Racial slur spray-painted at Bartlett High

Someone spray-painted a racial slur inside Bartlett High School, but in an area the public doesn't see, a district official confirmed Saturday.

School leaders discovered Friday someone had spelled out the derogatory word for black people on a four foot by eight foot piece of plywood reserved for the school's upcoming production of “Ragtime,”said Tony Sanders, spokesman for Elgin Area School District U-46. The plywood and paint were stored backstage inside the school's auditorium.

“It should have been secured and I'm not sure how anybody was able to get access,” Sanders said, adding that the school is investigating the security breach.

The vandalism occurred between Thursday night and Friday morning, and authorities have since removed the word, Sanders said.