the school?s principal, Cheng Hsiao-ming, took full responsibility and will step down as the head of Kuang Fu High School in Taiwan?s Hsinchu City.
Photos of students hoisting swastika banners and parading behind a cardboard tank went viral over the weekend. One student was seen emerging from the tank and giving the Nazi salute, a red armband appended to his or her jacket.
The event, which the school originally branded as ?cosplay,? immediately caught the attention of Israel?s de facto diplomatic mission in Taiwan, the Israel Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei (ISECO), which called the event ?deplorable and shocking.?
?Schools should educate for tolerance and understanding among people, and we are deeply disappointed that this took place in Taiwan,? read a statement shared on the ISECO Facebook account.
?We strongly condemn this tasteless occurrence and call on the Taiwanese authorities, in all levels, to initiate educational programs which would introduce the meaning of the Holocaust and teach its history and universal meaning,? the statement continued.
The Taipei Times reports that Cheng, the principal, has pledged to strengthen Holocaust awareness by screening films such as Schindler?s List and Life Is Beautiful, and says that the school would invite speakers from the Israeli office to address students.
Cheng reportedly said that a teacher had recommended Arabic culture as a theme for the event, but that the students twice voted against it in favor of a Nazi parade. The students were advised that the theme would be controversial, according to the Taipei Times, but the teacher decided to respect their decision.
Some students seemed unaware of Hitler?s atrocities, while others said they chose the theme because it would be reportedly easy to convert their school uniforms into Nazi costumes.
Principal Quits After Nazi-Themed High School Event