Social Worker: 'My Moral and Ethical Standards Will Not Allow Me To Stay'

Framingham Patch received a copy of the resignation letter of Framingham High Social Worker Kevin Fox. He gave his resignation Wednesday. The full letter, which was cc'd to the Superintendent of Schools also, is below.

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"Each time someone stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope." - Robert F. Kennedy

Funny, I'm not one for using the computer to communicate but I want to make sure I reach all my colleagues at Framingham High School. I abhor facebook, social media, etc. because I think it creates an "as if" world void of human connection. If I could, I would speak to each of you directly.

Today is my last day as an employee in the Framingham Public School District and at Framingham High School. My moral and ethical standards will not allow me to stay.

To be perfectly clear, I am making the decision to leave because of Mike Welch's indifference toward the emotional development of the students at FHS and his disregard for the expertise of the social workers in the building.  Drug involvement has proliferated (and it is not the legislatures' doing), binge drinking among teens and unwanted sexual incidences continue to put people at great risk, and the leadership has turned a blind eye toward the fraying of social civility within the building. 

The female victim told me of the event two weeks after it had occurred and I notified the Administration, as well as the necessary law and state agencies immediately. Unfortunately, no action was taken by the Framingham Police Department, The Middlesex District Attorney's Office, or Mike Welch and the 18 year old male was allowed to remain in school without any intervention.

He then subsequently sexually assaulted another female student and then was suspended for the last five days of last school year.  Furthermore, the male perpetrator was allowed to play football this school year without ever being disciplined. 

This inaction is a violation of a school's responsibility to investigate and to act on known sexual violence per the federal mandate under Title IX and the Office for Civil Rights.

The wrong message was sent to the entire FHS student population and did nothing to address the all too familiar atrocities perpetrated by men against women.  

I have been persistent and consistent in trying to get Superintendent Dr. Stacy Scott and Mike Welch to talk about their decisions and the value of examining how we handle incidences like this in the future. To date, there has been no initiative on their behalf to engage in any substantive dialogue. 

Sadly, I was asked to take a paid administrative leave in December (which I refused) and then had to file a grievance against Mike Welch for attempting to discipline me for an unrelated matter. The "discipline" was a clear act of retaliation and an attempt to quiet me relative to his mishandling of the sexual assault. I won the grievance and the letter was expunged.

So, it is time to move on.  I know some of you are aware of the Framingham Whistleblower facebook page.  I did not create the page - proudly, I barely know what a mouse is - but some civic minded people concerned about an institutional cover up did create the page and for that I admire their activism. 

The victim told me recently she was comforted by knowing so many people were supporting her. No one should be intimidated into silence - educating students goes beyond test scores, statistics, spreadsheets and college admission rates.  

I know I have made a difference in the lives of many students and their families.  That is satisfying enough. So, I wish you all the very best. 

Speak out against injustice and corruption and continue to fight for what you know to be right. By doing so, the Framingham community and Framingham High School will become a better, healthier place.   

Kevin Fox