EASTHAMPTON — After a four-month investigation into allegations of racism and hate at Easthampton High School, Superintendent Nancy Follansbee will release her findings at Thursday’s School Committee meeting.
Along with Follansbee’s findings, a report from the Collaborative of Education Services will be shared. During the spring, the collaborative collected data through surveys as well as through multiple forums with students, parents and teachers.
Follansbee said the collaborative has done “extensive work on making sure everyone had an opportunity to have their voice heard.”
Follansbee also will release a three-year action plan on transforming school climate at the meeting, which will be at 7 p.m. in the second-floor conference room of the Municipal Building, 50 Payson Ave.
The attorney general’s office has also been investigating the same issues at the high school, but has not released a report.
The School Committee will meet in executive session prior to Thursday’s meeting to review a memorandum of agreement with the attorney general’s office, which Follansbee said must be done before its report is released.
Alleged incidents at the high school came to light in late March after a student was assaulted in the parking lot.
The incident was triggered by a racial slur written in a private message, a screen shot of which was shared on social media. The following day, students held a walkout to protest the administration’s handling of incidents of racism and hate.
Throughout April and May, School Committee meetings were flooded with parents, students and community members. A group of parents called for the removal of Principal Kevin Burke, for failure to act on reports of bullying and harassment, and the school resource officer, whose son sent the racial slur, for a conflict of interest.
Parents collected statements from students about incidents of racism and hate and gave them to the School Committee.
Some claims include students taunting ethnic students with threats of deportation, a student holding up a Confederate flag and yelling “white power,” and other episodes of hate speech.
“Every allegation that was brought forth was investigated,” Follansbee said.
Follansbee said it took months to collect evidence, which she shared with the attorney general’s office. She said she used data from her investigation as well as from the collaborative to create the school’s action plan.
Follansbee said she will go into depth about the plan at the School Committee meeting.
“What we want to focus on is moving forward,” Follansbee said.
To help eradicate bias for the upcoming school year, teachers will go through anti-bias training through the Anti-Defamation League this month. ADL consultants will also collaborate with school administrators to develop protocols for response to bias and review discipline protocols and procedures.
Caitlin Ashworth can be reached at cashworth@gazettenet.com.