Baraboo schools chief apologizes for Nazi salute photo, calling it 'hateful, frightening'
The head of the Baraboo School District issued a public apology Wednesday over a widely condemned photograph showing high school boys giving what looks like a Nazi salute.
And she voiced gratitude for the outpouring of anti-hate organizations and activists who have reached out to offer help and resources.
"Regardless of the details of the photo or the intentions in the hearts of those involved, the truth is this is an image that has rightly been described as hateful, frightening and disappointing," District Administrator Lori Mueller wrote.
"We are so very sorry that the actions of some of our students so understandably and deeply hurt people around the world. We have heard from families whose loved ones were lost in death camps, who fought in the war against such evil and who rightly cannot imagine that an image like this exists in our modern day."
The photograph, taken by a professional photographer and parent of one of the students, drew international condemnation this week after it went viral on social media.
The image shows about 60 Baraboo High School students standing on the steps of the Sauk County Courthouse before their May prom. About 30 appear to be giving the Nazi salute and one, in the front row, is flashing a three-fingered OK sign that many have come to associate with white power movements.
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The ensuing social media discussion included posts, reportedly by current and former students, describing an atmosphere at the school where racist comments and attitudes were commonplace and administrators did little to address them. The district did appear to address a situation in 2012, when Baraboo High School Principal Bill Loss educated students on the connection between the Confederate flag and slavery after the flags started showing up on cars in the school parking lot.
Others discounted the idea that the students were engaging in a Nazi salute, and Pete Gust, the former-teacher-turned-photographer who shot the image, told the Associated Press that he had asked the teens to wave goodbye to their parents before heading off to prom.
The latest incident comes amid a rise in white nationalist rhetoric and organizations. Late last month, residents in Baraboo and other Sauk County communities found white nationalist propaganda in their mailboxes, prompting some to mobilize against hate in their communities.
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Mueller issued her apology in a letter to parents and community members late Wednesday. She said the school has a moral responsibility to "create a culture in which racism is not tolerated and where every child and adult is treated with respect and dignity."
She said the district is working with civic and faith leaders to organize a community program and invited everyone to join.
"Together as a school family, we will take this one step at a time, and we will engage, learn and grow to be the Baraboo we all strive to be."