The FBI is investigating after a Jewish teenager with autism came home from school in Nevada with a swastika carved into his back.
The 17-year-old, who is nonverbal and wears a kippah, attends classes at Clark High School in Las Vegas accompanied by a service dog and full-time assistant, The Jewish Press reported.
He returned home on March 9 with a swastika carved into his back, his mother told the outlet. She requested anonymity, citing safety considerations.
The woman said the service dog’s equipment bag was also damaged and had been resewn.
She said that when she notified Clark High School, the school responded that “nothing had happened” there.
She also asked her son’s assistant if they had been apart at all during the course of the day.
“Did he use the bathroom? Did he have any meltdowns yesterday? I would think this would have caused him to have a meltdown or get agitated,” she said she asked the assistant.
The assistant said the boy had had “a good day” without any meltdowns, adding that they were not separated at all and that the boy did not use the bathroom.
The mother said that as far as she knows, the assistant is still working for the Clark County School District.
“Her job is to be with my son. If she did not do [the carving], I believe she knows who did,” the mother told The Jewish Press.
She also said she had pulled her son out of Clark High School because “it’s an unsafe environment.”
The family filed a report with the Clark County School District Police in March. However, no video of any incident exists as there are no CCTV cameras in classrooms, locker rooms or bathrooms at the school.
The case is now being investigated by the FBI, according to the Anti-Defamation League of Nevada.
A statement from ADL Nevada Regional Director @BrislinJolie on a suspected hate incident against a visibly Jewish 17-year-old boy in the Las Vegas area. Read more about this incident here: https://t.co/DX8pmfePja pic.twitter.com/rjP0slLfSb
— ADL Nevada (@ADL_Nevada) April 19, 2023
“ADL condemns this violent, antisemitic act,” Jolie Brislin, the regional director of ADL of Nevada said in a statement.
“Not only was this student targeted for his identifiable faith, but he was particularly vulnerable due to his disability,” Brisin said. “This incident illustrates points of intersectionality in how hate can show itself across marginalized communities.
“ADL Nevada, in partnership with Jewish Nevada and SCN, has been in close contact with the parents, CCDS and law enforcement and will be working with Clark High School to provide antisemitism education. School should be no place for hate and no student should be made to feel unsafe and threatened.”
Newsweek has contacted Clark High School, Clark County School District Police, the FBI and the Anti-Defamation League of Nevada for further comment via email.
What a terrible thing to do to a child. Our country is full of hate.
find the bastards start carving
Mike don’t carve, use an ax and remove their hands. No more carving.
Have you noticed things like this are usually done by groups, and to people who can’t defend themselves.
The hallmark of a bunch of little b!tches.
WAS WONDERING IF THAT 17 YR. OLD TOLD ANYONE WHO ATTACKED HIM…..HE MADE HAVE AUTISM, BUT BET HE KNOWS WHO HURT HIM….EVEN IF HE WAS NOT ABLE SPEAK, HE KNOWS HOW TO WRITE & DRAW….
What the Hell is wrong with people this is disgusting. The police should be hammering this assistant. Someone knows exactly who did this
Nobody saw anything and the carving does not really look like a swastika.
As a father of an autistic son I know quite well how they can at times do self-injurious act, As a husband of an autistic son mother ,I also know how quickly they can jump to conclusions when their very vulnerable child get hurt.
Hard to know what really/who did what when the child is not vocal.
Best results to treat autism is to do it at home. After many years of around the clock therapies, our son graduated from high school and is a key contributing member of our family, BUT for that to happens Mother/grandmother had to stay at home and take personal control of the treatment.
WELL GERONIMO, THAT 17 YR. OLD KNOWS WHO GAVE HIM THE PAIN, WHETHER ITS HIMSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE…..SO IT’S TIME TO GET AN EXPERIENCED PHYSCIAN/THERAPIST FOR A HEART TO HEART TALK… I WORKED WITH THEM, AND THEY ARE GOOD AT RELATING FACTS WITH EXPERIENCED HELP….