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Concord school leaders denounce antisemitic vandalism, hold moment of silence for librarian
Summary
At the June 10 joint meeting, district leaders announced the June 9 death of a long-serving librarian and condemned an antisemitic incident on campus; committee and administrators described steps taken and reiterated commitment to student safety.
A Concord School Committee meeting on June 10 opened with a moment of silence for Dr. Robin Cicchetti, a Concord-Carlisle High School librarian who died June 9 after a recent illness. Committee members then addressed a vandalism incident on the high school campus earlier that week described by district leaders as antisemitic.
The school committee and administration said they “emphatically denounce all acts of antisemitism and their implied hate and threats.” Committee members described follow-up steps that included reconvening with local Jewish religious leaders, contacting the Jewish Community Relations Council of Boston and reviewing the district’s bias-reporting protocols.
The remarks emphasized a district focus on safety and inclusion. School officials said they were reinforcing long-standing bias reporting procedures and convening community partners to support students and staff in the wake of the incident.
Public commenters at the meeting underscored the emotional impact of the vandalism. Mark Jermilletti, who has spoken previously about antisemitism in schools, told the committee the problem is communitywide and urged “immediate and swift” communication after incidents so families can begin conversations at home and with local faith communities.
The committee did not announce new discipline or security policies at the meeting. Officials said they were following existing protocols and coordinating with community partners and law enforcement as appropriate. They asked community members to use established reporting channels so staff can respond within those procedures.
Leadership also asked the public to respect confidentiality as investigations proceed and to use the district’s bias-reporting channels to submit information or concerns.
The district published its student-facing and staff-facing reporting protocols on the schools’ website, and administrators said they would continue to update the community as appropriate.
