Anti-Semitic allegations and denials in Marblehead lead to need for investigation

MARBLEHEAD, MA — At the start of Thursday night’s school board meeting, an explosive two-hour public debate aired allegations of anti-Semitic acts among Marblehead High School staff and within the school, denied those acts, vehemently defended those accused, and criticized the role of social media and the administration’s response to the growing divide among school employees.

The meeting came a week after interim Superintendent Theresa McGuinness condemned racism, anti-Semitism and discrimination. The conflict was “rapidly escalating between groups of school employees,” she said, and had led to several formal complaints of harassment within the district.

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“The district has attempted to investigate these allegations internally, as is our duty,” McGuinness said. “Unfortunately, the allegations made by the individuals involved have escalated to the point where these investigators cannot proceed on their own without exposing themselves to allegations of a conflict of interest.”

While there appeared to be nearly universal support for a third-party investigation into the allegations, both from those urging the school district to get to the bottom of any anti-Semitic behavior and from those calling for the anti-Semitism allegations to be vindicated, the School Committee decided it wanted a more comprehensive vetting of potential investigators before hiring an independent group to conduct the investigation.

Some of those who expressed concern about the allegations and other anti-Semitic incidents that may have occurred in the schools in recent months and years urged that an investigator be selected who has experience in investigating anti-Semitic allegations.

Jennifer Schaeffner, a member of the New Schools Committee, said a meeting will be scheduled for next week to determine the discussion point for the study and the company that can best conduct it.

“I just want to be clear to the public,” said school board member Alison Taylor, “and whatever is published or on whatever social media, I want to be clear that this table — or so it sounds like — supports bringing in an investigator, and we’re going to have a meeting next week to determine what that process is going to be to make sure we’re taking this as seriously as it needs to be.”

Schaeffner said anyone who spoke Thursday or who would like to add to the official public comment on the matter is welcome to do so to the School Committee in the coming days.

Although McGuinness did not specifically address the nature of the dispute last week, her statement was marked by condemnation and the declaration that “we take all allegations of hate and discrimination very seriously.”

“The district has attempted to investigate these allegations internally, as is our duty,” McGuinness said. “Unfortunately, the allegations made by the individuals involved have escalated to the point where these investigators cannot proceed on their own without exposing themselves to allegations of a conflict of interest.”

She said the district is aware of its obligation to investigate complaints, “regardless of who they come from,” and intends to take the necessary steps to achieve an objective investigation of the complaints.

While several teachers and parents who spoke during the public hearing pointed to what they believe is a pattern of anti-Semitic behavior among some students and staff at the high school, a teacher who was specifically accused of that behavior during a webinar earlier this month denied the allegations, saying they were fabricated.

Spokespeople from both sides also expressed frustration with the school administration and human resources department’s handling of past complaints and the internal investigations into those complaints.

(Scott Souza is Patch’s field editor for Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem, and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)