Boston Latin School headmaster resigns after year of controversy
The school has been investigated for its handling of race-related incidents.
The headmaster of Boston Latin School, Lynne Mooney Teta, has resigned, the School Department said Tuesday.
The elite exam school, which is the oldest in the United States, has been marred by allegations of racially charged incidents throughout this academic year. Teta’s resignation will become effective at the end of the school year, which is next Friday, she said in a letter to the school community sent Tuesday afternoon.
“This has been a very difficult decision, but one which I believe is in the best interest of our students, faculty and our historic institution,” Teta, who served as headmaster for nine years, said in the letter. “I believe that it is time for a new headmaster to lead the school and carry on the tradition of excellence.’’
She made only a vague reference to the controversy that thrust the school into the spotlight this academic year.
“We have faced challenges this year, and I have been greatly encouraged by the commitment of students, faculty, families and alumni to work together to collaboratively address issues of racism and discrimination in our community,” she said.
Earlier this year, Boston Latin students and members of the group BLACK at BLS Meggie Noel and Kylie Webster-Cazeau cited incidents in a video in which their white peers used racial slurs and weren’t reprimanded by school officials. The video launched an investigation by the district’s Office of Equity, which revealed that administrators violated school policy in the handling of one of seven reported incidents. In that case, administrators did not properly investigate the incident, discipline the student responsible, or take action to ensure the safety of the student subjected to the racist remark and threat, the investigation found. The NAACP called for the Teta’s removal based on the findings.
Boston’s NAACP president, Michael Curry, reacted to Teta’s resignation in a statement Tuesday:
“It appears that change is coming to Boston Latin School that will ultimately benefit every student, as the Boston Public Schools now has an opportunity to embed leadership that values diversity and inclusion, rejects racial bigotry, and is responsive to every student, parent, teacher and alum. However, our (meaning all the groups that weighed in on this issue) work is not done. We look forward to working with the district to ensure that academic rigor is maintained, and the selection of the new headmaster is responsive to community voice. Now is the time to finally address the diversity of the faculty and the student body.”
After receiving a complaint from eight civil rights organizations in February, the Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s office launched an independent investigation into incidents at Boston Latin School, which is ongoing.
BLACK at BLS, which stands for Black Leaders Aspiring For Change and Knowledge, also issued a statement to express their surprise at the resignation.
“We are just as shocked as the general public to learn of the resignation of our headmaster, Ms. Lynne Mooney Teta,” the group said. “We want to emphasize that her decision is completely independent of the mission of the #BlackAtBLS movement which is to increase racial inclusion and race explicit dialogue at Boston Latin School.”
Just after they released the videos, the group issued a series of recommendations for the school to improve its racial climate. While the students called for an apology from the headmaster, they did not demand her resignation. Trevor Price, a recent graduate of the school, said many of his friends either felt indifferent about Teta or supported her in her attempts to improve the climate.
“Everyone is a little shocked because she seemed adamant she was going to stay at BLS,” he said. “I think it is a good thing that the administration is going through changes, but I think this is not going to solve any of the core issues at the school. There are other administrators involved. Her response to Black at BLS was highly criticized, but I didn’t know anyone calling for her resignation.”
Superintendent Tommy Chang thanked Teta for her dedication to the school and the district as a whole in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon.
“In recent months, several students bravely shined a light on the issue of cultural proficiency at BLS, illuminating a problem that exists not only at this school but across our city and country,” Chang said in the statement. “Under Lynne’s guidance, BLS faculty worked with student leaders to develop a comprehensive plan to create a more welcoming and inviting environment for all students. These efforts must continue, but I feel confident that the steps taken have firmly put BLS on a path of continued growth.”
Mayor Marty Walsh also praised Teta for her dedication to the school.
“I wish her the best of luck in the future,” he said in a statement Tuesday. “I look forward to welcoming the next BLS headmaster to our school community to carry on the school’s tradition of academic excellence, while creating a positive environment for all.”
The school was scheduled to have a meeting Tuesday evening to to provide end-of-year analysis and look ahead on work around cultural proficiency, but it was canceled in light of the resignation. The district said it will conduct a national search for a new headmaster.
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