIHYj— Rob Tannenbaum (@Rob Tannenbaum) 1543160531.0
@barabooSD Sit the entire school down in front of Schinlder's List. Make Elie Wiesel's Night and the Diary of Anne… https://t.co/gY9Z4mTEU9— Ari Herstand (@Ari Herstand) 1542269745.0
@barabooSD Better. However, please call the "gesture" what it is. A Nazi salute and White Supremacist hand signal w… https://t.co/PY7bH14x9Z— Homebody Laura (@Homebody Laura) 1542240869.0
@barabooSD It’s not the actions of “some of” your students that’s the problem. It’s the culture propagated and tole… https://t.co/79fuYp0Yw4— kd (@kd) 1542270455.0
@barabooSD I see community members coming together for discussions and disavowing this behavior, but no apparent ef… https://t.co/t70iixo8it— Sally (@Sally) 1542499701.0
But in positive turn, students from Rufus King High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin fought hate with love.
.@shaunking Rufus King High School students and staff in Milwaukee, Wisconsin respond to the racist image out of Ba… https://t.co/ZPNO9RGaD7— Joseph Brusky (@Joseph Brusky) 1542411185.0
@JosephBrusky @shaunking @People4Bernie @TheOtherMandela @Tony4WI @MTEAunion @Ingridworking @amymiz @msangieb31… https://t.co/QB1g37Iro0— Pam Grier Ph.D (@Pam Grier Ph.D) 1543206246.0
@JosephBrusky @shaunking @People4Bernie @TheOtherMandela @Tony4WI @MTEAunion @Ingridworking @amymiz @msangieb31… https://t.co/YEaZdJgoSi— PAS ❤️🔥 (@PAS ❤️🔥) 1543233754.0
@JosephBrusky @shaunking @People4Bernie @TheOtherMandela @Tony4WI @MTEAunion @Ingridworking @amymiz @msangieb31… https://t.co/9BbOXapJH4— Marika Andersen (@Marika Andersen) 1542486032.0
@JosephBrusky @shaunking @People4Bernie @TheOtherMandela @Tony4WI @MTEAunion @Ingridworking @amymiz @msangieb31… https://t.co/Shsx9kcD00— Gaia Rising (@Gaia Rising) 1542412634.0
@JosephBrusky @shaunking @People4Bernie @TheOtherMandela @Tony4WI @MTEAunion @Ingridworking @amymiz @msangieb31… https://t.co/7OjnaKNXl9— Kirsty 💗 (@Kirsty 💗) 1543212561.0
@JosephBrusky @shaunking @People4Bernie @TheOtherMandela @Tony4WI @MTEAunion @Ingridworking @amymiz @msangieb31… https://t.co/pZnhOAJW7V— memoryisourhome.com (@memoryisourhome.com) 1543242871.0
We know which school we would want our kids to attend.
H/T: Huffington Post, CNN, Esquire