'Hateful' graffiti removed from doors of Lord Byng Secondary
Parents and community upset by discriminatory and Trump-inspired groping messages
"Hateful" graffiti on the outside of a high school in Vancouver's west side was removed by a school board employee on Saturday morning.
A discriminatory message aimed at the transgender community, along with a quote from Donald Trump's groping comment, were spray-painted across a set of doors and wall at Lord Byng Secondary School.
The Vancouver School Board says it acted after hearing from parents and members of the education community who caused a Twitter frenzy the day before.
A very Merry Christmas to this guy for coming out on Christmas Eve to deal with this hateful graffiti at Lord Byng. <a href="https://twitter.com/VSB39">@VSB39</a> Thank you! <a href="https://t.co/Ekejt97U27">pic.twitter.com/Ekejt97U27</a>
—@pattibacchusParent Alison Foreman was the first to raise concerns after hearing about it from her step-daughter, a student at the school.
"I was horrified and heartbroken," she said.
"Byng is so active with the gay-straight alliance and the LGBT community. It just makes me sad that anyone at that school wouldn't feel safe with comments like that."
Foreman took photos of the graffiti and alerted friends online.
Other parents and school board trustees took on the cause, sharing in Foreman's anger.
Horrified. My friend just took these at Lord Byng HS. Apparently been there for a WEEK. <a href="https://twitter.com/VSB39">@VSB39</a> please say you're addressing & will remove! <a href="https://t.co/MJO5xdKxJZ">pic.twitter.com/MJO5xdKxJZ</a>
—@kpwerker1. Shaking as I type this, students are heartbroken seeing these messages plastered on the walls of Byng Secondary. <a href="https://t.co/KeCXNORYHc">pic.twitter.com/KeCXNORYHc</a>
—@isa_preite<a href="https://twitter.com/isa_preite">@isa_preite</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/pattibacchus">@pattibacchus</a> my backyard for 18 yrs. I'm disturbed, infuriated and saddened. How long has this been there for?
—@_DanWardBy early Saturday afternoon, a school board employee was seen covering up the comments with white paint.
Dianne Turner, VSB trustee, called the messages offensive and "disgusting."
"This is a hateful and sad commentary that our society is dealing with some troubling behaviour from individuals who could make our students, staff and parents feel unsafe," she said in an email.
A police report was also filed by Foreman in hopes of deterring similar behaviour.
Vancouver Police have not yet responded with any information about the complaint.