LYNNFIELD — Superintendent Tom Geary released a statement Monday to address the termination of a Lynnfield High School substitute teacher who allegedly engaged in hate-based ideologies.
Lynnfield High School Principal Patricia Puglisi sent an email to the LHS community Monday morning addressing allegations of Jarek Reihner’s alleged connections to hate-based ideological groups and her termination.
Reihner was hired as a substitute math teacher at LHS at the end of August 2024 after completing the hiring process, which includes a mandatory CORI and fingerprinting through the state and national databases, according to her email.
Geary said some of the School Committee members reached out to him on Sunday night to inform him of the posts online regarding the situation.
His statement later that day similarly addressed the situation and expanded on it.
“Information regarding a high school substitute teacher’s alleged connection to hate-based ideologies was brought to our attention late last night,” the statement reads. “This information and behavior is not aligned with our values as a school community.”
Reihner’s employment was terminated Monday morning and was not at school or will be permitted on school grounds moving forward, Geary said in his statement
Lynnfield Public Schools administration has been working with the Lynnfield Police Department and Town Administrator Rob Dolan to handle the situation, according to the statement.
School counselors have been made available and are reaching out to students who have been potentially impacted by the situation.
“Our School Resource Officer will continue to spend a large amount of his time at the high school in the coming days to work with students and staff who may be impacted by this situation. We will also continue to assess matters each day going forward,” Geary said.
“Providing a safe learning environment for every student and staff member will always be our top priority,” Geary said in his statement.
The school district will also be reviewing “current practices to determine if any adjustments should be made,” according to the Geary’s statement.
LHS students are encouraged to reach out to Puglisi or Assistant Principal Mike McLeod with any concerns. Puglisi and McLeod are asking students who had contact with Reihner to reach out to them if “they were adversely impacted” by his presence.
“At this time we have received no student reports, and we have no evidence that he attempted to influence student beliefs or actions in a negative or derogatory manner,” Geary said in his statement.
The LPS Administration has contacted the Anti-Defamation League and spoken with other outside organizations “to tailor appropriate responses at our schools so that we can educate students and staff on the impact of all forms of hate” and “move forward and help our community reflect and learn,” Geary said in his statement said.
“There is simply no room for hate in our schools or our town,” Geary said in his statement.
