Acton Parent Arrested During Incident At School

ACTON, MA — Several investigations have started into an incident earlier this month in Acton's Merriam Elementary School. The Acton Police Department and Superintendent's Office opened an investigation as well as the town. The incident happened on Jan. 9 at the school and ended with a parent being arrested.

The town issued a statement on Thursday discussing the incident and events leading up to the arrest after a video circulated online showing a confrontation at the school. The town disclosed police reports from the Jan. 9 incident and said in part:

"On January 9, the Acton Police Department was called to the Merriam School for the third consecutive day to evaluate a student. On the prior two days, the Acton school resource officer was able to resolve the situation with staff and family assistance. However, on January 9th, the situation had escalated to the point where the school officials became concerned about the student’s and staff’s safety."

The town said after half an hour of first responders, the parent and the school psychologist trying to calm the situation with the student, police made the decision to refer the child for a medical evaluation. The parent disagreed and the situation escalated, according to the town, leading to the parent's arrest. The parent was charged with disorderly conduct.

The woman in the video which circulated online, posted the clip to Facebook, according to The Beacon, in response to a letter sent by the Superintendent's Office on Wednesday regarding the incident. The woman's lawyer called the letter "self-serving" in an email to The Beacon.

The town hired an independent investigator to conduct a holistic review of the situation, including the incidents on Jan. 7-9 and to review the actions of the Action Police Department. The catalyst for the incident is unknown and was not disclosed in the town's statement.

"These are not easy situations for anyone involved, particularly where a concern about racial bias has been raised," the town statement reads.

The Acton Boxborough School District is hosting a community conversation tonight (Jan. 30) at 7:30 p.m. in the High School Auditorium and town officials will be attending to support efforts and listen to the community.

The town closed it's statement with a promise to complete the investigation quickly and evaluate next steps.