BEVERLY HILLS, Mich. (WXYZ) — How do images of assault rifles and political slurs end up at an elementary school function? That's the question in Beverly Hills after a celebration of heritage turned into a conversation about discrimination and student safety.
The marquee out front on Wednesday still read "Cultural Night." It took place on Tuesday evening. The celebration was intended to highlight the diverse backgrounds of the families at Beverly Elementary School. However, the message of inclusion is being overshadowed by a discovery that has left some parents feeling anything but welcome.
"I'm a little shocked because it's an elementary school," parent Bridget Forrest told 7 News Detroit. "They're children. They're innocent. They don't know about any of that stuff."
On a table inside the event were stickers that didn’t fit the theme. Some used profanity to target Zionism and read "Free Palestine." Others featured a sketch of a high-powered assault rifle.
"Why are we celebrating an assault weapon at a multicultural event?" Steven Ingber asked.
Ingber is the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Detroit. Ingber calls the placement of the stickers an act of "intimidation."
“I'm not surprised. I'm just disgusted by it, and to find this happening at an elementary school, I think, is just abhorrent," he told 7 News Detroit.
"We've got to stop sweeping this under the rug and saying, nothing to see here, it's just a sticker, it's just a slogan, it's only at a multicultural... This is where I think we have a problem as we're continuing to say 'it's just a' or 'it's OK'. None of this is OK."
Beverly Elementary Principal Matt Fairchild released a statement to families apologizing for the "inappropriate" materials. He said he personally conducted a walkthrough before the doors opened and that those stickers were not on display at that time, suggesting they were added after the event was already underway.
The Birmingham school district declined to go on camera. However, it sent 7 News Detroit the same letter parents received. That letter goes on to say the school is reviewing its "internal processes to ensure future events have tighter safeguards."
The full letter sent to parents from Principal Matt Fairchild is below:
Good evening Beverly Families,
At Beverly Elementary, we care deeply about every student and the many cultures that make up our community. Our multicultural celebration this evening was meant to be a joyful opportunity for students and families to share, learn, and feel a sense of belonging.
We understand that some aspects of the event did not reflect those intentions. In one room, there was a table of stickers, some of which were inappropriate, including a sticker with an image of a gun, and a sticker saying “(expletive) Zionism”. To be clear, at Beverly, we will not tolerate intimidation, bullying, discrimination, or anti-Semitism.
Ahead of the event, we shared clear guidelines with participating families to help ensure that all materials and displays were appropriate for a school setting and aligned with our values. I also conducted a walkthrough before families arrived, and these stickers were not on display at that time. The items shared in this instance did not meet our expectations for civility and respect.
I am truly sorry for the impact this has had on our students and families. This does not reflect who we are at Beverly or the environment we strive to create each day.
We are reviewing our processes and planning so we can strengthen safeguards for future events. We also remain committed to creating opportunities for our community to come together, learn from one another, and celebrate in ways that ensure every family feels safe, valued, and respected.
If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to connect, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly.
Thank you for your partnership and for being part of our Beverly community.
Sincerely,
Matt Fairchild
"Obviously, they didn't want this to happen. They're not happy that they're dealing with this today. I certainly don't fault the school district or the school system or the principal or the building staff — that's not where this is going. But we need to find out how it got there, why it got there, so it doesn't happen again," Ingber said.
The Beverly Hills Public Safety director said a school resource officer was at the school for a good portion of the day. He added that no one has come in to the police department to make a complaint, and the school is handling it internally.
