April 11, 2024

Dear SPS Families and Staff:

Yesterday, it was brought to our attention that a student (or students) from the Somerville Public Schools has allegedly been subjected to hateful comments while conducting peaceful and legal protests on public property next to the Somerville High School campus and before school hours. We learned of this through video footage posted on social media, and take this allegation very seriously. We are taking action accordingly with the Somerville Police Department and the City’s Department of Racial and Social Justice (RSJ), which investigates complaints of hate or bias in Somerville.

This incident follows similar incidents, including one in February 2024, where a Somerville Public Schools educator was the alleged target of serious, hateful comments and threats. The District reported the February incident to the Somerville Police Department, with the permission of the alleged victim in a recorded video, and RSJ also conducted an investigation. 

We have taken immediate action to respond to allegations brought to our attention. We will always prioritize the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community members, and will continue to take appropriate action when any concerning issue is reported. 

We unequivocally condemn all xenophobic rhetoric and attacks including anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and Islamophobic hate such as was reported in these incidents. With the most recent reported incident occurring in the same week as the Muslim holy day of Eid al-Fitr, we again wish to make clear that the Mayor, the Superintendent, the Schools, the City, and our community condemn hate and violence in all its forms and respect and value the dignity and rights of all. 

We also continue to support the rights of our staff and students to exercise their first amendment rights in a peaceful and safe manner. We strongly encourage staff and/or students who are subject to inappropriate and harassing comments, to immediately report the matter to the Police and to school and district leaders. The City also encourages community members to report instances of hate or bias to the Department of Racial and Social Justice. We are continuing to work closely with the SPD and RSJ to hold accountable any person found to have been making these despicable threats. 

Moreover, we are profoundly troubled by the violence that continues to unfold in Palestine and Israel and the catastrophic conditions impacting the lives of so many innocent people. The disproportionate impact the violence has on children, women, and innocent civilians is particularly disturbing. We understand that for some of us in Somerville, this violence hits closer to home as their families have been unfortunately directly affected. 

Recently, we at SPS had the opportunity to delve deeper into how our district can better support students and staff through emerging conflicts, including the atrocities in Israel and Palestine, through meetings and engagement with both students and staff. This engagement has led to some updates to our curriculum, the dissemination of comprehensive resources on how to have student and staff conversations, and enrichment programming focused on combating islamophobia and anti-semitism. 

As the Mayor and Superintendent of Schools, we truly rely on your engaged feedback, so that together we can prioritize safety and wellbeing, academic excellence, and a profound sense of belonging for everyone who enters our doors and is a part of our community. 

We remain committed to working through these complex issues with all of you in a comprehensive and thoughtful manner, with the ultimate goal of continuing to ensure an inclusive learning environment for all students. 

How and where to report hate speech, incidents, or threats:

Support available to students and staff:

 

Sincerely,

Katjana Ballantyne, Mayor of Somerville 

Dr. Rubén Carmona, Superintendent of Somerville Public Schools