Credit: Credit: Sasha Libenzon

WSPN’s Editorial Board discusses how members of the community should speak out and come together after an act of antisemitism occurred in Wayland.

Again. Yet again, another reprehensible act of hate – of antisemitism – has taken place in our community. Yet again, we, as students, must ask ourselves how we will respond to this hurtful, disturbing and inexcusable act.

On Wednesday, March 5, Wayland High School students and staff arrived at school to see a large swastika, the symbol of the Nazi Party, spray-painted on the side of the Wayland Community Pool. Police responded to the vandalism soon after it was discovered, and WHS leaders sent emails to students and families condemning this act of hate and offering support.

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. For years, our community has faced acts of antisemitism, racism and other forms of discrimination – whether subtle or blatant, these incidents occur in various forms.

To say that these acts of hate do not reflect our community – or that we’re currently better than the writing on the wall, is counterproductive and ignores the history of hatred in Wayland. When hateful incidents like these occur, it is a reminder to our entire community that there is still work to be done. We must ensure that Wayland is a place where people are safe, heard and celebrated for their differences.

We cannot learn about other cultures and identities only in response to hateful acts. Rather, we must constantly take the time to celebrate others, so that we foster empathy and acceptance within our community that goes beyond the occasional condemnation of hate.

Public displays of hate only work to ostracize groups of people. As students, we learn in the classroom, but we also have a responsibility to learn from each other and from the past in order to enact meaningful change. No matter who a person is, what their background is or what they look like, everyone needs to stand against ignorance. Diversity must be something we celebrate in our everyday lives, not just when a sudden hateful act takes place.

In the end, hatred is really just a concealed fear of the unknown. So, how do we stop this vicious cycle? We must take a step back and be willing to learn about the things we do not know. There is so much we can learn from each other, but our fear of the unknown drives us apart, causes hate and leaves our entire community hurting.

School is not just a place where we pursue academics. Through conversations with peers who come from different backgrounds or hold different beliefs, we learn more about the world around us, and decide what impact we want to make.

We urge students at WHS, and all members of the Wayland community, to seek out conversations that challenge your beliefs and perspectives and to have the courage to speak up in the face of injustice. While change does not happen overnight, we must be willing to word towards building a better Wayland together.