Parents were notified this week by Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue and Newtown High School Principal Dr Kimberly Longobucco of a racial slur incident at NHS.

The racial slur was written in a bathroom, and, according to the letter, the incident is under review.

Further information will be reported as it becomes available. The letter was sent to parents on January 17 and it follows below.

Dear Newtown High School Parents and Staff,

We were made aware of racial slur that was written in a girl’s [sic] bathroom at Newtown High School. This incident was reported by a student to a trusted adult and faculty member who reported it to school security during the last period of the day (just prior to dismissal) on Friday, January 15. After hearing of the incident on Saturday, Dr Longobucco began an investigation and will continue to speak with staff and students as part of a formal inquiry.

Dr Longobucco, her administrative team, and I will be following up on the incident and the lack of a timely report of the incident to school administration. Our immediate next steps include conversations with custodial staff, security, and [school resource officers] as well as reviewing surveillance footage to provide potential details into the incident. After a review of surveillance footage, follow up conversations with students and staff will occur to gain additional insight.

Clearly stated in our policy is the protocol for all school personnel to report incidents to school administrators to conduct an appropriate investigation. As was clear in the October e-mail sent to the school community, we condemn all acts of racism in our schools and will work to hold all members of our school community accountable for their actions. Policy 5145.42 states, “Students and staff are expected to report any incidents of bullying, harassment, or racism that occur on school grounds, during after school activities, or during off campus school events. School personnel are required to follow appropriate protocols for handling issues brought forward, including reporting incidents to school administrators who are responsible for investigating incidents and employing appropriate disciplinary measures consistent with school policy. Students in grades [kindergarten through] 12 are encouraged to reach out to trusted adults when they either witness or experience issues related to bullying, harassment, and racism. An Anonymous Alert app is available to students in grades [nine] to 12 for students to report issues of concern confidentially.”

During morning announcements on Tuesday, a plan for a school-wide discussion during an upcoming advisory to review school expectations, as well as reporting protocols, will be shared by Dr Longobucco. In alignment with the policy outlined above, students are encouraged to report incidents to trusted adults, including administration, or to utilize the Anonymous Alerts app, which can be accessed directly from the Newtown High School website. A review of how to access the app will be part of our morning announcements as well as a detailed review during our upcoming advisory on Tuesday, January 26.

We know how incidents like these impact the entire school community and apologize to any students who have had to experience any acts of racism. Please know that we stand ready to support all students and follow through on holding all members of our school community responsible and accountable. Our PEAC (Parent Educator Advisory Council) subgroup, which focuses on diversity and equity, is in the process of outlining plans to improve the culture of our district. Further, we are working to conduct the search process for our new diversity compliance coordinator, who will be instrumental in supporting our students, families, staff, and leaders in an effort to ensure a positive, safe, and equitable learning environment for all students.

Respectfully,

Dr Lorrie Rodrigue, Superintendent

Dr Kim Longobucco, Principal, NHS