Wayland community unites against antisemitism and hate
Members of the Wayland community rallied against antisemitism in front of the high school on Old Connecticut Path from 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on March 6. This rally was held in response to a swastika that was spray-painted on the Wayland Community Pool wall and discovered on March 5.
This is not the first time this wall has been defaced with hate speech. In December, 2022, the words “Omar” and the n-word were used in a targeted, public attack on former Superintendent of Wayland Public Schools, Omar Easy. Additionally, last year, two swastikas were found on Rice Road.
Soon after the swastika was discovered, local law enforcement and WHS administrators were notified. The symbol was then quickly painted over and covered. Though there is a tree in front of this wall and the area is not well lit, numerous students – both high school and middle school students – and staff saw the symbol while arriving at school.
WHS Principal Allyson Mizoguchi sent an email to all students, denouncing the act of hate and offering affected students support through counseling. Wayland Police Chief Ed Burman, Superintendent of Schools David Fleishman and Town Manager Michael McCall released a joint statement the afternoon of March 5, condemning the act of hate.
“This hateful act does not reflect Wayland’s values and will not be tolerated in our Town,” the statement read. “Hatred will be called out and denounced in all its forms, and we will not tolerate incidents such as this one violating our nation’s basic principles and attempting to intimidate our community members.”
In response to the vandalism, Wayland Community Action Network (WaylandCAN) organized two events. The first was a gathering that occurred the evening of March 5 at the WHS library with the purpose of providing support to Jewish members of the community. Attendees were also able to ask town leaders, such as Burman and Fleishman, how they would respond. Rabbi Danny Burkeman from Temple Shir Tikva in Wayland moderated the discussion and spoke on rising levels of antisemitism, and hate generally, in the country.
The second event organized was the rally that took place outside of WHS. Some participants came to the rally holding signs that demanded the end to hate and prejudice in the community. Among these people were students in elementary, middle and high school, parents and WHS faculty. Participants in the rally had their own personal reasons for attending the rally.
“I’m here today because no one deserves to be treated as less than,” WaylandCAN leader Caroline Higgins said. “We are all equal and in the political climate we’re in, I don’t think people feel that way. My grandparents are Holocaust survivors, and coming from that background has really taught me that if you’re not the one to stand up for somebody, who will?”
Higgins and other Wayland residents created WaylandCAN last year, after the swastikas on Rice road were found. Higgins wanted to provide residents who were affected by the vandalism on Rice Road with a place to heal, and for community members to find a way forward from incidents like these.
“There are so many civically-minded people in town who really care about others, and I didn’t anticipate that there would be other hate crimes, but unfortunately, there have been,” Higgins said. “So, being able to mobilize was one of the benefits of having our group.”
Junior Ben Hammond attended the rally to show support for Jewish members of the community who were directly affected by the vandalism. Though Hammond is not Jewish himself, he wanted to show his solidarity for his friends.
“What we’re doing right now is a great example of [supporting Jewish community members],” Hammond said. “I’m sure there’s a lot Jewish people here, and I’m sure there’s a lot of people who aren’t Jewish, myself included. I think that’s really important, that everybody comes together, whether it’s those who were attacked or [other members of the community].
The use of the swastika in antisemetic ways invokes decades of pain for members of the Jewish community. Adolf Hitler’s use of the swastika as the symbol of the Nazi party in the 1930s and the persecution of Jewish people that followed makes the symbol especially hurtful. Social Studies department head and teacher David Schmirer, who is currently teaching freshmen about Nazi Germany, hopes that with historical context, students will understand the profound impact this hateful act has.
“I think making sure that kids feel comfortable, safe and included at the high school is part of my job,” Schmirer said. “And then second, as a social studies teacher, it’s making sure that students have context for this in like the larger picture, not just of what’s happening in the country right now, but also the origins of this in Nazi Germany itself.”
Schmirer views the community’s positive response to this incident as proof that education on antisemitism in school is working.
“Students are rallying to push back because they know and understand the seriousness of this, [and] I think, [that] says that institutionally, the curriculum is working,” Schmirer said.
Higgins hopes to see more younger members of the community participate in events such as this rally. She also hopes that individuals in the community will take initiative to educate others on antisemitism, and other forms of hate.
“If people feel impassioned to educate others more about the roots of antisemitism or to create events that are more about bringing people together, people [will] feel less isolated. That’s what I hope comes out of [this rally].
Senior Rachel Goldstone is a leader of the Jewish Student Union (JSU) at WHS. Goldstone hopes students become sources of strength for those who are hurting in the wake of this incident.
“It’s important for other students and other people in the district to know that they should be supporting Jewish students and all students against this hate,” Goldstone said. “I think it’s important that people reach out and check in on their friends or classmates, because I think it shows that they care [and] that they’re being supportive.”
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