Eight students from Branham High School in San Jose, California, posted photos of themselves forming a human swastika on social media, accompanied by an Adolf Hitler quote calling for the killing of all Jews.
Rabbi Yigal Rosenberg of Chabad of Santa Clara told local reporters he did not know whether the gesture was intended as a joke or prank but “it’s another thing if you post it online and have thousands of people who subsequently watch, like, laugh, comment, or give some sort of emoji — that takes it to a whole other level.”
Mayor Matt Mahan of San Jose condemned the act on X, stating: “What happened at Branham High School was not a joke, not a prank, and not self-expression — it was an act of hatred. The fact that this was planned and posted publicly makes it even more disturbing. This behavior has no place in our community and it will not be tolerated. I stand with our Jewish residents and support real accountability for everyone involved.”
The school district is taking steps to address the incident, including disciplinary actions against students and an investigation as a hate crime while also bringing in non-profit groups to treat this as a teachable moment.
No doubt there will be excuses and apologies and appropriate statements. But anyone who thinks these attitudes are limited to a group of high schoolers in California is kidding themselves.
Superintendent Robert Bravo emphasized that the district’s response must go beyond discipline: “Our response cannot be limited to discipline alone. We are committed to using this incident as an opportunity to deepen education around antisemitism, hate symbols and the historical atrocities associated with them.”
Questions remain about the students’ knowledge: Did they get this far without learning about the Holocaust and hate? — Do they not know that the swastika symbolizes the death of six million Jews? — Do they not teach 20th-century history, discrimination and civil rights, or hatred and equality? — Is it possible these students did not understand what they were doing?
The debate over what constitutes anti-Semitism continues, with critics noting distinctions between criticizing Israel, being anti-Zionist, and antisemitism have been neatly embroidered by those on the left.
These debates have cost us dearly. Here, there is no room for doubt: A swastika and a Hitler quote about killing Jews leave no ambiguity.
Approximately 200 students walked out of school in support of Jewish peers, but where were the rest?
Tyler Gregory, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council, described the incident as “unadulterated, unafraid antisemitism,” stating: “There’s no political disguise here; this was open support for Hitler with a Hitler quote attached.”
The FBI and Anti-Defamation League report a surge in anti-Semitic hate crimes since the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023, and the subsequent war.
For 2024, the ADL recorded more antisemitic incidents than in any year since their tracking began 46 years ago.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has launched a campaign against universities under the guise of antisemitism — a move Susan Estrich warns is only spreading the problem.
This is not just a problem for a high school in San Jose.
