TURNERS FALLS – The Gill-Montague School District has the right policies and procedures in place concerning civil rights violations in its secondary schools, although in some instances staff haven’t followed them when they are stretched thin, Superintendent Michael Sullivan told the school committee Tuesday night.
His analysis and a conversation about it with the committee follows reports in December of several civil rights related incidents in the schools.
Sullivan conceded the schools could do better at policing racially related harassment and other civil rights violations, and suggested hiring a second dean of students to help with discipline at the Turners Falls High School and Great Falls Middle School.
As part of the administration’s response to recent complaints about racial incidents, a series of forums for students, staff and parents are being scheduled. The first is to be held on Monday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Turners Falls High School. Sullivan said faculty and staff will not attend. The forum will be facilitated by Safire DeJong and Keisha Green of the Collaborative for Educational Services.
