Sen. Lovely Supports AG Probe Into Danvers Hockey Abuse Charges

DANVERS, MA — State Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem) said she supports a proposed investigation from Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey into accusations of racist behavior and hazing within the Danvers High hockey program.

"All students deserve to be protected and supported from this despicable behavior," said Lovely, who represents Danvers, Beverly, Peabody and Salem, on Tuesday.

While Healey did not announce a formal state investigation and did not cite the Danvers hockey accusations specifically, she posted on social media "racism, homophobia, and bigotry of any kind have no place in our locker rooms, rinks or playing fields."

A Healey spokesman told the Salem News the attorney general is looking "for more information" on the accusations and district response.

"The hate, bigotry, trauma we're seeing in high school sports makes me so sad — and angry," Healey said in a statement. "It's a commentary on our times and what adults are modeling. It's not OK.

"School leaders, athletic coaches, and administrators need to respond swiftly, be transparent and support victims."

Sen. Lovely responded to those sentiments in the context of the Danvers High program on social media Tuesday morning.

"I am deeply disturbed to learn of the inexcusable conduct of hatred, racism and homophobia among several student-athletes from the 2019-2020 DHS hockey team," she said. "I look forward to a thorough investigation by (Healey's office) and work of Danvers leaders and the Human Rights & Inclusion Committee to ensure that our schools provide safe environments for our students to learn and thrive."

The Danvers School Committee took no action following a 90-minute executive session Monday night on a previous motion to have Superintendent Lisa Dana placed on administrative leave "while the School Committee can ascertain the best path moving forward."

That meeting came a week after parents and the Danvers Teachers Association slammed a lack of communication and transparency with the school community about the accusations over the past 18 months while the district, Danvers police and an independent investigator conducted their probes.

Dana said in a district statement to Patch last week that based on the results of those investigations the district "addressed appropriate personnel and student discipline."

School Committee Chair Eric Crane said during last week's School Committee meeting that privacy obligations prevented them from discussing the "explicit" details of the charges publicly and any personnel decisions made in relation to the coaching staff.

"That is not fodder for the public," he said. "It's simply not. If that's something that people disagree with you need a change in a place much higher than this."

Healey indicated the issues in Danvers, and other communities wrestling with incidents of race, antisemitism and homophobia, go beyond just the responsibility of the schools.

"Parents need to teach their children not to hate, too," Healey said. "If you think sports are about bullying and hazing, you're losing, and our kids are paying the price."

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(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.)

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