Town workers racist words caught on high school graduation live stream in Lynnfield, Massachusetts
By Matt Schooley, Samantha Chaney
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LYNNFIELD, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Some town workers in Lynnfield, Massachusetts have been put on leave after they were allegedly caught on video making racist remarks.
It happened Friday as employees were setting up for the high school’s graduation. A camera set up for a live stream of the ceremony caught audio of the comments as video showed workers unfolding chairs on the school’s football field.
“Yeah, I heard you’re a racist (expletive) too,” one man said in the video obtained by WBZ-TV. “Yeah,” a second man replied.
The first man then said, “It’s the Black man keeping us down.” The second man responded, “Yeah, I hate (expletive) and (expletive).”
The video was eventually taken down, but not before other people saw it on social media.
“When we first saw it, my son was showing it to me on his social media and I was like, my jaw dropped. I was pretty stunned, I think like every parent,” said Lynnfield parent Joel McCarthy. “So I couldn’t believe it and that obviously went its way around with all the high school kids pretty quickly.”
Workers identified:
“The individuals in the video have been identified and I have placed them on administrative leave pending a full investigation of the video and any other evidence,” Lynnfield Town Administrator Robert Dolan and Assistant Town Administrator Robert Curtin said in a joint statement.
“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,” Dolan and Curtain said. “It is especially regrettable that this incident took place on what is and should be a night to celebrate our incredible seniors. Such incidents, however, must be confronted directly and openly and a full investigation and appropriate action will be taken.”
The town did not specify exactly how many employees have been placed on leave and none of them have been identified publicly.
“Watching what we do next”:
School Committee member Jamie Hayman issued this statement following the incident:
“We can’t ignore the fact that this incident took place at a school event and students were watching. By now, hundreds of Lynnfield Public Schools students have heard these words. And just as importantly, they are now watching what we do next,” Hayman said. “If we treat this only as a personnel issue, we miss a critical opportunity, to lead, to grow, and to teach. We must show our students that their community stands firmly against hate and discrimination.”
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