British school to change logo referencing anti-Semitic blood libel

Symbol for St. Hugh’s School recalls 13th century myth of boy murdered by Jewish family after chasing a ball that went over their wall

JTA — A boarding school in Britain said it will modify its logo following complaints that it references an anti-Semitic blood libel.

Jeremy Wyld, headmaster of St. Hugh’s School in Woodhall Spa, situated some 130 miles (209 kilometers) north of London, told The Jewish Chronicle that a red dot hanging over a brick wall in the logo would be removed, the paper reported Thursday.

According to the paper, the logo represents a ball flying over a wall in a reference to the story of “Little Saint Hugh.” A 13th-century myth has the boy murdered by a Jewish family after he loses his ball over their wall and is invited to retrieve it.

Brian Sacks, a retired database administrator and athletics correspondent, “found out about the school and was deeply upset to see its badge,” he told the Chronicle. He wrote to the paper and to the headmaster asking him to change it, resulting in the modification.

https://www.facebook.com/sthughslincs/photos/a.322462481258123/747734505397583/?type=1&theater

The logo would be changed to remove the circle while retaining the bricks, Wyld said, “to reiterate the significance of the educational building blocks.”