To feel uncomfortable about the Nazi symbols on ds's shirt and arm? (Y11 shirt-signing day)

[GoodyGoodyGumdrops]

Y11s were signing each other's schools shirts today, the last day before Study Leave begins.

There's the expected complement of hearts and cocks-and-balls on ds's shirt. (Surprisingly little swearing.) Also many Stars of David - which I have no issue about, we're Jewish.

But I feel uncomfortable about the many swastikas and the number inked onto his left forearm.

Ds says that he wasn't picked out for the swastikas. Some boys were signing there name with one on everybody's shirt. TBH I don't know whether to believe him.

The swastikas are pure bad taste IMO. But the number on ds's forearm really bugs me.

I don't know what, if anything, to do about it.

As your DS justified/try to deny it was anything sinister, it is difficult to go against what he is saying and tell the school. Like OP has said, DS would not want her to take pictures and not take it further.
I would just make the school aware that DS has tried to dismiss these horrid actions but just make them aware that their pupils maybe need to be made aware of the historical meaning behind their ' comical ' scribbles!

I am shocked that drawing swastikas on school leavers shirts is a 'thing' experienced by more that one pp! The number scrawling leaves me disgusted!! Too far!

It's like with Tottenham Hotspur fans getting anti Semitic chants/flags/terms aimed at them. As much as they tried to own/embrace it, it needed the hate crime classification to make people think about what they were actually saying when being abusive.

I agree about the difficulties in overriding the DS's wish, Bee, but can't help wondering if this is one of those cases where the greater principle has to come first

As a parent, I'd also want to know exactly why he was so anxious to avoid a fuss - after all, isn't that what victims of bullying often do, for fear of making things even worse for themselves?

While of course there's no obligation at all, it would be great if OP felt able to update us with what the school have said

I will when I have news.

Very many thanks, Goody - I hope it goes well and that this is addressed properly

Update:
I had a meeting at the school shortly after my last post, with the Head and members of his Assistant Head Team. They took it very seriously.

I have been invited back for a meeting after half term, so that they can show me what they are putting in place.