Educators in Revere, Massachusetts, are voicing their concerns and demanding action after a staff member was injured in a brawl involving multiple students at Revere High School. The Revere Teachers Association presented a series of petitions at a recent Revere City Council meeting, highlighting what they perceive as a “safety crisis” in the city’s schools. The association had previously delivered petition signatures in May, but they claim that the School Committee failed to address their concerns, prompting this new round of petitions.
The incident in question occurred on August 29th when a fight broke out in a school hallway. Cell phone footage captured a student elbowing a staff member, causing them to fall to the ground. Witnesses reported that the brawl spilled out into a nearby street, involving a large number of students. The Revere Teachers Association confirmed that an assistant principal was also injured during the altercation.
In response to the fight, the Revere Public Schools released a statement emphasizing their zero-tolerance policy for violence within the school system. They stated that they are working closely with Revere High School officials and the Revere Police Department to ensure all parties involved are held accountable. Just one week after the incident, the superintendent of Revere Public Schools, Dianne Kelly, announced that 18 students would be facing disciplinary actions, including being kept out of school for the foreseeable future.
While city officials, including Mayor Patrick Keefe and Police Chief David Callahan, have condemned the fighting, the Revere Teachers Association continues to express frustration with the school committee’s response. They accuse the committee of ignoring their calls for more transparency regarding in-school violence, increased support services for students, and safe spaces for students in need of de-escalation. The teachers association is also calling for the creation of a health and safety task force within the school district.
The teachers association has been collecting petition signatures since the summer, following their concerns raised during bargaining sessions in February. According to co-presidents Michelle Ervin and Jane Chapin, the recent brawl was an avoidable incident that could have been prevented if their concerns had been addressed earlier.
The Revere City Council meeting held on Monday evening saw discussions centered around school safety. Council President Anthony Cogliandro put forward two motions related to the issue. The first motion requested that Mayor Keefe, Chief Callahan, and Superintendent Kelly explore the possibility of hiring a security company or adding extra student resource officers at Revere High School to address the ongoing safety concerns. The second motion proposed the exploration of installing metal detectors at the school.
During the meeting, a teacher expressed strong support for the installation of metal detectors, citing concerns about weapons being found within the school in the past. The motion to explore the implementation of metal detectors and the hiring of additional security personnel will be further examined before being passed.
Despite the need for further exploration, the City Council agreed on two key points: the importance of school safety and their support for the teachers. The meeting served as a platform for educators, city officials, and community members to come together and address the pressing issue of violence in Revere’s schools.
