Massachusetts Schools Respond To Reports Of Racism: Patch PM

MASSACHUSETTS — It's Monday, Nov. 15. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• Quincy Public Schools are grappling with a second video containing racist language — this one coming from students at Point Webster Middle School.
• A woman was beaten and nearly carjacked early Saturday morning after she stopped to help a man who had crashed his car along Park Avenue in Worcester.
• A Stoneham man accused of stealing a truck was arrested after police said he climbed on top of a popular Danvers restaurant and ended up in the boiler room.

Scroll down for more on those and other stories Patch has been covering in Massachusetts today.

Today's Top Story

Three Massachusetts school systems are dealing with reports of racist acts, as well as accusations that the school districts have failed to properly address the problems.

In Braintree, about 300 high school students walked out of class Monday morning. The students held a peaceful protest in support of racial justice both in town and across the United States. Students walked to the Five Corners, escorted by school administrators and local police, where several students spoke and held signs.

Quincy Public Schools are grappling with a second video containing racist language — this one coming from students at Point Webster Middle School. The video was created by three eighth-graders and "contained racist language directed at specific students at Point Webster Middle School," Principal Christine Barrett said in a letter to parents. In her letter, Barrett said the video was shared within the school community and called it "very disturbing to all of us."

Also on Patch: Melrose School Committee Gets Final Say On Mascot

And in Danvers, the school committee will meet in executive session Monday and vote to place Superintendent Lisa Dana on administrative leave. The Danvers Teachers Association is the latest group to criticize how the district administration and School Committee handled accusations of racist and homophobic hazing within the high school hockey program in recent years.

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Monday's Other Top Stories

Good Samaritan assaulted: A woman was beaten and nearly carjacked early Saturday morning after she stopped to help a man who had crashed his car along Park Avenue in Worcester, according to police. The woman pulled over in the Webster Square area around 2 a.m. Saturday after she saw that the man had crashed into a sign. When she got out to see if he was OK, he ran to her car and got in the driver's seat, police said. Police identified the would-be carjacker was as William Vasbinder, 40, of Putnam, Conn.

Man tries to hide from police on restaurant's roof: A Stoneham man accused of stealing a truck was arrested after police said he climbed on top of a popular Danvers restaurant and ended up in the boiler room. John Farrell, 33, was charged with breaking and entering during the nighttime for a felony, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and providing a false name. Officers came across Farrell, who climbed atop The Friendly Toast restaurant. When the building was surrounded, he made his way through a roof hatch into the boiler room before he was arrested, police said.

Cop on leave after OUI arrest: A Norton police officer was arrested on multiple charges and has been placed on administrative leave following a car crash that hospitalized a woman. Officer Joshua Archer, 31, of Norton was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury, Norton police said.

Holiday lights coming to Patriot Place: Get in the holiday spirit at Patriot Place's "Magic of Lights," which will return to Gillette Stadium this year with some new festive displays after its inaugural season in 2020. "Magic of Lights" is a drive-through experience featuring themed light displays created using LED technology and digital animation, officials said.

Massachusetts: Tell Someone You're Grateful For Them This Holiday Season

Picture This: Former Red Sox star dead at 45

Former major leaguer Julio Lugo, best known for being the Red Sox starting shortstop on Boston's dominant 20o7 World Series team, has died. His 46th birthday would have been Tuesday.

They Said It

"If you think that we haven't done anything about this or focused on this for the past year and a half, and that we took it in any way lightly, or that we brushed it off, or as some people in would like to say 'swept it under the rug' that's a bunch of crap. This and the pandemic have been the primary focus of what we've been doing here for the past year and a half."

• Danvers School Committee member Arthur Skarmeas. The committee is scheduled to debate a motion to put Superintendent Lisa Dana on administrative leave during an executive session Monday evening.