La Cueva High School covered in swastikas, racial slurs

Matthew Reisen, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
·2 min read
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Sep. 30—Students and teachers arrived at La Cueva High School on Friday morning to find widespread graffiti all over, made up of messages and images of hate.

Principal Dana Lee, in a letter to parents, said crews arrived to clean up the spray paint, "yet regrettably, many of our staff and students were exposed to these hurtful messages before they were removed."

Lee said Albuquerque Public Schools police are investigating and the district will pursue criminal charges against those responsible.

APS spokeswoman Monica Armenta said the "completely ugly, hateful messaging" was relegated to the outside of the school but "pretty widespread," covering the building walls, the tennis courts and around the athletic fields.

"Pretty much anywhere they were able to aim and spray," she said. Armenta said there were messages using a racial slur for Black people, along with images of swastikas and genitalia.

She said cleaning up the spray paint at the Northeast Heights school would be "costly and time consuming" and she wasn't sure if it was all removed as of Saturday afternoon.

Armenta said APS police have suspicions of who is responsible but nobody has been charged yet.

"I want to be clear that this kind of behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated," Lee, the principal, said in the letter to parents. "... Our students learn by example. It is up to us to show them that violence and vitriol only create more pain in our lives, while respect and dignity are always the right choices."

Lee said APS Superintendent Scott Elder had discussed the incident with Harold Bailey, president of the NAACP Albuquerque Chapter, and "assured him the district will conduct a comprehensive investigation into this matter."

"No one should ever feel uncomfortable, marginalized, or fearful, particularly on a public school campus," she said. "We are committed to ensuring that our schools are safe havens where all students are respected and nurtured, can achieve and grow, and are guaranteed equity and justice."

Anyone with information on the vandalism is asked to call APS Police at (505) 243-7712 or Crime Stoppers at (505) 843-STOP.