Danvers School Committee Requests Audit Of Student Behavior

DANVERS, MA — The Danvers School Committee intends to have an outside investigator examine social media posts that suggest the schools lack an inclusive environment and include claims of "racist, homophobia and other unacceptable language and behavior."

Thomson made the statements at a recent school committee meeting, according to a Danvers Herald report, saying that the social media claims "need to be explored."

Thomson said Danvers Schools will hire a consultant investigator to look into the concerns through the district's legal counsel, and hire an organization to review the culture of Danvers Public Schools.

Earlier this month, Superintendent Lisa Dana sent a note to parents and students to say administrators were looking into posts by students that were "contrary to our mission to provide an inclusive school environment free from discrimination" after being contacted by current and former students.

School officials did not release details on the posts at the time, and Dana did not respond to a request for comment. But News 10 Boston reported that the posts were racist and being shared by a group of Danvers High School students.

"I'd mhear the N-word in the hallway," Payton James, who graduated in 2019, told News 10 Boston. "I want the students to be held accountable."

Staff Editor David Copeland contributed to this report.

(Scott Souza is a Patch Field Editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)