UPDATED: East Lyme High School student charged with hate crime
May 28—EAST LYME — An East Lyme High School student has been charged with a hate crime after he allegedly left a racist slur on another student's car in the school parking lot.
Town police on Friday charged a 16-year-old male with second-degree intimidation based on bigotry/bias. The student's name was withheld because he is a minor.
Police in a release said the victim went to her car in the school's parking lot on Wednesday to find the words "(N-word) wagon" written in what appeared to be pollen on the rear window.
Officer Don Hull, the police department's school resource officer, began the investigation Thursday as soon as he was notified about the incident, according to police. He reviewed surveillance footage and conducted interviews with the victim, witnesses and the accused.
The bigotry charge applies in cases of harassment based on "the actual or perceived" race of the victim, according to state statute.
Principal Deb Roselli Kelly alerted the school community Friday in an email that the school had been made aware the day before of "a racially insensitive word found on a student vehicle."
Superintendent of Schools Jeff Newton on Friday said the school had completed its investigation and is "taking care of student discipline."
"In no way does this event reflect the values of the East Lyme High School community," Roselli's email said. "We continue our ongoing efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion across our schools. We will continue to work with our student body to create an environment in which all students feel safe, welcomed and valued."
The school earlier this year hired a consulting firm committed to anti-racist education to conduct a mini audit of the school community's overall mindset on issues of diversity.
The Providence, R.I.-based Equity Institute is analyzing data from surveys, focus groups and one-on-one interviews. The "root cause equity mini analysis" takes into account students, teachers, administrators and Board of Education members.
A draft of the report is expected in June or July, according to Newton.
