May 1 Letter from High School principal Allyson Mizoguchi to the High School Community:

To the Wayland High School community:

Two days ago, the Wayland community came together to celebrate the 50th anniversary of METCO in a joyful Open House event at Wayland High School. Among the many palpable sentiments shared at this event was the vitality and importance of racial and cultural diversity, and our ongoing commitment to building bridges of understanding in our community.

In searing contrast to the joy of this weekend’s celebration, today I am devastated to report that this morning, at approximately 9:30 a.m., a student reported racist graffiti to a teacher. The graffiti defaced the Timeline Tunnel display depicting African American History in Wayland and a METCO 50th Anniversary display in the History hallway and Student Learning Center (SLC). An individual or individuals wrote the n-word prominently and in full public view with permanent marker on three different portions of the student-created displays.

This act is an abhorrent violation of our values and an insult to our community. Hate in any form — whether in word or in deed — has no place at WHS. Unfortunately, as a microcosm of our larger society, our school still has work to do when it comes to embodying a fully inclusive, hate-free, and understanding community. In Advisory tomorrow, we will use this opportunity with our students to declare again our mission and expectations and to probe how we might do more to prevent such acts. Additionally, we welcome all interested students to attend a lunchtime discussion in the Fine Arts Shop (room A139) to process this event. This is also an opportunity for our community to band together in solidarity against hatred. I respectfully urge parents to discuss this incident with your child and to support a shared vision for our school community of respect and equity.

Although the graffiti has been removed and the displays have been restored, we will continue to vigorously investigate the incident. In light of the ongoing investigation, I ask you to please pass on information regarding the graffiti to Mr. Nocito, Mr. Dolleman or me. Any student may also provide information through the school Confidential Safety Reporting Form.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Allyson Mizoguchi
Principal

May 3 Follow-Up Letter from High School Principal Allyson Mizoguchi to the High School Community:

To the Wayland High School Community:

As you know, two days ago we began an investigation into the discovery of multiple acts of racist vandalism in the WHS history pod. I am writing to inform you that we have determined the individual who is responsible for these acts. Due to our adherence to privacy laws, clearly I cannot reveal any further details about our findings or about our disciplinary response for this student.

I urge us now to focus on the work ahead of us in continuing to build a cohesive, respectful school environment where such events do not occur again. Our community has been wounded by this incident. We cannot simply move on from this situation; we must listen, learn, and act.

Representing one step forward, today at 10:15 a.m. we held an unannounced assembly during which faculty members read aloud a letter to all students written by staff proclaiming our intolerance of bigotry and affirming our students of color. Addressing the students, our staff read this letter “to protest this act of racism and bigotry that has defiled our school,” and to urge them “not to minimize but to empathize” as we process this hateful act. This letter, attached to this email, is posted on classroom and office doors throughout our school. Other events, generated by both teachers and students, are in the planning stages. I will keep you apprised of our progress.

With the conclusion of this investigation, we commit to repairing what has been hurt and becoming a stronger school community.

Sincerely,

Allyson Mizoguchi

Principal

May 3 Letter from Superintendent Arthur Unobskey to the Wayland school community:

Dear Wayland Public Schools Families:

On Tuesday morning, May 1, a disturbing event took place at Wayland High School. A racial slur was written over a display celebrating the 50th Anniversary of METCO in the Wayland Public Schools. The High School administration has investigated the incident, identified the source of the vandalism, and taken action.

The vandalism horrified both students and staff. In response, on Thursday, the WHS staff and the High School student body met at the Fieldhouse at 10:15 a.m. to express their concern and the school community’s commitment to ensuring that all students feel safe, welcome and supported at Wayland High School. The response of WHS staff and students to this hurtful act has been inspiring.

As a larger community, we also have the opportunity to show how central our support for students from all backgrounds is to the intellectual vitality and emotional health of a school community.

Our enthusiastic support for METCO is one crucial way to show our support for diversity. METCO began in Wayland fifty years ago as part of a voluntary desegregation effort by towns surrounding Boston. This partnership provides our Wayland and Boston students with an indispensable opportunity to share their school experiences with classmates from different backgrounds. This Saturday, one of the annual events celebrating METCO, the Florence Adler Walk/Run, which begins at Wayland Middle School at 11:00 a.m., with registration opening at 9:30 a.m., commemorates one of Wayland’s great champions of the METCO program. If you are available, please join us.

The continued work at each school building to teach our students the analytical skills and the empathy to engage in respectful and thoughtful discussion is also central to promoting the robust exchange of diverse perspectives. From community service projects at Happy Hollow, to Model United Nations at Loker, to School-Wide Meetings at Claypit, to the activism projects at Wayland Middle School, to the vibrant work of WSPN at WHS, the Wayland Public School staff seeks to empower students to take initiative to address the challenges their communities face.

We must continue to look for opportunities to support and engage all of our children in this important work.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Arthur Unobskey

Superintendent of Schools

Wayland Public Schools

May 4 High School Teacher response to the students:

The teachers spoke to students at a School Assembly on Thursday:

The letter they read is online here