The principal of Wayland High School says a racist incident in the boys locker room is being investigated.

Principal Allyson Mizoguchi said in a message to the school community that a yellow plastic "children at play" street safety figure wearing the football jersey of a Black student was found hanging from a ceiling pipe in the locker room with a belt around its neck. 

A student reported the incident to staff members. Mizoguchi said the students responsible for the incident have been identified, but the investigation is ongoing.

"Accountability for those involved and support for those impacted are our priorities as we take next steps," Mizoguchi wrote.

Principal and superintendent react

"This centuries-old symbol of hate and racial violence evokes deep emotion and has no place in our community," Mizoguchi continued. "I want to acknowledge the devastation, confusion, and hurt that this act has caused for the targeted student and the ripple effects of pain that will be felt by our community in the coming days."

Wayland Public Schools Superintendent David Fleishman said in a statement that hateful acts "will not be tolerated."

"This racist act violates a sense of safety for valued members of our community and is counter to the values we hold sacred as a district," Fleishman said.

Wayland Police Chief Ed Burman said a parent notified the department Friday morning that their child "had been targeted by what appeared to be a racially motivated act on school grounds."

Wayland to hold meeting on incident

Burman said this is being treated as a "hate-based incident" and Wayland police are working with the Anti-Defamation League to address it. A community meeting about the incident is planned for Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Wayland Community Center. Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan will speak at the event.

"No person should ever be subjected to hate speech or discriminatory behavior," Burman said in a statement. "This incident is deeply troubling, and we take it with the utmost seriousness." 

Earlier this year a swastika was found painted on the side of a community pool building in Wayland. And in 2022, then-Superintendent Omar Easy was targeted by racist graffiti.