January 05, 2026
Jon Tuleya/PhillyVoice
Racist and antisemitic graffiti was spray-painted on Roxborough High School on Saturday night, police say. The building has since been scrubbed clean. The picture above is a file photo.
Police are seeking to identify the vandal who spray-painted racist and antisemitic graffiti on Roxborough High School on Saturday night.
The graffiti, which included swastikas and a misspelled racial epithet, have been removed, and classes resumed normally Monday morning. Police and the School District of Philadelphia's Office of School Safety are investigating the graffiti.
Roxborough High Principal Kristin Williams Smalley condemned the vandalism and its messages in a statement issued Sunday, emphasizing that the school has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment and hate speech.
"We encourage you to speak with your children and have conversations about the seriousness and potential consequences of these unacceptable behaviors," Williams Smalley said. "We want to reiterate that the School District of Philadelphia and Roxborough High School are diverse communities – a point of pride and celebration. Please keep in mind that the young people around you are watching and listening."
To welcome students Monday, Williams Smalley said the Roxborough community gathered over the weekend to write supportive messages of "love, inclusion and belonging" on the sidewalk in front of the school.
State Rep. Tarik Khan, a Democrat represents Roxborough, shared a video of the cleanup efforts on social media. He wrote that every student deserves to "feel safe and respected when they walk into school."
"Let me be clear: targeting students in the middle of the night is cowardice, and it does not define us. Our community is bigger than a racist, and one who cannot even spell at that," Khan wrote. "Our students are bigger. And the neighbors, parents, and educators who show up for Roxborough High help make our community even more special."
