Swastikas, slurs found scrawled in one Evanston school, weeks after nooses were found outside two others

EVANSTON, Ill. (CBS) — Another racist incident at a school in Evanston is now under investigation – with swastikas and hateful, racist messages found in an Evanston middle school.

As CBS 2’s Tara Molina reported Friday, this came just weeks after nooses were found outside two nearby schools in the district.

Parents we’ve talked to in Evanston call all of this more than a concerning pattern – and at this point, they want to hear from more than district officials as police continue to investigate.

“These incidents have a long lasting effect on our students, staff, and families. As a community, we cannot allow this type of harm to continue without repercussion and repair,” a letter to parents from Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Supt. Dr. Devon Horton read in part. “This is another real example of our ‘why.’ The reason why we are so deeply committed as an organization to the work that we do – to dismantle institutional racism, combat bias, disrupt the status quo – all in an effort to truly foster a sense of belonging, welcomeness, and physical and emotional safety within our schools. Our students deserve nothing less.”

The latest incident involving the swastikas and racist messages happened at Nichols Middle School, 800 Greenleaf St.

Evanston police said a member of the staff called officers to the scene, and the officers found several swastikas scrawled in marker in a third-floor boys’ bathroom. Racist language directed at people of mixed ethnicity was found scrawled in marker in a second-floor girls’ bathroom.

The staffer who called police believes the vandalism happened between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Thursday.

“The incident was documented,” said Evanston police Sgt. Sophia Syed. “Evidence technicians came to take photographs.”

Police are not sharing those images as they continue investigating.

Meanwhile, police are also investigating an incident from just a few weeks ago – in which three nooses were hung outside Haven Middle School, 2417 Prairie Ave., and Kingsley Elementary School. 2300 Green Bay Rd.

Parents expressed concerns about that incident at a meeting last week.

“As a parent – as a Black mom in this district – I’m very, very disappointed,” Shaunique Shelton said at the meeting on May 23.

Now, with another crime at another school, parents’ concern is growing even more.

“It’s a concerning pattern that the children in middle school are committing these acts and doing these things,” said parent Sara Carlson.    

Carlson said she is not the only parent who wants to hear from more than just the superintendent and district officials.

“Students are scared,” Carlson said. “It’s more than just a pattern of these incidences. It’s the community in total. We haven’t even heard a statement or any word from the mayor of Evanston about these incidences.”

We are told mental health teams are available for students as police continue to investigate.

“Someone has some information about what occurred here and why it occurred, so we are asking anyone who has any sort of information to please pass it along,” said Sgt. Syed.

Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss released this statement: “We take these incidents extremely seriously and an investigation is ongoing. Regardless of what it reveals, though, it is disheartening to see these symbols in our community and unacceptable for our children to be exposed to these hateful messages at school.”

Meanwhile, the school district declined interview requests and would not address our questions.

“We have to really come together and try to solve this; you know, figure out the best way to support those that have been hurt,” Carlson said. “We need to come together as a community – and without the leadership doing that, of the town, how can that occur?”