Elementary school principal says swastika is 'symbol of peace' in some religions — and backlash is swift



The backlash was swift after an elementary school principal in Washington state said the swastika is a "symbol of peace" in some religions — and now the principal is on administrative leave.

A swastika was found Monday on a wall at Phantom Lake Elementary School in Bellevue, KOMO-TV reported. After the discovery, the school district said Principal Heather Snookal sent two messages, KIRO-TV reported.

'To me, it is the most warped version of inclusion we could come up with to ask Jewish families in this day and age to be tolerant of the swastika.'

In her first message — a school text alert — the principal wrote that such "symbols of hate" have surfaced in their school and that the swastika was removed immediately, KOMO said, adding that the principal also encouraged families to communicate with their children the importance of respecting others and standing up against hate.

Hours later, parents shared with KOMO an email from the principal with the subject line: "Follow-up on recent incident and cultural awareness." The station said the principal in the email apologized for not acknowledging in her initial text alert that while a swastika is often associated with hate and intolerance, it's important to acknowledge the swastika also has deep historical and cultural significance in other parts of the world. She also thanked members of the community for bringing it to her attention, the station added.

KOMO noted that the principal wrote, in part:

In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and other ancient cultures, the swastika is a symbol of peace, prosperity, and good fortune. We recognize that for many of our families, this symbol has a positive and spiritual meaning, completely unrelated to the hateful associations it took on in more recent history.

As a school committed to inclusivity and cultural understanding, we want to ensure that our students from all backgrounds feel welcomed, valued, and celebrated. We also want to make sure our community is educated about the diverse meanings and histories behind symbols like the swastika so that we can all avoid misunderstandings that could inadvertently marginalize or hurt our students.

The station said several parents called the second message "unacceptable," that they told her so in an email, and that some planned to meet with her Monday after school. But KOMO said it learned before the end of the school day that the Bellevue School District put the principal on administrative leave and launched an investigation.

The station noted the following statement from the district:

There is absolutely no place for hate in the Bellevue School District. In a time where words and symbols are used to divide us, we are working with administrators, staff, and students to call our community in for courageous conversations to affirm each other’s cultures, beliefs, and identities.

We share in the burden and pain that our Jewish families feel regarding the rise in antisemitism locally and across our country. Bellevue, like other districts, has seen a rise in antisemitic incidents, particularly this past year, and we are taking action to address it. Vandalism on a playground using a swastika is antisemitic and goes against our district’s commitment to building what Dr. King championed as 'The Beloved Community' — a place where people truly care for one another, and there is no hunger, poverty, or hate.

Superintendent Aramaki recently sent out a blog post sharing his commitment to addressing antisemitism in our district. This incident will be investigated and addressed according to our policies and procedures. We acknowledge the pain that every incident like this has on our whole community, but especially on our Jewish community.

Tirzah Dondanville, a parent with two daughters at the school, told KOMO that "there is no reason why a symbol of hatred should be on our school grounds or given any equivocation. To me, it is the most warped version of inclusion we could come up with to ask Jewish families in this day and age to be tolerant of the swastika."

But another parent told KIRO that the principal "is not erasing what happened to the Jewish community whatsoever. Because you know we all know about it. We all know what happened. But like she said, many symbols do mean different things for different cultures, so we cannot disassociate what one person did and forget what this symbol means to everyone else."

You can view a video report here about the controversy.

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Juveniles physically attack 56-year-old man on bicycle; weeks later he dies after health deterioration



A group of juveniles physically attacked a 56-year-old man who was riding a bicycle last month in Kent, Washington, KIRO-TV reported. But following his hospitalization, the victim's health deteriorated, and he died Sunday, the station said.

No one is yet in custody, KIRO said.

One witness tried to intervene by honking a car horn, the station said, but the suspects continued to beat the man, who appeared unconscious.

Officers responded just after 9 p.m. Aug. 22 to multiple reports of an attack involving a group of juveniles, the station said.

Witnesses said three or four juveniles assaulted the victim who had been riding a bicycle, KIRO noted.

The station said that when police arrived on the scene, the suspects had already fled the area.

One witness tried to intervene by honking a car horn, the station said, but the suspects continued to beat the man, who appeared unconscious.

The victim was treated by Puget Sound Fire and taken to a hospital in stable condition, the station said.

However, the victim’s health deteriorated in the wake of the assault, KIRO stated, adding that he died Sunday.

Kent police are actively pursuing leads and are asking for the public's help, the station said. Those with information about the case can contact the Kent Police Tip Line at 253-856-5808, KIRO said.

How are people reacting?

Nearly 100 comments have appeared underneath KIRO's Facebook post about the victim's death, and as you might imagine, observers are angry about it:

  • "Time to start charging parents now if [a] child [is] under 18 for accessory or child negligence," one commenter wrote. "If parents aren't being held partially responsible, it won't stop ... parents don't care."
  • "Someone’s going away for a long, long time," another commenter stated. "You don’t have to assault a person to the point of death. Punks better not even claim it [was] accidental; they really had to go all out."
  • "Wow," another commenter exclaimed. "I hope they catch these beast[s] and give them the punishment they deserve."
  • "Maybe it's time to start giving these kids life sentences instead of letting them out," another commenter offered.
  • "So sad," another commenter said. "What is going on with these kids of today?? My goodness."

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'I gotta protect my family; that’s just the end of it': Homeowner shoots 'giant' male who entered his bedroom after midnight



A Washington state homeowner shot a "giant" male intruder who entered the bedroom he shares with his wife early Tuesday morning.

Kent police told KOMO-TV the incident occurred at 1:27 a.m. in the 26600 block of 134th Avenue SE.

'You hear stories, and you never think it’s gonna be you — until it’s you, until it’s your family,' he told the station.

While the station interviewed the homeowner exclusively about the incident, KOMO said he was still too shaken to be publicly identified.

“I honestly still keep going back to my bedroom because I’m like, ‘Did it happen?’” the homeowner recounted to the station.

The victim told KOMO he was asleep with his wife when the male entered their bedroom and turned on the light.

"It was quick. I woke up, and there was this giant standing in my bedroom," the homeowner recalled to the station, noting that he believed the intruder stood at least 6 feet, 5 inches tall.

The homeowner told KOMO that he began hitting the intruder with items from a nearby nightstand, after which he got his gun and opened fire.

"I think [being hit with objects] helped to push him out of the door, and I had just enough time to run for my safe [and retrieve my gun]," he told the station, adding that he "shot two rounds" but "didn’t know if I struck him."

More from KOMO:

Around 3:05 a.m., Kent police said they were called to an apartment on the 14900 block of SE 272nd for a medical call involving a person who'd suffered a gunshot wound. Officers then found a man matching the description of the aforementioned burglary suspect with a gunshot wound to his torso. They then applied a chest seal to the open wound, and Puget Sound Fire firefighters arrived shortly after to continue medical treatment.

Police said the burglar, a 39-year-old Kent resident, was taken to the hospital for additional medical treatment. Regarding the shooting, officers said the homeowner had a concealed pistol license and legally owned his gun at the time of the incident. They said he acted lawfully.

The homeowner added to the station that in addition to his wife and daughter, his brother and family also were in his home — meaning five children were present at the time of the incident.

That said, the homeowner emphasized to KOMO that he didn't hesitate to protect multiple loved ones and would do it again.

“You hear stories, and you never think it’s gonna be you — until it’s you, until it’s your family," he told the station.

"This is my safe house, this is my home, this is where we live," the homeowner added to KOMO. “I gotta protect my family; that’s just the end of it."

You can view KOMO's video report here.

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Theater officials admitted to raping children in past: Report



Officials with a civic theater near Seattle admitted in the past to raping children, KCPQ-TV reported, citing court documents referring to Renton Civic Theatre board president Alan Parsons and art director Bill Huls. Renton is little less than a half hour southeast of Seattle.

A whistleblower working within the theater told KCPQ-TV she went to the theater board about Huls' child sex abuse admissions but noted her concerns were ignored, so she decided to post the information on Facebook.

'A broken organization.'

"Renton Civic Theater [sic] is a broken organization," the post from the whistleblower read. "Their artistic director is a registered sex offender and harasses women. He has clearly been at his harassment for many years and has not been stopped because not enough of us have spoken up."

KCPQ said documents from 1990 it obtained showed Huls, then 22 years old, admitted to sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl who was the daughter of a family friend. The station said Huls pleaded guilty and was convicted. It isn't clear what resulted sentencing-wise after that, but KCPQ added that court documents show Huls admitted to having graphic sexual fantasies involving children he personally knew. The station also said Huls admitted to being close in proximity to kids while in his theater group.

The theater's board of directors included Huls' wife as well as Alan Parsons, whom KCPQ reported is a convicted child molester.

More from the station:

Court records FOX 13 Seattle obtained show that Parsons admitted to raping a baby over a several-year period while Parsons was a teenager.

This happened in 2005.

Parsons was the little girl’s babysitter when he was 14 years old until he was 17 years old, according to the documents. The victim was two years old when the abuse started and five years old when she told her parents.

KCPQ added that an archived screenshot from the theater's website lists Parsons, Huls, and Huls’ wife on the "About" page — but now all three names are gone.

The station also said Renton Civic Theatre refused to comment on its story but released at statement that reads: "Given recent events, we have several issues to address. The first is this: As of today, Bill Huls is no longer affiliated with Renton Civic Theatre. We have a lot to sort through, but further decisions are coming. Thank you for your patience while we work through this."

KCPQ added that it reached out to Huls, his wife, and Parsons for comment but didn't hear back.

In addition, Renton Police told the station they haven’t received any criminal complaints about the theater or staff, but police added that they want those who experienced suspicious activity in reference to the theater to contact police about it.

You can view images of the court documents in KCPQ's video report about the theater.

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Toddler loses foot in latest day care atrocity



Heard the latest from JD Vance? He wants to "Handmaid's Tale" all menopausal women into a National Babysitting Corps.

At least that's what the reaction to a podcast appearance he made in 2020 suggests.

In reality, when Vance agreed with host Weinstein’s assertion that “the whole purpose of the postmenopausal female” is to help with childrearing, he was simply confirming what most people with kids take as simple common sense.

To translate Weinstein's nerdy evolutionary bio-speak: it sure is nice when grandparents are around to help out with the kids.

There are many reasons why it is better for parents to rely on extended families than on some kind universal childcare.

One of them is tragically illustrated in news story after news story: parents who must entrust their young children to the care of strangers are taking a real risk.

Consider the latest atrocity.

Washington state officials reportedly suspended a day care's license after a toddler's foot was amputated, and the family says a lawnmower incident is to blame.

Stacey Elliot said her 2-year-old son Mateo Pacheco Elliott has been hospitalized in Seattle since the horrific June 24 incident.

'You should be able to trust the provider to take complete care of them and not severely injure them.'

Angela Axelson, a close friend of the family, told KING-TV the boy wanted to speak to the owner who was riding a lawnmower. "[He] went running up to the lawnmower, slipped and fell. Went under and his leg was amputated," she said. Axelson also started a GoFundMe page to help the family.

“Parents being out of work right now and what not just makes it hard for them. I want to be able to help them in any way possible," Axelson told KING. “I’ve been friends with Mateo’s mom for about 10 years. It's made it even harder seeing someone I watched grow up have such a horrible injury.”

A Quincy Police Department investigation didn't find enough evidence to justify criminal charges, but the state's Department of Children, Youth and Families decided to suspend the day care's license. The investigation is ongoing.

KING said it wasn't able to obtain a comment from the day care owners.

Axelson said the family is considering taking legal action.

"Yes, accidents can happen but when you're paying people to take care of your children, you should be able to trust the provider to take complete care of them and not severely injure them," Axelson added to the station. "Keep praying for the family and pray that he has a quick recovery and they can get home soon and try to resume life as normal as they can."

The family shared video of the child in the hospital that's part of a KING video report.

America should do whatever it can to support strong families; JD Vance has long advocated for many policies to do just that, including an expanded child tax credit. But legislation that would encourage already struggling families to outsource child-rearing to day cares is a step in the wrong direction.

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Suspected car prowler attacks armed homeowner. Despite warning shot, attack persists — but next shot ends things permanently.



A homeowner in north central Washington state fatally shot a suspected vehicle prowler amid a physical confrontation Sunday night.

The armed homeowner approached a suspect who was seen tampering with the homeowner's vehicle around 7:15 p.m. on Hanford Street near Omak Avenue, KXLY-TV reported, citing the Omak Police Department. The city of Omak is located about 50 miles from the Canadian border.

The homeowner has not been arrested or charged with any crimes, KPQ reported.

Police told the station that the homeowner didn't use the gun, but the suspect attacked and knocked down the homeowner.

The homeowner's significant other fired a warning shot into the ground, but police told KXLY the assault didn't stop. KPQ-FM reported that the warning shot was an attempt to run the suspect off.

Police said the significant other pulled the suspect off of the homeowner, but the suspect re-engaged in the assault, the station reported.

With that, police told KXLY the homeowner shot the suspect once. The suspect left the property and collapsed in the street, KPQ reported, adding that police found the alleged prowler lying in the street with a gunshot wound

The suspect was transported to Mid Valley Hospital, KPQ noted, adding that the suspect later was pronounced dead.

The homeowner has not been arrested or charged with any crimes, KPQ reported.

Police told KXLY an investigation is underway in regard to the use of deadly force and that their findings will be turned over to the prosecutor's office to determine if any charges will be filed.

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Parents can't fully access their kids' medical records after judge partially blocks parental rights law



Washington state's Republican-backed Initiative 2081, referred to as "A Parents' Bill of Rights," was approved earlier this year by the state legislature in two landslide votes. The Democrats who control both chambers apparently permitted it through knowing they will likely be able to transmogrify it in the next legislative session.

Nevertheless, to the chagrin of leftists and other groups ostensibly keen on cleaving children from their parents, Republican state Rep. Jim Walsh's Initiative 2081 became law on June 6.

The law declares 15 rights that parents and guardians of public school children necessarily have, such as the right to:

  • examine textbooks and curricular materials used in their kid's classroom;
  • inspect their kid's public school records, including their health, academic, mental health counseling, vocational counseling, and disciplinary records;
  • receive prior notification when medical services are being offered to their child, except in the cases of emergency medical treatment;
  • receive immediate notification if their child is being taken or removed from campus without their permission;
  • receive assurance that their kid's school won't discriminate against their child based on the family's religious beliefs; and
  • receive written notice and opt out of student engagements that include questions about the child's sexuality and sexual experiences or the family's moral and political views.

Walsh underscored that the focus of all the elements of the bill was information.

"Custodial parents and guardians cannot be kept in the dark about what their minor children are going through in their lives," Walsh said last month. "Parents have to be told — whether it's things happening at school or things happening in the healthcare or mental healthcare space connected with school, or really anything affecting a minor child."

The legal acknowledgement of such natural rights in a state where the family is otherwise under siege prompted legal action from a number of radical LGBT organizations, represented ultimately by the activist firms QLaw and Legal Voice along with the ACLU of Washington.

They sued last month to halt the implementation of the initiative. This week, a judge granted them a minor victory.

Upon filing their lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the legislation in the Superior Court of Washington for King County on behalf of various LGBT groups, the pair of legal outfits and the ACLU of Washington recycled debunked rhetoric intimating that a failure to allow kids to transition at school behind their parents' backs and receive "affirmation" with the help from adults outside the family would result in "irreparable harm."

Adrien Leavitt, staff attorney for the state chapter of the ACLU, claimed, "The initiative passed because of deception and confusion, and it will cause life-altering negative outcomes for queer and trans students if it is implemented."

According to their complaint, the Parents' Bill of Rights "undermines, contradicts, and amends numerous laws that protect students' rights to privacy, healthcare, education, and an affirming and inclusive school environment."

On Friday, King County Superior Court Judge Michael Scott, appointed to the bench by Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee in 2018, granted a temporary block against parts of the law. Specifically, Scott blocked the requirement that parents are to be granted access to all of their children's medical and mental health counseling records and the requirement that school districts promptly turn such records over, reported the Washington State Standard.

Most parts of the Parents' Bill of Right will, however, remain in place for the time being.

While Scott figured the plaintiffs had done enough to demonstrate harm and potential unconstitutionality, he stressed, "It's not this court's position to determine whether that's good policy or not."

In response to Scott's ruling, Leavitt intimated in a statement it's not enough for parents to only partially be left in the dark.

'It is the student's decision when and if their gender identity is shared, and with whom.'

"We are pleased with this ruling as it will prevent parts of I-2081 from causing further harm while we seek a final decision in this case — but this is not the end," said Leavitt. "We will keep fighting this case in hopes of a final judgment that shows this harmful law violates the State Constitution and should not be implemented or enforced."

Walsh, meanwhile, indicated he was "encouraged that the judge left the bulk of the parents' bill of rights in place," reported the Seattle Times.

Democratic State Superintendent Chris Reykdal indicated that while the court did not block the remainder of Initiative 2081, he would effectively usurp the power of lawmakers and instruct Washington school districts not to apply aspects of the law.

"Until additional clarity is provided on the areas where the initiative conflicts with existing state and federal law, school districts should not make changes to any policies and procedures that are implicated by the conflicting sets of law," Reykdal said in a statement. "When in doubt, school districts should follow federal privacy laws."

In his statement, Reykdal also emphasized that schools don't have to disclose a student's transvestism at school to their parents.

“Our state's guidance has maintained that, in order to protect student privacy and safety, schools should communicate with students who disclose they are transgender or gender expansive about the student's individual needs, preferences, and safety concerns," Reykdal continued. "It is the student's decision when and if their gender identity is shared, and with whom."

Brian Heywood, a businessman from Redmond who helped bankroll the effort to advance Initiative 2081, suggested Reykdal was actively "shredding democracy."

"WA state Superintendent of Schools believes he is above the law and that the state knows better than parents what is best for your children," added Heywood. "In November he needs to go."

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Dad tells cops he caught a rideshare driver sexually assaulting his daughter. So he did what dads do.



A father told police in Washington state he caught a rideshare driver sexually assaulting his daughter and got physical with the driver and fired his gun, the Olympian reported.

Thurston County Sheriff’s deputies around 1 a.m. Saturday were dispatched to Sixth Avenue Southeast and Old Pacific Highway — a fishing location on the Nisqually River — over a report of a weapons violation, the paper said.

The female's father told deputies he discovered his daughter being sexually assaulted, 'beat up the driver a little bit,' and fired the gun.

Two shell casings were found at the scene, the Olympian added.

A deputy who stopped a motorist attempting to flee the scene noticed the motorist was injured, Fox News reported, adding that detectives determined the motorist was a rideshare driver who had provided transportation to a "highly intoxicated female."

The driver had suffered injuries in a fight but wasn’t shot, Sheriff’s Lt. Mike Brooks said Sunday, according to the Olympian.

The female's father told deputies he discovered his daughter being sexually assaulted, “beat up the driver a little bit,” and fired the gun, Brooks told the paper, adding that the timing of the physical altercation and the gunshots wasn't clear.

The 58-year-old driver was treated for his injuries at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia and then booked into jail on suspicion of first-degree kidnapping and second-degree rape, the Olympian reported.

Those with information about this incident should call the nonemergency dispatch line at 360-704-2740 or send an email to detectives@co.thurston.wa.us, the paper added.

How are observers reacting?

Nearly 1,000 comments so far have appeared underneath the Fox News story about the incident, which was published Monday on Yahoo News. As you might imagine, a number of commenters are sympathetic toward the father:

  • "The father did what every red-blooded American father would do to protect his daughter!" one commenter declared. "Kudos to him for being a real father!"
  • "The dad was defending protecting his daughter, and tried his best to stop the criminal assault in progress," another commenter said. "He saved his daughter's life."
  • "It's uplifting to have some good news for once," another commenter noted.
  • "It's Washington state, so the father's freedom is still up in the air, but great job dad," another commenter added. "Shame you didn't put him underground."
  • "I'm a progressive individual, but even I feel the dad was well within his rights as a father," another commenter stated.

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George Nethercutt Dies At 79

He defeated Speaker of the House Tom Foley to earn his seat