Superintendent's Updates

Dear Families:

I am writing to follow up on my communication sent last Saturday night regarding a serious allegation posted on Twitter by a group called StopAntisemitism that a hate-based, antisemitic remark was made by one student to another student during a recent Staples trip to Germany.  At the time of that communication, Staples Principal Stafford Thomas, Assistant Principal Jim Farnen, and other members of the Staples administrative team promptly began the process of investigating the Twitter post in question.

I am reaching out again to report that the administration has concluded a thorough investigation and did not find any evidence to support this claim posted on Twitter.  

I do not ordinarily report back to the community on the results of investigations concerning students.  However, this is an extraordinary situation in which an anonymous, unverified complaint was posted on social media.  As a result, this spread far and wide in the community, and understandably generated tremendous disruption and outrage.  

In these unusual circumstances, I feel a responsibility to help mitigate the damage that this rumor has caused to our school community by providing closure on this specific matter. Although we did not substantiate the claim in question, the hateful words foisted upon our community through social media undoubtedly have left an impression. 

I reiterate, whenever allegations of hate-based conduct, harassment, or discrimination come to the attention of our administration, we treat them with the utmost seriousness, investigate them, and find appropriate ways to address substantiated claims. 

Fortunately, our positive working relationships with our local clergy and the ADL have continually provided invaluable support in helping us work through difficult moments in our school community.  We stand ready to do that again should another incident come to light that warrants attention of that nature. 

Again, I want to take this opportunity to share an important reminder that we must all remain vigilant in the face of discrimination and hate-based remarks. 

Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools