Utah student dresses as Adolf Hitler for school Halloween parade, principal and teacher suspended for allowing Nazi costume
KAYSVILLE, UTAH: The principal and a teacher in an elementary school in Utah have been suspended after they allowed a student to attend the school's Halloween parade wearing an Adolf Hitler costume.
The incident was brought to the notice of the school district after photos of an unidentified student wearing tan pants and a brown shirt with a red armband adorned with a black swastika at Creekside Elementary School in Kaysville, Utah, started circulating on social media.
After the pictures started to circulate, many parents expressed their concern over how such a costume was allowed at a school event. The Davis School District, which supervised the school, acknowledged the oversight and issued the following statement on the incident.
“The Davis School District apologizes for what took place yesterday,” ABC4 reported the statement stated. “It does not tolerate speech, images or conduct that portray or promote hate in any form. The district is taking the matter very seriously and is investigating every aspect of the situation. The principal and teacher have been placed on paid administrative leave.”
Although School district spokesman Chris Williams declined to name the members of the staff who were placed on paid leave, the elementary school’s website lists Steve B Hammer as the principal.
The United Jewish Federation of Utah also condemned the incident, saying they were "appalled" to learn about it. They issued the following statement:
“The United Jewish Federation of Utah is deeply concerned about the rising tide of hateful speech and actions in our country. As such, we are appalled that an elementary school student at Creekside Elementary School in Kaysville, UT was allowed to participate in a Halloween parade dressed as Adolf Hitler. Almost all Jews and Americans regard Hitler and Nazi symbols as signifiers of the worst hatred, racism, and crimes against humanity that the world has known. Dressing a child as Hitler is intolerably offensive and should never be suggested, permitted, or condoned."