CP_MBHC_20240103_1_A01
SPORTS
MHS outpaces Big Blue Page 9
IN THIS ISSUE
CURRENT EVENTS
CUZNER IN NATURE
Christmas tree bonfire this weekend
Caught on camera in Steer Swamp
Page 6
Page 8
NONPROFIT ORG PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
MARBLEHEAD, MA PERMIT NO. 25
NEWS FOR PEOPLE, NOT FOR PROFIT.
TM
January 3, 2024
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VOLUME 2, ISSUE NO. 6
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MARBLEHEADCURRENT.ORG
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ON SOCIAL @MHDCURRENT
FLAG POLICY
MHS students set to protest draft flag policy Offering alternative plan, teens want to keep BLM, pride flags BY LEIGH BLANDER Marblehead High School students were planning a protest for Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 3, in opposition to a draft policy that would give the School Committee control over which flags, banners and signs are allowed in schools. In social media posts, the MHS
Democrats Club called the draft policy “censorship.” (Read the text of the draft policy, Page A12.) The students, led by seniors Sophia Weiner and Siena Day, are asking to get on the Jan. 4 School Committee meeting agenda, where they’ll present an alternate plan. They want to form an eight-student (two from
each grade at the high school) committee that would create a flag policy. “This is a topic that mainly affects students,” Weiner told the Current. “Students should be the ones deciding this.” BLM, pride flags Weiner and Day specifically
The mother of a Marblehead student removed the Black Lives Matter flag at the high school without permission.
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER
FLAGS, P. A12
‘NO CONFIDENCE’
‘Hit and kicked and punched’
Teachers share stories of violence, understaffing SCHOOLS
Student restraint protocol released BY LEIGH BLANDER Nearly a month after placing four Glover School educators on leave amid a student restraint controversy, interim Superintendent Theresa McGuinness released the district’s Behavioral Health Crisis Protocol in response to a public records request by the Current. The protocol, which was last updated in January 2022, defines a behavioral health crisis as “any situation in which a student’s behavior puts them at risk of putting themselves or others in physical danger.” The protocol lists several steps to take when a student is in crisis, including: » Ensure that one Safety Care-trained individual is responding. Safety Care is a crisis prevention intervention program used by the district to train educators. McGuinness said 11 Glover staff members are trained in Safety Care. » Once a student is contained within a designated space, no more than three staff should continue to attend to them. » All other staff need to attend to students who may have seen or been part of the incident, inform the building principal and create alternate paths for classes to transition through the building. » If the student has not de-escalated using Safety Care protocols after 20 minutes, request that building mental health staff (counselor or psychologist) assess them if
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER
Teachers show their solidarity at the Dec. 21 School Committee meeting.
School Committee approves $9,500 in PR support BY LEIGH BLANDER The School Committee is expected to meet Thursday, Jan. 4, two weeks after dozens of educators packed a meeting and demanded the removal of Student Services Director Paula Donnelly and Associate Director Emily Dean. The teachers accused Donnelly and Dean of ignoring safety concerns and requests for more staffing. The Marblehead Education Association, the teachers union, was
responding in part to recent studentrestraint incidents that prompted interim Superintendent Theresa McGuinness to order an outside review of the district’s restraint policies and place four Glover School educators on paid leave. (For additional information, see “Superintendent releases details on restraints” elsewhere in this issue.) Near the end of the Dec. 21 meeting, the School Committee met in executive (private) session to discuss the MEA’s complaint.
‘No bodies or money’ “I spent five months in a state of alert while trying to teach and keep my class safe,” Glover School teacher Jane Sullivan said at the meeting. Sullivan said she asked repeatedly for a support person for a student in crisis but did not receive one. “I asked for help, and I was told to ignore the behavior and keep teaching,” she said. “They [Donnelly TEACHERS, P. A2
RESTRAINTS, P. A2
TRAFFIC COMMITTEE
Residents voice concerns over pedestrian safety BY WILL DOWD A review of crash data in Marblehead’s Complete Street Plan identified 41 high-accident locations, with a significant cluster of 13 to 14 crashes occurring along Pleasant and Lafayette streets between West Shore Drive and Spring Street. These findings will guide the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee’s approach to improving road safety, according to chair Gary Hebert. He emphasized the importance of a targeted strategy, noting the data helps direct attention and resources to the highest-risk areas in town. He sees value in addressing major trouble spots first. The committee met on Dec.
BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW
WILL DOWD / CURRENT PHOTO
Committee members listen to public concerns during the Marblehead Traffic Safety Advisory Committee meeting on Dec. 18.
18. During an extensive public comment period, 20-year resident Elaine McGrath described a steady erosion of
pedestrian safety. She asserted “pedestrians in this town are an afterthought.” McGrath mentioned
vehicles, including police cars, frequently blocking sidewalks. She referenced a recent digital warning sign detailing fines for
parking on sidewalks. “Anybody who’s a pedestrian in this town knows that even after that sign went up, there has been no strict enforcement,” McGrath said. Fellow resident Jonathan MaGee expressed frustration over drivers failing to yield at crosswalks along Guernsey Street near his home. “More often than not one but two but three cars will go by and sometimes,” he said. “I just let them know how I feel with my fingers.” He called for greater police presence to help curb speeding. Police Chief Dennis King said the department tries to balance competing priorities in town. He TRAFFIC, P. A12