LYNNFIELD — Just a week after a racial slur was found in the bathroom stall at Lynnfield High School, Superintendent Thomas Geary gave an update at the most recent School Committee meeting regarding the school climate and discipline initiatives that have been put in place.
Geary began by acknowledging recent discriminatory incidents and stressed his own accountability as the superintendent.
“I’ve said it several times, and it’s worth reiterating again. I want to offer my sincere apologies for what some in town have had to endure in terms of racism, homophobia, antisemitism, other unacceptable behaviors and language,” he said, adding: “I’m accountable to everyone here, the committee, staff, families, community, and most importantly, the students. I’m committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment every day.”
With that, Geary shared that Dr. Darnisa Amante-Jackson will present her recommendations based on her findings after reviewing district documentation, including incident response frameworks, to the admin team later this week. She will then share it at a School Committee workshop next week.
Amante-Jackson, president and co-founder of DEEP, specializes in guiding educational institutions, nonprofits, and more toward intentional transformation and has been holding office hours for school community members. She was also at the Night of Healing event that was held last week.
“Dr. Amante-Jackson has been a terrific resource for us,” he said. “She continues to consult with Adam and me regarding a variety of issues that happen in the district on an as-needed basis.”
He also shared that one of the proposed policy updates in the handbook includes “increased visibility into discipline numbers” and quarterly reporting to the School Committee. In terms of discipline, the main categories included homophobia and racial hate.
“Definitely an area that our administrative team will work to review together,” Geary said, adding: “We’re reporting all of the data, [and] as we go forward, we may hone in on certain areas, especially the younger grade, which is very difficult, to call it.”
Geary also clarified what had occurred involving the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and stated that a resident had submitted a complaint regarding racial issues through DESE’s online public resolution system.
“DESE reviewed the complaint and has asked the district for paperwork and evidence related to the situation and our processes,” Geary explained. While the responses have been submitted, Geary emphasized that they have not been waiting for those recommendations to come in and have already begun implementing changes. “We’ve already changed a number of our practices in response to these incidents in order to better respond to students and families, and we’ll continue to do so,” said Geary. “If DESE has additional recommendations, bring them on, and we’ll implement those as well. We’re happy to make further improvements.”
Regarding the handling of the racial slur incident, Geary also acknowledged growing concern about how it was communicated. He also emphasized that there has to be a balance between protecting student and staff privacy as well as sharing accurate information in a timely manner.
“Whether communication is sent to a grade level, a school, or district-wide, frankly involves a professional judgment call among administrators and myself,” he said. “I understand there’s a desire for information, and the lack of information can tend to create gossip. Word often gets around with students or parents while an investigation is ongoing, and it can be frustrating not to have the answers, but it’s important that our building principals have the opportunity to thoroughly review all staff and student incidents and come to the most accurate conclusion possible.”
Moving forward, Geary said that an independent investigator, whom an attorney has recommended, will investigate student misconduct at the middle school during the 2024-25 school year and will also have the authority to look into other recent student conduct in accordance with the district’s non-discrimination, harassment, and bullying policies.
The goal of the investigation, Geary said, is to better understand the policies and procedures that were in place, determine whether further improvements need to be made, and ultimately come to a conclusion on “whether the district was within the law in its response.”
Kim Baker Donahue then asked whether the investigation would include leadership decisions and reporting practices, to which Geary said it would focus on “peer-to-peer interactions and how those are responded to.”
As of right now, though, the timeline for when that will happen remains unclear, as the contract has not yet been signed.
“We’re finalizing a contract with the investigator, and that will go forward as I said,” Geary said.
