Swastikas and hateful slurs surfaced in eighth-grade yearbooks at the United Nations International School in Manhattan, prompting administrators to scrap an end-of-year celebration and launch an internal investigation. Parents at the school say the printed symbols and language, which included antisemitic and homophobic comments, stunned students and families. School leaders have told parents they are looking into who was responsible and how the material slipped through the yearbook review process.
Yearbooks flagged; party canceled
According to The Times of Israel, which cites reporting by Ynet, the eighth-grade yearbooks contained swastikas alongside "antisemitic and homophobic comments," and the school told families it had identified nearly 20 students suspected of involvement. In a message to parents, administrators said that "the severity of the situation and the broad impact on our community make the current timing inappropriate for a celebration." It is not yet publicly clear whether any students will face criminal charges, and the administration has described the matter as an internal inquiry.
A pattern of bias incidents
The yearbook episode follows other reported incidents at UNIS earlier this year. In January, the school investigated a swastika that had been etched into a boys’ locker room, and the executive director called that earlier discovery "deeply troubling." JNS reported the school's pledge to follow up with education and community programming after that incident.
Lawsuit adds legal pressure
The controversy also unfolds as UNIS faces a civil complaint filed this year by a tenured Jewish teacher who alleges the institution failed to address antisemitic harassment and then subjected her to a retaliatory investigation, according to a press release from the National Jewish Advocacy Center. NJAC says the suit describes a prolonged probe and alleged workplace hostility. That filing was also summarized in reporting by the Washington Free Beacon.
School response and next steps
UNIS, which refers to itself as "the School of the UN" and lists its Manhattan campus at 24-50 FDR Drive, highlights dignity and respect in its public materials. UNIS has previously said it would investigate bias incidents and offer educational programming, and JNS reported an earlier message from Executive Director Dan Brenner calling acts and symbols of hate "deeply troubling." School officials told families the canceled event reflected the impact on the community as administrators and faculty review yearbooks and student conduct.
What comes next
Parents and community members say they want accountability and clearer safeguards to keep hateful imagery and language out of student publications. According to The Times of Israel, which cited Ynet, parents have described the yearbook episode as the latest in a string of troubling incidents that have alarmed families at the school. The NJAC civil complaint remains pending as UNIS completes its internal review and the community presses for disciplinary and policy responses. NJAC
