MINNETONKA, MN — Officials at Minnetonka High School have condemned a Nazi-themed dance proposal that has been circulating on social media. The image, originally shared on Instagram, showed a girl and boy giving Nazi salutes while holding a sign that read “Sweethearts would be a Hit(ler) w/you, and I could Nazi myself going w/anyone else. Be Mein? Yes or Nein.”
The proposal refers to the school’s Sweethearts Dance in February.
In an email to parents acquired by KARE 11, principal Jeff Erickson said the “deeply offensive message in no way aligns with our school core values: do the right thing and represent us well.”
According to Erickson, the students involved have removed the post.
“As with any student disciplinary matter, we are governed by data privacy laws and will not be sharing details about the students or the consequences they will face for their actions,” he wrote.
“Please know that we take this matter seriously and are committed to ensuring a safe, positive environment for all students.”
Steve Hunegs, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas (JCRC), said his group “is deeply disturbed by the egregious anti-Semitic image circulating on social media depicting two Minnetonka High School students using the Nazi salute and making cruel and offensive jokes. Such images both insult the memory of Hitler’s victims, as well as the heroic Minnesotans who fought to defeat Nazism.”
“We thank Principal Jeff Erickson for responding quickly to this matter,” Hunegs said. “We look forward to working in partnership with the Minnetonka School District to support their Jewish students and families in the face of such blatant anti-Semitism.”
“In Spring 2018, the JCRC organized for local Holocaust survivor, Judith Meisel, to speak to 120 9th – 12th graders at Minnetonka High School. In light of the situation, the JCRC stands ready to provide additional Holocaust education resources and guidance on how to support the district’s Jewish students and families.”
Image via Google Streetview