Earlier today, January 23 2023, at approximately 10:15 hours, Boston Police Officers responded to assist members of Boston Public School Safety Service (formally School Police) after a large fight broke out at Boston Latin Academy at 205 Townsend Street in Roxbury. Boston Police radio traffic obtained by LB617 can clearly hear a female detective request additional officers and Boston EMS to the scene for a teenage female who had either been stabbed or slashed.
Boston Police when contacted were only able to confirm that officers responded to the call which was listed as a stabbing. Boston EMS additionally confirmed that they also responded but tell us no one was transported with all involved parties being treated on scene for their injuries.
BPS officials in a separate statement stent to parents said the fight involved four middle school students, one of which was injured. BPS goes on to say they were treated by the school nurse and EMS before being taken to the hospital with a social worker as a precaution. They have since been released.
In the statements to parents, BLA says school staff immediately responded to break up the fight and Boston police were also called in. They went on to say in a whitewashed explanation that police were investigating “the potential use of a dangerous sharp object.” Normally it would just be called a stabbing.
Sources within the BLA community tell us that Boston Public Schools and BLA administration did not send out that statement to parents until late today, after our organization had published the video. Most parents we spoke to criticized BPS and BLA, telling us the first time they learned about the incident was when they were sent the video we posted. An overwhelming number also blamed BPS’s elimination of the School Police.
In an emailed statement, BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper said, “Violence in our schools and anywhere in our community is completely unacceptable. As a district, we are working with the school leader and student support team this week to hold assemblies for the middle grades to address why mediation and seeking out trusted adults when conflicts arise are critical to de-escalating verbal and physical altercations before they happen. Ensuring that students are safe is our highest priority, and we are working continuously to create a safe, welcoming environment where our students and faculty are respected and challenged academically. We thank school staff, BPS Safety Services, emergency medical personnel, and the Boston Police for their prompt response and assistance in de-escalating the situation. Presently, an investigation is underway, and we cannot comment further.”
This incident is just one of many that come as BPS faces mounting pressure from politicians and families to bring back the disbanded School Police and other safety measures such as metal detectors. Just last week a third party, independent group hired to asses the safety of BPS, recommended the creation of school police.