No Consequences For Baraboo High School Seniors' Nazi Salute

The senior boys of Baraboo High School

The boys of the senior class of Baraboo High School will not face any discipline or consequences for their now-infamous Nazi salute photo at their prom last year.

From ABC News:

Officials with a Wisconsin school district say free-speech rights would make it difficult to discipline students who appeared in a photograph that showed several high school boys giving what appears to be a Nazi salute.

The State Journal reports that Baraboo Superintendent Lori Mueller said in a letter to parents Wednesday that officials cannot know the "intentions in the hearts" of those involved. She also said the district isn't in a position to punish the students because they are protected by the First Amendment.

The photo of about 60 boys was taken outside the Sauk County Courthouse in Baraboo last spring. The parent who took the photographer said he simply asked the boys to wave goodbye to their parents before heading to prom.

Funny - when I wave goodbye to folks it somehow never looks like a Nazi salute.

In the fallout of the scandal, once the photo came to light, several students told Vice contributor Jules Suzdaltsev they had seen and heard a lot of racist language while attending the school.

One student who graduated from BHS this spring wrote Suzdaltsev saying he could "100% support the claims of racism at that school."

"The use of the n-word was pretty common among a lot of white students, whether jokingly or not," he added.

Another told Suzdaltsev that the day after Donald Trump was elected, students were yelling "White Power!" in the hallways.