Students at Damascus High School in Montgomery County, Maryland, held a march Monday in response to an anti-LGBTQ+ incident the previous week, with another incident taking place during the march itself.
The first incident happened Nov. 30 and involved 鈥渋nappropriate comments鈥� toward students participating in the school鈥檚 Genders and Sexuality Alliance club, according to a letter sent to families on Tuesday by principal Kevin Yates.
鈥淭he comments were seen as physically threatening to the students in the room and were specifically demeaning to LGBTQ+ students,鈥� the letter said. 鈥淎dditionally, the students in the room heard other students in the hallway saying 鈥榳hite power.鈥欌��
Then, at Monday鈥檚 march, which Yates described as 鈥減eaceful and respectful,鈥� two students drove a truck back and forth with an offensive flag depicting a weapon with the words 鈥淐ome and Take It.鈥�
The letter said that school administrators are following up with the parents/guardians of the two students and will be taking disciplinary action based on the Montgomery County Public Schools Student Code of Conduct.
鈥淚 have met with the students affected by these incidents and committed the resources of the school on a continuing basis should they need time with our counselors to further discuss these incidents,鈥� Yates wrote, adding, 鈥淲e will continue to ensure that Damascus is a safe space for all students.鈥�
Separately, Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda was vandalized with racist graffiti in early October. In 2020, three teenagers were charged in connection to 鈥渞acially themed vandalisms鈥� at Walt Whitman High School. Also last year, 鈥渉ate-based鈥� graffiti was found at an elementary school in Clarksburg, Maryland.
