Noose Found At Charter School In Framingham On Juneteenth

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham police discovered a noose hanging near a local school on Juneteenth, a day set aside to celebrate the emancipation of slaves following the end of the Civil War.

Christa McAuliffe officials disclosed the incident Wednesday, and said that police are investigating the incident.

"What we do know is that this racist act is abhorrent and stands in opposition to everything McAuliffe stands for and hopes to achieve," Executive Director Kristin Harrison, incoming director Frank Tipton, and board of trustees chair Bob Berman said in the statement.

"It is also, unfortunately, yet another example of the hate-filled acts that we have seen take place across our country in response to individuals and communities, including members of the McAuliffe community, taking a stand against racist systems and structures."

There have been several similar incidents in Massachusetts recently. A noose and white supremacist fliers were found in Yarmouth on June 17. A noose was found hanging from a bridge in Auburn last December. And last fall, two McAuliffe students were accused of making antisemitic remarks on social media.

McAullife is offering counseling to any students affected by the noose discovery, although school officials noted no one was on campus at the time.

The incident comes amid a larger uprising over systemic racism in America. Multiple protests have been held in Framingham, including ones supported by the Framingham High School Black Student Union — a group that was founded in late 2019 after Framingham youth sports coaches were fired for trading racist messages.