Walter Johnson High School’s administration is looking into consequences for those responsible for a swastika drawn on a classroom desk, according to a letter from the Bethesda school’s principal.
“The presence of this symbol is highly inappropriate, unacceptable, and deeply offensive; it stands in contradiction to the core values of Walter Johnson High School and MCPS,” Principal Nicole Morgan wrote in a Sept. 25 letter to the school community. “We are actively pursuing appropriate actions in accordance with MCPS hate-bias protocols.”
According to the letter, a student noticed the swastika on a classroom desk and reported it to the teacher the afternoon of Sept. 24. The teacher then reported the incident to the school administration before the end of that class period.
MCPS defines hate or bias-motivated incidents as disruptive conduct that includes intentional discriminatory behavior based on personal characteristics such as race, religion, gender or sexual orientation.
The county introduced new hate-bias response procedures in fall 2024, which include a three-tiered system based on intent, impact on school community and criminal elements. The police are called only for “serious and intentionally discriminatory” incidents, according to MCPS documents.
The 2026-27 student code of conduct states that bullying or harassment that includes “using language or displaying images and/or symbols that promote hate or discrimination” can result in a range of consequences.
The code of conduct consists of six levels, from level one — teacher-led interventions — to level six, which could result in expulsion. Using symbols that promote hate is listed as having consequences at levels three, four and five, which can include in-school suspension, short-term suspension or long-term suspension.
This recent discovery of a swastika is part of a larger trend of anti-Jewish discrimination within MCPS.
In spring 2025, Maryland ranked second nationwide for antisemitic incidents in public schools per the Anti-Defamation League. Montgomery County was particularly overrepresented in state antisemitism data; the county’s 96 reported antisemitic incidents accounted for 90% of K-12 cases in Maryland, according to a news release.
MCPS parent Adam Zimmerman described antisemitism as an “ongoing problem” in the county. He pointed out that the letter from Walter Johnson’s principal failed to mention the Jewish community, use the word “antisemitism” and explain why the Nazi swastika symbol is “so deeply hurtful and offensive,” he wrote in an email to Washington Jewish Week.
“I think the letter’s coming from a good place and it’s certainly better than no letter at all,” Zimmerman told Washington Jewish Week. “It’s a good thing the letter went out; it’s a good thing the community was told … What I felt was missing from the letter was a real teachable moment. I think there were opportunities to use this letter to not just say that a Nazi swastika is highly inappropriate and offensive, but why? It’s especially important for people who don’t know the history.”
Zimmerman spoke to the “big gap” in Holocaust education among younger generations.
“Instead of just saying that the symbol is inappropriate, explain why. Explain that 6 million Jewish people died under that symbol. Explain that two-thirds of European Jews were wiped out because of that symbol. Explain that that symbol is the reason why the word ‘genocide’ was invented … That word was literally invented after the Nazis did what they did,” he said.
Zimmerman said it’s important for school officials to also specifically name the community harmed by a hate-bias incident — in this case, the Jewish community.
“I want to thank the student who reported the incident and took the responsible step of bringing the concern to the attention of an adult,” the letter said. “If your student needs support processing this incident, please reach out to their counselor.”
zbell@midatlanticmedia.com
