Three Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students are facing possible discipline after a rope tied in the shape of a noose, a symbol of racial violence against Black communities, was found Monday on the grounds of Sherwood High School in Olney, according to school officials.
According to a community letter sent to Sherwood families by Principal Timothy Britton, a staff member found “a small rope tied in a manner resembling a noose” draped over the fence surrounding the school’s tennis courts shortly after 9 a.m.
School administrators reported the incident to the MCPS Office of Systemwide Safety and Montgomery County police, according to the letter. After a review of security footage, three students were identified and interviewed about the incident. The investigation determined the three didn’t intend to communicate a racist or anti-Black message, but “the impact of such imagery is deeply harmful and cannot be understated,” Britton said in the letter.
Britton said the school was “determining appropriate consequences in accordance with the MCPS Student Code of Conduct.” The letter did not say where the three students attended school. MCPS spokesperson Chris Cram told MoCo360 on Thursday the district would not identify where the students attended school due to privacy concerns.
County police did not immediately respond Thursday to MoCo360’s request for information about the incident.
At Thursday’s school board meeting, board members Brenda Wolff and Shebra Evans condemned the incident and said it was particularly concerning to them as Black women.
“I just want to make certain that it is reiterated every time we see symbols of hate that it will not be tolerated,” Evans said. “We’re trying to do as much as we can as a board to make certain that people know that we’re creating a safe space for them inside of our schools.”
In a follow-up letter Thursday, Britton noted that his first letter didn’t “adequately address the significance of [the] incident and the pain that this symbol caused within our community, particularly among our Black students, families and staff.”
“A noose is a symbol rooted in the painful and violent history of racism in the United States, specifically directed at Black individuals,” Britton’s follow-up letter said. “The sight of a noose can easily bring forth feelings of fear, anger and trauma, as it represents the horrific legacy of racial violence that Black Americans have faced for generations.”
To reaffirm the school’s commitment to opposing racism and uplifting all students, the school will provide opportunities for students to discuss the incident and provide support through its counseling team, social worker, school psychologist and restorative justice team, Britton said in the second letter.