Mass. town employee quits after racist comments heard during graduation livestream video
An employee of the town of Lynnfield has resigned after 'inappropriate and racist words' were heard during a high school graduation livestream Friday, with an investigation into the incident now underway.
On Monday, the town announced that one of the employees heard during the livestream had resigned and was no longer working for the town, according to a statement.
'The town has begun an investigation into the recorded conversation that occurred on Friday before the Lynnfield High School graduation,' the statement read. '...The investigation into this matter is ongoing and there is no further information or comment at this time.'
The statement did not release the name of the person no longer working with the city.
The remarks were made while people were waiting for the graduation ceremony to start. The livestream has since been removed. The people heard in the video have been placed on administrative leave during the investigation, town officials said.
At least two racist words can be heard clearly, Itemlive reported.
'We, as town leaders, stand together in outrage over what has been reported this evening and wish to state emphatically that racist language and behavior has no place in our town and will be dealt with immediately,' a town statement shared on Facebook read.
Lynnfield School Committee member Jamie Hayman previously said students 'are now watching what we do next.'
If we treat this only as a personnel issue, we miss a critical opportunity to lead, to grow, and to teach,' he said.
Though one African-American student's father came forward during a June 3 school committee hearing to tell the school committee that his son had dealt with 'some incidents.'
After a school principal told the student's father, Carl Allien, about 'some of the harsh things that my son has been enduring,' Allien told MassLive that he wanted to meet with the superintendent about what has happened. He did not provide details about these incidents.
'... it's been challenging for a young African-American kid in the schools,' Allien said. 'I'm struggling right now.'
Two school board members encouraged Allien to leave his contact information with the district secretary for further conversation.
Another school board committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday. Public comment is available.
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