Black doll with noose around neck found at IMSA

Officials at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora recently notified parents of a "bias incident" at the school.

A black doll was found with a noose around its neck in an area of the boarding school's campus "meant to be a safe and inclusive space," according to an email sent to students and parents from Katherine Berger, the chief student affairs officer. The exact date of the incident is unclear.

The area where the doll was found has been closed until further notice, Berger said, and officials are investigating. The school, 1500 Sullivan Road, is addressing the incident through educational programs and counseling.

"Our community is a close one and serves as the home for our students, making this incident even more distressing," Berger said in the email. "It is the responsibility of all to ensure that our community is an inclusive, safe and secure environment for our students. It is the responsibility of all to ensure that IMSA is an environment free from hate, macroaggressions or bias against anyone because of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or any other reason intended to diminish or marginalize each other."