GLOUCESTER COUNTY, Va. — Several instances of racist graffiti have appeared in and around area schools in the past few weeks. That includes in Chesapeake, Gloucester County and Mathews County.
Next to Primrose School at Cahoon Commons in Chesapeake, the city said workers scraped spray-painted images, including swastikas, on the abandoned road turned walking path. A spokesperson for the city said they were alerted to the markings around 10 a.m. Wednesday.
This week Gloucester County Schools have been concerned about certain graffiti too.
On the first day of Black History Month and seated next to a memorial for Black trailblazer T.C. Walker, superintendent at Gloucester County Public Schools Dr. Anthony Vladu told News 3 of three separate incidents of hateful, threatening graffiti found in his district.
"As an educator, a parent, a community member, when these things happen your heart drops," said Vladu.
He said that graffiti, some said to be threatening harm to African Americans, was found at Peasley Middle School, Page Middle School, and Gloucester High School.
This comes on the heels of another incident in Mathews County. School officials there found "racist, threatening statements" directed toward Black people etched into a bathroom wall at Mathew County High School last month.
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School officials in both counties said the incidents will not be tolerated.
"It cannot be tolerated," said Vladu. "We come here to learn and prepare for the future. All of us."
Virginia State Conference NAACP president Rev. Cozy Bailey said that issues like these are always serious.
"It gives a sense that those places where we find them—neighborhoods, schools, what have you—are not safe places," explained Rev. Bailey.
He added our area has recently seen an uptick in these events.
That's why communities are working to address the problem.
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"Any hate speech, or hate activities are counter to what this country stands for," said Rev. Bailey.
"I want to make sure everyone feels welcome, they feel embraced and loved in our school communityt," added Vladu. "So when this happens, everything stops and we have to deal with it."
Gloucester school officials identified two students suspected of some of the graffiti and addressed the issue with them. Those in Gloucester County Public Schools are also partnering with Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, adding additional oversight and enhancing educational programs to promote inclusivity and empathy.
Mathews County opened a tip line in response to the graffiti found last month.
The city of Chesapeake scraped off the graffiti near Primrose School. Chesapeake police are looking for suspects in the latest incident. If you have any information, you can call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.
