A group of Massachusetts employees was placed on leave after it was discovered that they used "racist words" during a high school graduation livestream.
The incident occurred on Friday, ahead of the Lynnfield High School graduation ceremony, where a camera was set up to stream the event live, allowing people at home to watch. The feed was live, featuring both audio and video footage, as town workers set up the chairs.
Racist Words During Graduation Livestream
Lynnfield Town Administrator Robert Dolan and Assistant Town Administrator Robert Curtin released a statement regarding the incident. They said that the workers could be heard using "inappropriate and racist words" during the preparation stage of the ceremony.
The remarks made were allegedly heard by people who were tuning into the livestream and waiting to watch the graduation. One parent, Joel McCarthy, said that when they first watched the stream and heard the workers, they were surprised, according to CBS News.
Town officials have noted that the employees who made the racist remarks have been identified and placed on administrative leave, pending a full investigation into the incident. The statement read that the racist language and behavior displayed during the livestream had no place in the community and would be dealt with accordingly.
It added that it was even more regrettable that the incident occurred on what should have been a memorable night for students to celebrate. Authorities said these types of incidents should be confronted directly and openly.
A member of the Lynnfield School Committee, Jamie Hayman, commended the town officials for their quick action on the matter and expressed "personal outrage and deep disappointment" over the incident, Boston reported.
An Unacceptable Incident
In a social media post, he stated that they could not ignore the fact that the incident occurred at a school event and that students were present. He estimated that hundreds of Lynnfield Public Schools students have already heard the racist words in the footage.
Treetop Lane resident Carl Allien said during a School Committee meeting on June 3 that he hopes to discuss some incidents his son has faced with the school system with Superintendent Tom Geary.
The parent stated that he received a phone call from the principal, notifying him about some of the harsh things his son had been enduring. Another incident was when 7th-grade student Joseph Dixon and his mother, Wendy, appeared before the School Committee on Feb. 7.
They questioned the supposed lack of portrayal of Black History in the school system, as the student believes that the district and the community should work on celebrating it, including the contributions and culture beyond Martin Luther King Jr., as per Item Live.
