Two minors were arrested on Tuesday morning, May 13, for criminal trespass at North Babylon High School, located on Phelps Lane, around 7:30 a.m. Both individuals were 16-year-old males and, according to the Suffolk County Police, were not students of the North Babylon School District. Later that morning, swastikas were discovered scrawled on storage lockers inside the facility.
The Nazi symbols were reported shortly after 11 a.m., and it is not immediately clear if the incidents are related. The Suffolk County Police Hate Crimes Unit is presently investigating the matter.
“The [swastika] symbol has no place in our school or society,” reads a portion of a letter that North Babylon School District Superintendent Kenneth E. Graham sent to parents later that afternoon. “The police have been notified and are actively investigating this matter. Acts of hate and intolerance will not be tolerated, and we are committed to fostering a school climate that is inclusive, respectful, and safe for all.”
In response to the incidents, enhanced protocols have been implemented for North Babylon High School students to enter the building, including the requirement to display their school-issued ID to monitors at building entrances. Students who do not have this identification on their person must submit to identification via profile photos.
This story remains ongoing and in development.
