Human Swastika at Branham High: Students to Face Discipline as Hate-Crime Probe Continues

Students at Branham High School in San Jose arranged themselves into a human swastika on the school's football field. A photo of the formation was submitted via an anonymous tip line Wednesday night and circulated on social media the following day, prompting a formal investigation by school officials and San Jose police.

Principal Beth Silbergeld said the school is responding "in accordance with education code and our district's commitment to restorative justice," and that the students involved "are committed to taking accountability for the harm that was done." She added that administrators are barred by law from discussing specific disciplinary actions.

The California Department of Education condemned the use of hate symbols on campus and said it will provide "statewide resources" to support Branham High as it responds to the incident. Department spokesperson Liz Sanders said the state "unequivocally condemns the use of any hate symbol such as a swastika on a school campus."

San Jose police confirmed officers responded Friday to a report of a "human swastika" and said the matter is being investigated as a potential hate crime. Local reporting indicated the post that shared the image included an antisemitic caption.

Members of the community and local advocacy groups expressed alarm. Maya Bronicki, education director for the Bay Area Jewish Coalition Education and Advocacy, told NBC Bay Area there appeared to be "clear intentionality" and called the social-media caption "horrifying." State Sen. Dave Cortese described the display as an "act of hate" and emphasized that anti-Semitism and bigotry have no place in schools.

The incident comes after the California Department of Education in April upheld a complaint that two Branham teachers presented biased instruction about the Israel-Palestinian conflict; each was ordered to complete an hour of anti-bias training. The Bay Area Jewish Coalition says it has raised concerns about antisemitic expression and anti‑Israel bias at the school for two years.

Silbergeld said Branham High will work with Jewish organizations and district partners to "support healing, learning, and restoration" and reiterated that the display does not represent the school or its broader community. Officials have not disclosed how many students were involved.

Context: Last year, on Oct. 7 — the anniversary of the 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel — California enacted guidelines for unbiased classroom instruction and established a Department of Education Office of Civil Rights with an antisemitism prevention coordinator. The state and local leaders say they will use available resources to address this incident and prevent future harm.