Racial slur reported at Wellesley school

By Erica Noonan, Globe Staff

Wellesley police are investigating a case of racial graffiti discovered on a boy's bathroom wall at Wellesley High School.

Someone carved a racist slur twice into a partition wall between stalls, the school's principal said in an email to parents.

"Not only were these actions offensive to our community, but they are hateful and can be considered criminal,'' Andrew W. Keough, the school's prinicipal said in the letter, which went out Tuesday morning.

The vandalism was removed and reported to the police department's school resource officer on Friday, said Wellesley police spokeswoman Lt. Marie Cleary.

Students and teachers were out for February school vacation this week, but Keough asked students to contact school administrators "if you learn of anything that may assist us in this investigation.''

The offensive vandalism was discovered in a third-floor lavatory, the email said.

"In a school where we have focused on addressing issues of equity and marginalization, and know the critical importance of ensuring the mental well being of all members of our community, this incident is deeply disturbing,'' Keough wrote. "We cannot afford this kind of behavior.''

Cleary said police would discuss possible next steps with school officials this week, before the student body returns on Monday.

"Anything the school needs, we are happy to assist them," she said.