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By GRETCHEN EHLKE, Associated Press
MILWAUKEE (AP) – The parent who took a picture of Wisconsin high school boys giving what appears to be a Nazi salute on the steps of a local courthouse and never anticipated the image would draw such widespread condemnation.
But Pete Gust, who has a son in the photo, said he understood why he was a child of the last year. About two-thirds of the boys have their arms raised in the gesture.
"The optics are not good," Gust told The Associated Press, but added: "There was never any inkling of that whatsoever …. There was nothing intended in any way shape or form to simulate anything that was offensive to anyone . "
But one of the students in the photo who did not raise his arm, Jordan Blue, said he believes some of the students did intend to make the Nazi salute as a joke.
"It was very disrespectful to what my beliefs are, and it was a very bad representation of the senior class and the Baraboo School District, because of all the causes, the Baraboo School District does not support that kind of actions and it is a district that provides many opportunities for the students, "Blue told the Baraboo News Republic. "This is something that I will never forget."
Had been posted to his photography business website by Wheel Memories after it was taken in May. He took it down to the time of the day and posted an opinion on the subject of social media and was widely distributed, from individuals and from Jewish organizations.
The Baraboo School District said it was looking into the
"If the gesture is what it appears to be, the district will be affected by the issue," Superintendent Lori Mueller said in a letter to parents Monday.
At the Baraboo School Board meeting Monday night at a half-dozen speakers addressed the matter.
Baraboo School Board President Kevin Vodak, who said he was speaking to a private citizen, said the picture "deeply disappointed me, shamed, appalled and angered me."
"The photo has shaken to the core of my personal belief that we have a community and have a school district that is tolerant, inclusive, accepting and admitting of all of those who are different from ourselves," he added.
Earlier Monday, about 100 people gathered at the heart of a rally. Baraboo, a community of 12,000 some 115 miles (185 kilometers) northwest of Milwaukee.
"The point is to show Baraboo is about love," said organizer Sherri Schaaf.
The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Poland was criticizing the photo on social media.
"This is why every day we work hard to educate," the Auschwitz Memorial tweeted.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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