Hamilton Southeastern Schools have apologized for a poster that was hung up in a classroom at one of their schools. The poster in a classroom at Fishers High School read “Defund The Police?”
The poster also had research points below the large headline.
That poster was hung up in one of the classrooms where Officer Noah Shahnavez’s younger brother attends class. Shahnavez was shot and killed in a traffic stop in Elwood late last month.
“The Hamilton Southeastern Schools Board of School Trustees deeply regrets the pain that was caused due to a student-made research poster that was displayed in one of our high school classrooms. As a district, we recognize our responsibility to provide a safe environment for students to learn and we failed to provide that in this case,” said the HSE Board of Trustees in a statement. “Losing Officer Shahnavaz, a young alumnus of HSE Schools, who not only served his country selflessly but was protecting others in his job as a police officer, was devastating. HSE has let the Shahnavaz family know how deeply sorry we are to have contributed to more heartache for them. The teacher involved has apologized as well.”
Rep. Victoria Spartz, who represents Elwood and Fishers in Congress, is of the opinion that the oversight on the poster in Fishers High School is indicative of a greater lack of support for Officer Shahnavez and his family.
“These people (police officers) are real heroes. We need to cherish, we need to support them,” Spartz said to Guy Relford on Tony Katz Today. “Now, we have attack on people who serve in the military, who serve in the police force. Now we are attacking them. This is unacceptable.”
Spartz said she is disappointed in politicians who run on supporting the police. She says she has not seen that support from them of late, in particular in the death of Officer Shahnavez.
Shahnavez’s family met with Fisher High School administrators after the incident happened. They have not commented on what was said in those discussions.
“While we allow teachers and students to examine social issues that are relevant to their lives, we affirm publicly through our partnership with local law enforcement that we stand in solidarity of the men and women who willing face dangerous circumstances each day to keep us safe,” said Fisher High School spokeswoman Emily Pace Abbots.
