'Such Acts Of Hate Should Not Be Tolerated'

SEATTLE - Accusations were flying Friday over alleged hate crimes at Seattle's Garfield High School occurring over the past few months.

A drama teacher at Garfield High School believes her students might be responsible for three acts of hate -- including hanging nooses and putting Swastika's in her classroom.

When Carol Ross got to her classroom last November, she found: "a ferret with a nail through its head hanging from our storage loft." Just to the left of the ferret, swastikas were drawn on the wall. Two weeks later, she found a black noose hanging from the wall.

Garfield students we spoke with were appalled.

"That's just uncalled for," said one student. "I've never heard anything like that."

One high school parent pointed out that hatred is an attack on everyone.

"For all of us, and especially for African Americans, a black noose means lynchings, that's what it means," said parent Michael Newman.

"It's unfortunate that it could happen to a school that has so much culture... and diversity," said another student.

Garfield says it's trying to catch the student or students responsible. They've interviewed dozens of students and parents.

The principal hopes this will be a learning experience, especially as we prepare to honor Dr. Martin Luther King.

"I did send a letter home to all of my families and to all of my students basically saying in light of Dr. King, we need to take particular attention to some few misguided students who act counter to our school ethics," said Susan Derse, Garfield High School principal.

The NAACP, the American Jewish Community and Anti-Defamation League have united to condemn what's on the walls and in the racists' heart.

"The school of Garfield High was violated," said Rick Harkavy with the American Jewish Committee. "So it's appropriate that this weekend, we educate ourselves not only on what happened, but we understand that the legacy of Dr. King says in our community, such acts of hate should not be tolerated."

"This is why this group came together we want the district to take the issues very seriously," said Carl Mack with the NAACP. "(We want to) bring the exposure and to make sure that the teacher students and the parents are all protected."

Some are pointing the finger at the school district for not acting fast enough. After all, this happened in late November and the culprits still haven't been found.

But the school says it's working as hard and fast as it can to get to the bottom of the hate that surfaced here at Garfield High.