Marblehead Responds To Bullying Of Transgender Student

MARBLEHEAD, MA — School officials in Marblehead will hold a professional development day for staff and will consider a district-wide task force in response to a bullying incident involving a transgender student at Village School. In an email to the school community, Principal Amanda Murphy called last month's incident "unacceptable" and said the development day Jan. 15 will teach staff at the school about gender identity and sexual orientation issues.

"I am writing to communicate, in no uncertain terms, that this is unacceptable and to reiterate our Village School motto, Keep Each Other Well," Murphy wrote. "Students may be receiving messages that it is acceptable to belittle gender diverse individuals. At Village School, transphobia of any kind will not be tolerated."

The incident was the school's first reported case of bullying involving a transgender student. According to Wicked Local Marblehead, which first reported this story, Murphy is also proposing a district-wide task force to find ways to make LGBTQ students feel safer.