Arlington public schools

A Statement from Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Kathleen Bodie and Principal Brian Meringer

⋅ Client News, School News ⋅ , , , , , ⋅ 0 Comments

Retained by the Town of Arlington Health and Human Services Department

Arlington Public Schools
Superintendent Kathleen Bodie
869 Massachusetts Ave.
Arlington, MA 02474

For Immediate Release

Monday, Oct. 7, 2019

Media Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net

A Statement from Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Kathleen Bodie and Principal Brian Meringer

ARLINGTON — The following is an update from Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Kathleen Bodie and Ottoson Middle School Principal Brian Meringer on the anti-Semitic graffiti and meme that was found in a bathroom at the middle school on Friday, Oct. 4.

Please note, the district will not be releasing information about the students that have been found responsible and the consequences they will be facing.

“Parents were notified by Ottoson school administrators on Friday, Oct. 4, along with Arlington Police and the Arlington Human Rights Commission, about anti-Semitic graffiti found in a bathroom at the Ottoson Middle School.

In response to the graffiti, several steps have been taken to speak to students about the incident and the ramifications that hate speech can have.

On Monday morning, seventh grade students met in the gym during their ASPIRE class and were told about Friday’s events. School leadership emphasized to the seventh grade that hate speech is not tolerated at the Arlington Public Schools or elsewhere.

It was also emphasized to students that every member of our school community has a right to be safe from derogatory remarks about race, religion and/or sexual preference and gender identity. Eighth grade students will be meeting with administrators on Tuesday, Oct. 8, regarding the incident and will receive the same information.

The school will be showing videos of how groups have responded to hate speech later in the week.

We want to stress that middle school students make mistakes. Our obligation is to help them learn from this incident. However, middle school educators also worry about future incidents. It is not uncommon for middle school students to copycat actions that warrant a response in order to get attention.

Nationally, hate crimes are on the rise and students often mirror what they see and hear outside of school. We have attached a report from the Anti-Defamation League that speaks to the increase of hate crimes. We encourage parents to have a conversation with their children about the impact of hate speech of any kind.

Finally, we will continue to strive to be a more inclusive and accepting school community.

Last year, Ottoson School administrators invited Dr. Carlos Hoyt to talk to eighth grade students about the use of the ‘n-word’ before reading To Kill a Mockingbird. The school also hosted a ‘No Place for Hate’ soccer clinic run by the Chelsea Football Club, which combined soccer with classroom sessions on the dangers of anti-Semitism. A group of middle school students were empowered to raise money to paint a gender-neutral bathroom with the hope of preventing graffiti. This summer, school and district officials met with the Arlington Police and the Human Rights Commission to document procedures to respond to hate speech and bias.

At the school and district level, we are continuing our professional development on cultural competency, and examining our curriculum for opportunities to teach our students about inclusive behavior.

We look toward moving forward from this incident through teaching, tolerance and understanding.”

###

Arlington Police, Schools Acting after Girls are Stuck by Used Syringe

⋅ Client News, Police News, School News ⋅ , , ⋅ 0 Comments

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

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

Arlington Police, Schools Acting after Girls are Stuck by Used Syringe

Girls were Stuck with Needle while Playing Outside During Recreation Department Program

Facilities Staff at all Arlington Public Schools to Check Grounds and Perimeters at all Buildings

ARLINGTON — Town government leaders in Arlington are taking action after two girls were stuck by a used, discarded syringe while playing outside a school in town during an after-school program.

Arlington Police responded to the Foster Street side of the Gibbs Middle School at 4 p.m. Tuesday for a medical call. Upon arrival, officers spoke with the director of the Arlington Recreation Kid Care program who reported that a 5-year-old girl and a 7-year-old girl were playing outside when, according to the girls, one of them picked up a syringe and was stuck in the hand by the needle. A second girl removed the needle from the first girl’s hand, and she was stuck as well.

Police officers treated the girls until firefighters and Armstrong Ambulance medics arrived. The syringe was placed in a sharps container, and the girls were transported to Winchester Hospital for tests and treatment. Medical officials will conduct tests on the syringe to determine any further care that the girls may need.

Superintendent of Schools Kathleen Bodie, Police Chief Julie Flaherty, Health and Human Services Director Christine Bongiorno, Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine, and support staff from throughout Arlington town government will meet Wednesday morning to determine an appropriate response and plan of action.

“It is extremely concerning that a hypodermic needle would be so carelessly disposed of on the ground of a school, where children constantly gather, walk and play,” Superintendent Bodie said. “We are instructing facilities staff at all of our buildings to conduct extensive and scheduled searches of the grounds and perimeters to ensure that if anything else is out there, that it is immediately and safely disposed of.”

Additional announcements are expected from town officials on Wednesday.

###

Statement of Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Kathleen Bodie

⋅ Client News, School News ⋅ , , , , , , ⋅ 1 Comment

Retained by the Town of Arlington Health and Human Services Department

Arlington Public Schools
Dr. Kathleen Bodie, Superintendent
869 Massachusetts Avenue
Arlington, MA 02474

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016

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

Statement of Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Kathleen Bodie 

ARLINGTON — Dr. Kathleen Bodie, Superintendent of Arlington Public Schools, releases the following statement regarding an incident at Ottoson Middle School.

“On Sept. 13, 2016, two students at the Ottoson Middle School were involved in a physical altercation that resulted in one student shouting racially-charged statements at the other student.

“School officials immediately stepped in, and the parents of the two students involved in the fight were notified. The Arlington Police Department School Resource Officer and Arlington Human Rights Commission were also notified.

“We believe that this was an isolated incident. Due to educational privacy laws, I cannot elaborate further. The Arlington Public Schools administration is open and transparent, and we endeavor to reach out not only to parents but also to the news media when there are incidents. We have spoken with all of the parents of the students involved, and we have issued punishments and restorative actions that are fair and in line with our values.

“There have been three incidents in the past year that have been reported to school authorities: racist graffiti found in a bathroom in March, which remains under investigation; a racist texting incident in June that was later determined to be a hoax; and this incident on Sept. 13.

“But even if this was the only incident of racial insensitivity or discrimination in our school district, one would be too much. Incidents like these distress our entire school community. One of our core values at Ottoson Middle School is to respect others, regardless of race, gender, sexuality or religion. Students, faculty and staff support and respect their peers’ abilities and differences. This incident gives us an an opportunity to reinforce our core values and to work with students directly or indirectly affected by the incident to ensure they understand how hateful speech and actions can be harmful to our school culture and entire community.

“Arlington Public Schools are welcoming and diverse places where multiculturalism is embraced and enjoyed. We are a leader in LGBTQ issues, and we foster a progressive dialog on race, gender, religion, nationality, and a variety of other issues that make us unique as human beings.

“Just today, our sixth grade classrooms hosted forums where students shared stories about their family cultures. The discussions were entirely positive and constructive, and the feedback from teachers and students has been very positive.

“In addition, our Ottoson Middle School fall art installation is focused on emphasizing the importance of living in an inclusive community, and students will take close-up photographs of each other, showcasing the uniqueness of each individual in the middle school. The exhibit, entitled “Inside Out,”  will be installed in late October.

###

*Joint Press Release* Arlington Officials Determine Racist Text Messages at Middle School to be Falsified

⋅ City/Town News, Client News, Police News ⋅ , , , , ⋅ 1 Comment

Arlington Seal

Arlington Police Department
Frederick Ryan, Chief of Police
112 Mystic St.
Arlington, MA 02474
Arlington Public Schools
Dr. Kathleen Bodie
Superintendent of Schools
869 Massachusetts Ave.
Arlington, MA 02474

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.”

###

1 2