For Immediate Release

Wednesday, July 6, 2015

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

*Joint Press Release*

Arlington Officials Determine Racist Text Messages at Middle School to be Falsified 

ARLINGTON — Police Chief Frederick Ryan and Superintendent of Schools Kathleen Bodie report that the racist text messages allegedly sent by a student at Ottoson Middle School were fabricated.

Last week, the Arlington Police Department began investigating allegations that a sixth grade student at Ottoson Middle School sent racist text messages to one student about another student.

Following an investigation, Arlington Police determined that the student who claimed to have received the hateful messages had created the narrative and fabricated the story.

“The allegation of racist texts being sent from one middle school student to another was concerning and hurtful to the entire community and I am disappointed that a student would falsify a report of this nature,” Superintendent Bodie said. “Thank you to the Arlington Police Department for its full and thorough investigation.”

No charges have been filed at this time, however, police are working with the school department to determine the appropriate corrective action for the student.

“We took this matter seriously,” Chief Ryan said. “We’re happy to have been able to bring it to a quick resolution.”

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