School Committee Chair Ordered To Stay Away From Andover Schools

TEWKSBURY, MA — Tewksbury School Committee Chair Keith Sullivan was ordered to stay away from Andover Public Schools, at his arraignment in Lawrence Tuesday, the Lowell Sun reported. Sullivan was arrested and charged with trespassing at a Tewksbury-Andover high school basketball game at Andover High School Friday. Sullivan sat in the Andover student section at a "heated" game, and was arrested after police asked him to move repeatedly, as first reported by the Sun.

Sullivan is next due in court March 9, for a pre-trial hearing.

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According to Andover Police Lt. Edward Guy, students from the two schools were yelling and swearing at each other, and Sullivan sat in the midst of the Andover student section. At one point, while he and his companion were away from their seats, their jackets were taken. An Andover administrator was able to retrieve the jackets, but the administrator, and the detail officer at the game, asked the men to move out of the Andover section.

Sullivan's companion eventually did move, but Sullivan refused.

"They said, 'listen, if you don't leave, you're going to end up being arrested for trespassing.' He said, 'I'm not going to leave,' and he was arrested," Guy said. "You're on school property, it's a school function. You're not willing to abide by the rules when there's some sort of issue there. It's heated, and if you stay there, you could further the problem. He was wound up, he was part of the back and forth."

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.