BIRMINGHAM (WWJ) -- A Birmingham Public School District gathering took an ugly turn last night when a member of the audience gave a Nazi salute.
At the district’s Board of Education meeting, parents were reportedly debating whether students should be required to wear masks in the classroom, according to Deadline Detroit.
After one person made an undisclosed comment, another audience member then responded by gesturing and uttering a Nazi salute in front of a group that included “people of color and the Jewish faith.”
According to a letter signed by Superintendent Embekka Roberson and Board President Lori Ajlouny, the individual was then immediately removed from the building by Beverly Hills Police.
The offensive comment and gesture were also deleted from the video of the meeting, which typically stream live on the school district’s YouTube channel.
“Birmingham Public Schools emphatically denounces and will not tolerate any act of racism, disrespect, violence, and/or inequitable treatment of any person, including actions and statements made at Board of Education meetings,” the letter read. “It is in situations when people feel strongly about a matter, and emotions run high, that we most need to model appropriate behaviors for our students.”
While the letter did not specifically mention the topic of conversation leading up to the events, it did reference the heated debates that have arisen on topics surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Board of Education meetings are held for the Board to conduct District business, and to give members of the public the opportunity to share their thoughts with trustees,” the District wrote. “However, this must always be done in a climate of mutual respect, recognizing that there will be differences of opinion, especially on issues as complex as the current pandemic.”
The identity of the individual who gave the salute and their relation to the school district has not been released, and Beverly Hills police are currently investigating the situation.
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