High School Students Disciplined For SnapChat Swastika Pose

A group of high school students in Florida made headlines and received discipline Thursday, as a hateful demonstration of theirs went public. Some unidentified students at Paradise Valley High School in Arizona were captured in a Snapchat image forming a swastika on the ground, an act that landed them in hot water with school authorities, ABC-15 reported.

ABC-15 acquired the photo and tweeted it Thursday evening.

For their privacy’s sake, the students have not been named by the school. It also was not established whether or not the photo was taken at the school. The school district released a statement confirming that the matter was being investigated and the students would be disciplined accordingly.

“At PVSchools, our first priority is always for the safety and well-being of our students and staff.

"Paradise Valley High School administration was notified that several students were photographed in a pose depicting a racist symbol. PVSchools does not tolerate or condone this type of behavior. Paradise Valley High School is conducting an investigation, and student(s) will be disciplined in accordance with the Parent/Student Handbook," the statement continues. "Due to the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA), PVSchools cannot provide any details about the student in question, including the disciplinary action(s) that will be taken.

"It's always advisable that parents check their child's phones and/or tablets to see what they are texting, posting on social media and passing on to others. Parents should never hesitate to call or email the school, as well as the police if they hear or see concerning information.”

That particular hate symbol popped up in Paradise Valley around this time last year, Raw Story pointed out. Swastikas were painted at a local elementary school and on sidewalks and signs around the neighborhood in February 2017. It has been something of a problem around the country in recent years; for example, a high school in Ohio dealt with swastika graffiti accompanied by a threatening message at the end of January.