Community should stand together against hate

I'm saddened by the act of vandalism that occurred in my community and the school my children attend. Seth Paine Elementary and the entire Lake Zurich school district continues to be a leader in promoting diversity and acceptance among all people.

We thank our administrators and teachers for their steadfast commitment to teaching and modeling respect and kindness to our children in and out of the classroom. In what I hope is nothing more than an isolated incident in our community is sadly in the shadows of major national headlines representing the growing animosity toward other people groups that have tragically resulted in the loss of innocent lives.

As a faith leader in Lake Zurich, I call upon our community to continue to promote peace and belonging among all people. I pray our community will stand together against expressions of hate without creating further animosity among us, our nation, and world.

Let's decide together that dignifying everyone, everywhere - by loving our neighbors, whoever they might be, and by doing to others as we would like them to do to us - are the values our world needs most today.

Matt Till. Lead Pastor

Restoration Church

Lake Zurich