A Las Vegas mother is speaking up after her son was the apparent victim of a heinous hate crime at his high school.
The woman told COLlive.com that on March 9, her 17-year-old son came home with cuts in a swastika pattern on his back. Her son, who is autistic and nonverbal, uses a service dog and needs assistance from someone at all times.
"My son is the only student I know of who wears a Kippah at the school," she said.
The mother, who reported the crime anonymously, said she filed a report with the Clark County School District Police, as well as contacted administrators at Clark High School, but that “nothing happened at school."
School officials told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that they had conducted an investigation and found "no evidence that would indicate the origin of the injuries."
"We will not tolerate discriminatory behaviors that contradict an inclusive community and impact student safety and well-being," their statement reads. "If anyone has any additional information related to this case, we urge them to contact school police immediately."
The mother said beyond locker rooms and bathrooms, the schools also does not allow cameras in classrooms, leaving no video of the alleged incident. She has since pulled her son from the school “because it’s an unsafe environment.”
The FBI has since gotten involved, saying via NBC: "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."
Last month, the Anti-Defamation League reported that anti-Semitic incidents increased 36 percent in 2022 -- the highest since 1979. In the past decade, incidents have increased by 500 percent. CEO and national director Jonathan Greenblatt attributes this to "conspiracy theories" about Jewish communities, and the fact that "extremists feel emboldened."
Jolie Brislin, director of the ADL Nevada chapter, said that the organization "condemns this violent, anti-Semitic attack," and that they are working with law enforcement in the case. They will be partnering with the school "to provide anti-Semitism education."
"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," Brislin said, adding, "Schools should be no place for hate, and no student should be made to feel unsafe or threatened."
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