Violence and drug use at one Massachusetts high school have reached such proportions that school officials asked Gov. Maura Healey to send the Massachusetts National Guard to the school.
A majority of members of the Brockton School Committee — four out of seven — favored asking for the National Guard. Despite the fact that he personally opposed the decision, Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan, who chairs the committee, forwarded the request to the governor.
“National Guard soldiers are not the answer,” he said.
But at a Monday news conference, committee member Ana Oliver said, “We’re not asking them to deploy a whole army to our school. We’re asking for support.”
“If you support safety in our schools, you will support the National Guard to come in here and keep our schools safe,” committee member Tony Rodrigues echoed.
Four of the members of the committee sent a letter to Sullivan in which they stated: “Over the past few months, our high school has experienced a disturbing increase in incidents related to violence, security concerns, and substance abuse. The situation has reached a critical point, more recently we had an alarming 35 teachers absent, underscoring the severity of the challenges we are facing. … There are many instances where trespassers are found on school grounds, raising serious questions about the security and safety measures in place. These situations not only put the students and staff at risk but also undermines the overall safety of our community.”
“We’re not asking them to deploy a whole army to our school. We’re asking for support, especially with the teacher shortage throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” committee member Ana Oliver said, WCVB reported. “I also want to highlight that we have some great students in Brockton. They are doing excellent work. They’re coming in, getting their education. They are following the policy, the authority with the educators, but we do have some that continue to not do what they’re supposed to be doing and that’s what we need help with.”
“We started (the letter) more than a couple of weeks ago and we held off on it,” committee member Joyce Asack echoed. “We got to the point where we’re seeking help.”
“This isn’t something that [is] negative. The National Guard does bring positivity,” committee member Tony Rodrigues added. “We’re looking for support with the National Guard to come in and act as substitute teachers (and) hall monitors to make sure that the high school is safe.”
“I know that the first thought that comes to mind when you hear ‘National Guard’ is uniform and arms, and that’s not the case. They’re people like us. They’re educated. They’re trained and we just need their assistance right now,” committee member Claudio Gomes said. “We need more staff to support our staff and help the students learn (and) have a safe environment.”
Brockton is also the home of the only heavyweight champion to finish his career undefeated, Rocky Marciano (1923-1969), who held the heavyweight championship from 1952-1956, going 49-0. He was killed in a plane crash in 1969.