Elite Stuyvesant HS restricts boys’ restroom use in ‘cover-up’ of anti-Jew graffiti
Elite Stuyvesant High School was accused of a “cover up” this week after hateful graffiti referencing the Holocaust was discovered in a restroom — by failing to immediately tell parents about the “blatant antisemitism” scrawled on toilet stalls, sources told The Post.
The top-ranked school put students and families on notice that starting Tuesday, it will restrict and guard the boys’ bathrooms.
“Due to ongoing vandalism and graffiti, we will be locking the boy’s bathrooms and assigning a staff member to the 2nd and 7th floor – the only bathrooms that will be accessible to students,” said the email sent by Dina Ingram, business manager and director of family engagement at the downtown Manhattan school.
The missive failed to address the graffiti’s chilling content.
In one toilet stall, the crude drawing in black marker depicted a person behind a counter with a text bubble above their head reading, “6 mil pizzas? We can only do 271K,” and a bespectacled, bearded man in a black hat saying: “Oy vey, stop noticing!”
Another stall was marked with the letters H.H., an apparent reference to “heil Hitler.” The drawings included a bear in military uniform and buildings seeming to represent a concentration camp with ghosts flying out.
Karen Feldman, a city middle-school teacher and Holocaust educator, said “6 mil” clearly refers to the six million Jews killed by Nazi Germany and its allies, and “271K” is a number used by Holocaust deniers to minimize the murders.
“Using the 271,000 figure to deny the Holocaust dangerously distorts history and fuels antisemitism. Seeing this referenced in graffiti at Stuyvesant is shocking—and a clear sign that our education system is failing,” Feldman told The Post.
“It’s deeply disturbing to see Stuyvesant — one of the top public schools in the country—— failing to address antisemitism.”
A Jewish student at the elite school who asked to remain anonymous blasted the school’s initial response.
“I am disappointed that the school administration decries the destruction of school property but fails to address the blatant antisemitism depicted,” he said. “They have more sympathy for the bathroom wall than for their Jewish student population.”
Only after outraged parents complained did Principal Seung Yu send an email to students.
“I was informed of images in the bathroom that were not previously seen at the time of our initial response,” Yu said in the email sent 10:16 p.m Friday.
Yu’s email acknowledged, “Unfortunately, these new images include anti-Semitic content.”
“I am deeply disappointed and angry that a young person in our school would choose to express such hateful sentiments – especially at a time when our world continues to observe the tragic consequences of hate and violence,” he wrote. “Hate is the highest form of cowardice and indignity.”
It’s not the first time antisemitism has reared its head at Stuyvesant. Last year, students told The Post that hatred has plagued the school’s Jewish families for years.
The downtown Manhattan school is one of the city’s largest, with 3,254 students, including 72% Asian-American, 17% white, 4% Hispanic, and 2% black. A breakdown by religion is not available.
Feldman, who contributed to a damning report on the handling of antisemitic incidents in NYC public schools, said officials “are not following DOE protocols on discrimination when it comes to Jewish students.”
“Administrators should promptly investigate and thoroughly document all reports of discrimination or harassment,” Feldman said.
The school should also notify the DOE’s coordinator of compliance with New York State’s “Dignity for All Students Act,” support affected students, and report possible criminal offenses to law enforcement as well as discipline student offenders.
A Jewish parent was not satisfied with Yu’s response.
“The principal seemingly tried to sweep this under the rug, but when it became apparent the parents and children knew and were upset, he sent the letter after 10 pm,” she said.
The Department of Education said it has a “zero tolerance policy against antisemitism, racism, and every other form of hate.
“We will both work with the NYPD and complete our own investigation to take quick and decisive action, including discipline, community engagement, and appropriate educational intervention to address this incident.”
The DOE is investigating why Stuyvesant leaders did not immediately report the antisemitic incident as required, a spokesperson said.
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