by The FBI said it is in contact with Las Vegas authorities after a woman said her Jewish son, who has autism, had a swastika carved on his back.
“We are aware of the incident and are in regular contact with local authorities. If information about a possible federal civil rights violation comes to light during the local investigation, the FBI is prepared to investigate,” the agency said in a statement Saturday.
the woman said collive.com that her son, a Clark High School student, came home on March 9 with the hate symbol etched into his skin. The woman, who told the outlet that she wanted to remain anonymous, said the 17-year-old does not speak, uses a service dog and has someone to help him at all times.
“My son is the only student I know who wears a kippah at school,” he told the outlet, referring to the cap worn by Jewish men and boys.
The mother said she emailed the school about what happened and then filed a report on March 13 with Clark County School District Police. She also alleged that her son’s service dog’s bag of equipment had been tampered with, reports COLlive.com.
School and district police could not immediately be reached by NBC News on Saturday. School officials told the Las Vegas Review Magazine in a statement that police conducted an investigation that included interviewing staff and reviewing camera footage and found “no evidence to indicate the source of the injuries.”
“We will not tolerate discriminatory behavior that contradicts an inclusive community and affects the safety and well-being of students,” the statement said. “If anyone has additional information related to this case, we urge them to contact school police immediately.”
The mother told COLlive.com that she pulled her son out of school because she fears it is an unsafe environment.
Jolie Brislin, regional director for the Nevada Anti-Defamation League, condemned what she called a “violent and anti-Semitic act.”
“This student was not only targeted because of his identifiable faith, but he was particularly vulnerable because of his disability,” Brislin said in a statement. statement. “This incident illustrates points of intersectionality in the way hate can play out in marginalized communities.”
Brislin said the organization has been in communication with the district and police and is working with the school “to provide education on anti-Semitism.”
“Schools should not be a place for hate, and no student should feel unsafe or threatened,” the statement read.
erick mendoza contributed.
