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Kansas Area High School Defaced with Antisemitic, Homophobic Graffiti

UPDATE May 5, 2023: A juvenile pleaded guilty to one count of burglary Thursday for an incident at Blue Valley High School in which antisemitic and racist messages were sprayed inside the school press box. The juvenile will be sentenced on June 22. A parent of his is required to appear at the sentencing. Three juveniles and Wade R. Schemenauer, 18, were each charged with one count of burglary and criminal damage; more here.

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UPDATE February 1, 2023: Kansas City Police have charged Two 16-year-olds, one 17-year-old, and an 18-year-old with felony burglary and felony criminal damage in connection with vandalism that occurred at Blue Valley High School. The 18-year-old, Wade Schemenauer, has been jailed on a $2,500 bond; more here.

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Several leads are being pursued after slurs described as antisemitic, racist, and homophobic were spray-painted on the Blue Valley High football stadium press box.

The damage, which included the break-in of the press box and furniture damage, was discovered Monday when school was out for Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Day.

A crew painted over the graffiti Monday. Monday afternoon, principal Charles Golden sent an email to parents. “Hate like this has no place at Blue Valley High and is not representative of our Tiger community,” the email states.

The graffiti is being widely condemned by area organizations, including Seven Days.

Seven Days was formed in 2014 to promote inclusion and understanding after the fatal shooting at the Jewish Community Center in Overland Park. A statement from Seven Days included comments from youth leader Emma Sandler.

“Knowing that I have to attend my high school after this hateful action is extremely upsetting to me as an openly Jewish student,” she wrote.

Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe said his office would handle the case once an arrest or arrests have been made. Howe said charges would be determined based on the extent of the damage and the age of the suspects. He said if an adult is involved, there could be a hate crime enhancement charge.