By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — During a June 10 meeting, education officials pledged to address a series of racist incidents that have occurred in the district.
Superintendent Tom Geary and the School Committee’s discussion occurred in the wake of a town employee resigning and an investigation being launched after inappropriate and racist language was overheard during a livestreaming of Lynnfield High School’s Class of 2025 graduation ceremony on June 6.
“The discriminatory words used by a town of Lynnfield employee on (June 6) were deplorable,” said Geary. “I must clarify again that the person who made these despicable comments was a town employee and not a teacher or Lynnfield Public Schools employee. It outrages me that this happened before our high school graduation, and I am sickened that our community was exposed to this type of language and hate.”
Geary said the district’s educators “strive to create an incredibly welcoming and inclusive environment” by modeling “character and empathy.”
“We must be clear that this type of behavior is not acceptable nor is it allowable in our schools,” said Geary. “However, at all levels and most recently at our middle school, we have had to address students who used racially-charged and hurtful language.”
Geary recalled that during the public participation portion of the School Committee’s June 3 meeting, Tree Top Lane resident Carl Allien said he was hoping to have a conversation with Geary “regarding some incidents that my son is facing.”
“This is not to fault any specific person, but it has been challenging for a young African American kid in the school system right now,” said Allien.
Geary thanked Allien on June 10 for “coming forward” to share his family’s story. He said the School Department is “committed to using a combination of educational, restorative and disciplinary approaches to help our students learn and grow.”
“I ask the community to join us in ensuring a safe and positive environment for our students,” said Geary. “For everyone in our community who is hurting and outraged, we are with you. We continue to embrace opportunities to make meaningful connections with all groups within our community.”
Geary noted that one of his goals this year was “establishing a better culture in our schools.”
“I fully believe that the one true way to impact culture is to have clear and explicit core values embedded in our schools, with our educators and students living and breathing these core values each and every day,” said Geary. “Racism, sexism, gender identity bias and disability bias are all affects. We must actually work on the causes, which is ensuring our core values are understood, implemented and respected by all. I don’t believe meaningful change, which takes time, can successfully occur without this.”
Similar to previous superintendents, Geary is looking to develop a strategic plan for the school system that will begin being implemented next year. He wants to incorporate feedback from educators, students, administrators and families into the strategic plan.
“I envision culture, inclusivity, engagement and communication in our schools to be one of the focal points for input in shaping our future direction,” said Geary.
School Committee Chair Kristen Grieco Elworthy read a statement from her and Geary that was posted on the School Committee’s Facebook page on June 7 and was emailed to the Villager.
“We recognize that for many in our community this incident is deeply painful,” said Elworthy while reading the joint statement from her and Geary. “We hear you and we stand with you.”
School Committee member Jamie Hayman thanked Geary for making the statement.
“I appreciate the thoughtfulness of that,” said Hayman.
School Committee Kim Baker Donahue thanked Geary and Elworthy for making the two statements about the LHS graduation livestreaming incident. She said Allien informed school officials that his son had been called a racial slur.
“I have since learned that his family has been dealing with this for four years and has reported numerous incidents,” said Baker Donahue.
Baker Donahue stressed that school officials need to implement “actual concrete ways for us to step in the right direction.”
School Committee Vice Chair Jim Dillon said the LHS graduation livestreaming incident was “completely unacceptable.”
“Continue to do the work”
During public participation, Lynnfield Middle School seventh-grader Joseph Dixon addressed the panel to follow up on his concerns expressed in February that the school system needed to do more to teach students about Black History Month and cultures around the world.
“Since I was last here in February, I have noticed changes around the middle school,” said Joseph. “For example, I now see posters and boards coordinating to the month. For example, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, etc.”
Joseph asked Geary several questions, including how the district plans to “continue integrating diversity and diverse cultures into learning next year.”
Geary said a professional development planning committee was scheduled to meet on June 17.
“I definitely think that will be a topic we will be discussing,” said Geary.
Joseph also asked Geary what other initiatives has the School Department implemented since February.
Geary said the Administrative Leadership Team participated in a training program earlier this spring with the Anti-Defamation League. He said the program taught administrators “ways to work through hate crimes and how to respond to them.”
“I think those are favorable steps,” said Geary. “We need planning time over the summer to plan for next year.”
Joseph’s mom, Wendy, said the posters initiative she suggested in February is “not working” because students frequently walk by them and don’t look at them.
“I did it at my school, and the kids are not looking at it,” said Wendy about her school in Somerville.
Elworthy said that she appreciated Joseph and Wendy for coming up with the posters idea even though it did not work. She said school officials are committed to creating an “environment that is inclusive and welcoming.”
“I understand that can sometimes not translate all the way down to kids,” said Elworthy. “That is the truth. I do think this will be part of the strategic plan moving forward. Part of culture is all of the things you are talking about in terms of empathy, in terms of equity and in terms of kids understanding one another.”
Dillon thanked Joseph and Wendy for addressing the School Committee once again. He apologized to both of them if they have had to endure racism, and said addressing racism “will be a high priority for the School Committee.”
“That is something that can’t happen,” said Dillon. “In our schools, bullying, harassment and discrimination based on factors like race, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion or age in any form is unacceptable. I think everyone believes that, but then is the reality of what happens. We have to identify the cause.”
Hayman told Joseph that he continues to have “tremendous admiration for you.”
“Keep us honest,” said Hayman. “Keep this community honest. Keep coming back here. Your voice matters and it makes a difference. I learn a lot each time you speak. I want to apologize on behalf of the community that this happened. It hurt me as a person and I can only imagine how much more it hurt you. I am sorry that you had to endure that.”
Hayman said the district “needs to continue to look for the baby steps.” He said diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is “a hot topic and it shouldn’t be” controversial.
“I think for us, it really needs to start with just celebrating people’s differences,” said Hayman. “We all come from different backgrounds and all have different experiences. We need to be able to acknowledge that, accept that and celebrate that. I think that is where we need to start.”
School Committee member Kate DePrizio thanked Joseph for sharing his concerns with the school board once again. She also apologized to him that she and Dillon did not acknowledge his concerns when he first spoke to the panel in February.
“We were both trying to be deferential to process because the chair usually speaks,” said DePrizio. “Privately, we were both tortured about that. I know Jim felt that way and I felt that way. I want to just apologize that I didn’t just break protocol and jump in and Jim didn’t jump in too. That in no way reflected our sentiments or our thoughts.”
DePrizio said the LHS graduation livestreaming incident was “completely horrible.” While she said the elementary schools “do a really, really good of celebrating the uniqueness in others,” DePrizio said more work needs to be done at the secondary schools.
Baker Donahue said Joseph is “extremely brave” for discussing his experiences at two School Committee meetings.
“Keep doing it,” said Baker Donahue. “Keep being loud because it is important to have your voice heard.”
Baker Donahue said every student in the district “deserves to have equal access to the same exact resources and the same exact education however that looks for them.”
“We just have to do better, and hopefully we are going to show you we are going to,” said Baker Donahue.
Former School Committee member Phil McQueen, who appeared with Joseph and Wendy, asked the School Committee to “reaffirm its commitment” to DEI. He first asked the school board that question in January.
“I think we just all had a fairly substantive discussion about this,” said Elworthy in response. “If anyone has anything to add, they can, but I don’t want to put anyone on the spot to continue with what we already said.”
Baker Donahue and Hayman both said yes in response to McQueen’s question.
Locksley Road resident Edelyne Beauvais-Thomas said her daughter has endured racist incidents in school.
“The first three years of us being here in the district was the toughest from kindergarten to the second grade,” said Beauvais-Thomas.
Beauvais-Thomas said her daughter was playing soccer with another child who was afraid that her daughter’s “hair was going to hurt her.” She said there were “lots of different incidents that happened,” including one involving a teacher.
“I say this because we have seen it,” said Beauvais-Thomas. “That is why when the incident occurred, I was not surprised.”
Beauvais-Thomas said her family “would have packed up and left the district” if it were not for retired Huckleberry Hill School Principal Melissa Wyland. She said her daughter is in a better place after finding people “who really accepted her” and helped her “really understand who she is as a person.”
“It took a lot of prayers and a lot to get her where she is today,” said Beauvais-Thomas. “Please, please continue to do the work. I think the minority children in this district heavily needs it.”
Elworthy apologized to Beauvais-Thomas for what “happened to your daughter.”
“I am glad to hear things seem to be doing better, but please keep advocating,” said Elworthy. “If something does go wrong, I hope you know there are building administrators and there are administrators who are very focused on making changes, but it is definitely a process. I appreciate you coming in and sharing that.”