The following memo was shared by Wellesley Public School administrators with only the school community on Tuesday regarding an incident that took place following an away game for the Wellesley High girls’ basketball team. We thank readers for sharing it with us, so that we can make others in the town aware of the situation:
Dear Members of the WPS Community:
We are writing to inform you of an upsetting incident that occurred over the weekend involving one of our high school student athletes. Following an away game, one of the members of a Wellesley High School team was the target of a racist incident instigated by two students from Medway High School, which was hosting the game.
Our student reported, and the principal of Medway High has corroborated, that the students approached our student in the parking lot after the game, knelt down on one knee, and raised a fist in the air in a way that was clearly an act of racism. The Medway principal and members of his staff have expressed sincere concern and regret for the students’ behavior and have worked closely with us to gather the facts and take quick action. The two students have been identified, and Medway administrators are addressing their behavior.
At WPS, we have taken the appropriate steps, in accordance with the district’s practice when responding to bias incidents involving students. We have met with our student and family and are only offering details of the incident with their support. In accordance with WPS policy and the privacy requests of the student and family, we ask that the community respect their privacy as we would for all students.
We commend our student for immediately reporting this incident to their coach, which allowed all parties to quickly work over the weekend to both investigate the behavior and bring it to light. We appreciate the care, concern and swift action shown by Medway High School and district leadership. In addition, the incident has been reported to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA), which actively encourages districts to report any bias-based incidents that occur around sporting events.
As a school community that strives to live up to its core values, we are deeply saddened when one of our community members is targeted based on their identity. Along with our colleagues in Medway, we will continue to work to ensure that all of our students feel safe and supported, both within our community and while representing our districts.
Sincerely,
Dr. David Lussier, Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Jorge Allen, Interim Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Dr. Jamie Chisum, Wellesley High School Principal
John Brown, Athletic Director
(Update: 12/21/22):
The following is a statement from Medway Public Schools Superintendent Armand Pires and High School Principal John Murray issued on Dec. 20
Medway High School administrators were notified Friday night, Dec. 9 by Wellesley High School of an incident that occurred following Friday’s girls varsity basketball game.
It was reported that two Medway High School students knelt and raised their fists in the air – a gesture typically associated with racial justice movements – at a student of color from Wellesley as the student passed them. No words were exchanged.
Upon receiving the report, we immediately launched an internal investigation into the matter. We have been in contact with our counterparts at Wellesley Public Schools throughout this process. We also contacted the Medway Police Department and reported the matter to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA).
Medway High School administrators have identified the individuals involved and are taking appropriate measures in partnership with the Wellesley schools to engage in restorative practices focused on repairing the harm caused by this incident and fostering reconciliation between our students and the victim.
We work to create an atmosphere where all students – whether they attend Medway High School or are visiting our school – feel safe, supported and welcomed. This type of behavior is unacceptable and has no place in our schools, at school events or in our community.
