Last week, the Regional School Committee meeting heard from Superintendent Martineau about recent reports related to hate/bias incidents.
In his presentation, he specified that seven incidents were reported since the start of this school year. That’s up from the three reported during the same period last year.
Two weeks ago, Principal Sean Bevan sent parents and students a message about an incident being investigated.
His weekly email, two days later, followed up on the topic, referring to multiple incidents he has alerted the community about this year. That prompted me to go back to see what I missed.
On November 14th, a message from Bevan notified the community that a teacher had been fired for alleged antisemetic comments:
I am writing to inform you that, following reports received late last week – now confirmed – an ARHS teacher made antisemitic comments and gestures, along with other offensive remarks and behavior, while serving as a substitute teacher for a colleague. These actions violate our District’s Civil Rights Non-Discrimination policy and fall far short of our high expectations for teachers to uphold and model our school’s core values. This individual is no longer employed by, or affiliated with, our school community.
Acts of hate will not be tolerated in our school, and the ARHS staff and I remain committed to fostering a learning environment that reflects our core values of empathy, inclusivity, and respect. I am thankful for the students who stepped forward to report their concerns, demonstrating these core values through their actions. This incident – and the integrity shown by the students who reported it – underscores the essential role all students play in bringing forward behavior they find concerning.
If your child requires any additional support as they think about and process this incident, please don’t hesitate to reach out to their guidance counselor, assistant principal, or me.
On December 12th, Bevan’s follow up message on the December incident stated:
Regretfully, I have had occasion this year to share multiple messages about bias-related incidents that have impacted our school. These moments are difficult, but they also underscore the importance of the ongoing work our students and staff do to build the skills needed to confront racism and hate – both in school and in their lives beyond ARHS.
One of the most visible and meaningful parts of this effort is the series of student-led anti-bias workshops (Changemakers for Good) facilitated in tenth-grade classes. This annual program, which began this week and builds on work introduced in middle school, helps students strengthen their leadership skills by promoting respect, inclusion, and healthy peer relationships. Its overarching aim is to foster a stronger, safer, and more supportive school community.
I am grateful to our student leaders for their commitment to guiding their peers through challenging but essential civic and community conversations. I also want to extend my deep appreciation to ARHS teachers Sandra Bunsick and Suzanne Stimson for their leadership, as well as to the parents and students who support and encourage this important work.
The Community Advocate covered last week’s Regional School Committee meeting. They recapped:
All seven reports were investigated; in six cases, the individuals who were involved were identified and “appropriate follow-up actions were taken in accordance with district policies and procedures.”
According to Martineau, four of the reported incidents involved antisemitic or racist language. Four of them also involved a swastika. In one instance, a racial slur was graffitied in the school.
Four of the incidents also involved social media.
“Any incident of bias, hate, racism has a negative impact on what students experience and it undermines both safety and the district culture of belonging,” Martineau said.
School Committee members, along with district and Algonquin leaders, discussed the district’s approach to addressing incidents of hate and bias, including how school officials can communicate with parents and the broader community about ongoing efforts to address hate.
Algonquin has an anonymous tip line that allows students to report instances of hate or bias. The school also hosted an open forum Dec. 19 for students to speak about recent hate-related instances.
Disciplining students in these instances means balancing legal obligations, student learning, and safety. Recent changes to state law restrict the district’s ability to prevent a student from going to school, school leaders said.
You can read the full story here.
