Antisemitic stickers discovered during multicultural event at Michigan elementary school
What was supposed to be a celebration of heritage at Beverly Elementary School in Oakland County, Michigan, became overshadowed by antisemitism after an advocate said stickers featuring offensive language were discovered during a multicultural night on Tuesday.
The incident has sparked outrage in the community.
"These images were incredibly jarring. The language is very intense," said ADL Michigan regional director Elyssa Schmier.
Schmier says she was immediately contacted by parents following the event. She says the stickers featured assault rifles and offensive political slurs against the Jewish community.
"One was of an assault rifle. There was another sticker that said, 'F*** Zionism, Free Palestine.' Extremely inappropriate to be at a school event, especially for young children. There is a way to celebrate your culture as Palestinian people, but this very much crossed the line," said Schmier.
This is one of many incidents of antisemitism in Metro Detroit recently that Schmier tells CBS News Detroit has sent shockwaves.
"I think the impact that the Jewish community is feeling is that they are scared, they are fearful, worried that their children could become a target. They're worried that they're now in space with people that kind of endorse violent rhetoric," Schmier said. "We're still processing what happened at Temple Israel on March 12, and an event like this in the space that they bring their children into every day, and they had previously considered a safe and welcoming space, that compounded the fear and the sadness that they're feeling."
CBS News Detroit reached out to Birmingham Public Schools for comment. Superintendent Dr. Embekka Roberson issued the following statement:
"Dear Birmingham Public Schools Families,
At Birmingham Public Schools, we welcome and celebrate all cultures and backgrounds to foster a learning environment where every student is respected and valued. We do not tolerate intimidation, bullying, threats, discrimination, or antisemitism in our schools.
I am writing to inform you of an incident that occurred during Beverly Elementary's Multicultural Night on Tuesday evening. This event was intended to bring students and families together to learn about and celebrate the many cultures represented in our community.
During the event, a table in one room included stickers that were inappropriate and offensive, including a sticker with an image of a gun and a sticker that stated "(expletive) Zionism." These materials were not on display during the principal's walkthrough prior to the event, and they do not reflect our district's values.
As soon as the situation was brought to the attention of the school administration, we took prompt, thoughtful steps to address it and keep the Beverly school community informed. We are handling this matter carefully and in line with our district policies.
We recognize that incidents like this are hurtful, and we are sorry for the impact on our community. It is not what we want for our students or our families. We remain committed to ensuring that our schools are places where all feel safe, respected, and supported.
We are also reviewing our processes and planning to strengthen safeguards for future events. Our goal is to continue providing opportunities for our community to come together in ways that reflect care, respect, and a commitment to one another."
Schmier says the district's moves are an appropriate step, but those behind this incident must be held accountable.
"We know that they understand the heaviness of this issue; they are reaching out to impacted families. They put out a timely statement that designated this as an act of discrimination and antisemitism. We also want to make sure that there is some sort of resolution and understanding of how this came about," said Schmier.
ADL Michigan says it is working directly with families affected and remains in communication with Birmingham Public Schools.