The School Committee has scheduled a virtual meeting on Thursday, Feb. 13, at 2:30 p.m.. for Marblehead High School students to share their thoughts on the draft flag policy that would lead to the removal of the Black Lives Matter banner and Pride flags in the school.
The School Committee’s policy subcommittee is also planning a forum for the full community to discuss the proposal, which would allow only U.S., Massachusetts, Marblehead and POW flags on school grounds. No date had been set for that as of the Current’s press deadline.
The School Committee started considering a flag policy more than a year ago after a Marblehead resident confessed to taking down the BLM flag in the MHS cafeteria without permission. That prompted Principal Michele Carlson and then-acting superintendent Michelle Cresta to ask the School Committee whether it had a policy.
According to School Committee Chair Jenn Schaeffner, that inquiry means the committee must come up with a policy.
For more than a year, many students and community members have spoken out — at meetings, rallies and more — against the draft policy. Students have demanded that they have a say in what flags and banners can hang in their school.
Lindsay Smith, a mother of three Marblehead students, spoke at a January meeting.
“I’m here as a representative and member of the Marblehead Racial Justice Team to share that we strongly oppose any policy that would restrict or limit any symbols of affirmation and acceptance for our students … and that our students very much should be part of this conversation,” she said.
MHS senior Maren Potter told the Current, “MHS students will be pushing back once again and are planning how to best approach the situation to make sure student voices are heard in these decisions.”
Some residents support the flag policy, including Nyla Dubois, who has spoken several times in support of removing the BLM banner and Pride flag.
“Not everyone sees the same values in those particular symbols,” Dubois said. “Even the one (Pride flag) on the sidewalk outside the information booth … These symbols are what some people believe speak for everybody, and that’s just not true. You can’t say that the Pride flag stands for every lesbian or trans person.”
Dubois added that at some point “de-transitioners will be coming back into the schools” and might be upset by the Pride flag.
The high school student forum will be available at HERE.
Legal bills totaled
In response to a public records request filed by the Current, the school district provided invoices from the Westwood law firm of Valerio, Dominello & Hillman related to contract talks with all five units of the Marblehead Education Association in 2024.
The fees total more than $235,000.
The School Committee also spent $12,625 on a public relations firm in the final weeks of the standoff, according to an invoice from Slowey McManus Communications of Boston.
Valerio, Dominello & Hillman billed the Marblehead School Committee more than $454,000 in total for 2024.
The district is facing several lawsuits by staff and at least one family related to a student restraint crisis.
