Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Safety Vetting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident urges clarity after FBI investigation of former volunteer coach; committee says individual was not a district employee
Summary
A Burlington resident told the school committee she and other parents were not contacted after a former volunteer wrestling coach was named in an FBI matter and asked the district for clearer public communication and vetting protocols. District staff said the individual was a volunteer, is no longer allowed at Burlington High School and that the district followed required screening; the committee promised follow-up.
Jamie Weber, a Burlington resident, used the public-comment period to press the school committee for transparency after news reports tied a former volunteer wrestling coach to an FBI investigation. “The district has not said anything publicly,” Weber said, adding that she had repeatedly emailed district officials seeking details on safety protocols and background checks and that “parents do wanna know.”
Committee members responded that the individual was not a Burlington employee and that the district had removed the person from Burlington High School access. A committee member said, to the best of their knowledge, “there have been no Burlington kids that have been affected” but encouraged parents with questions to contact law enforcement for case details.
District staff and members said they will follow up with parents, offered to meet with concerned residents in January, and noted regular state-mandated background checks. One staff presenter said the district “acted as very quickly into the furthest extent that we could” after learning of the matter and pointed people to the FBI for investigative questions. Weber said she intends to meet with district leadership in January.
The committee did not vote on any policy at the meeting but acknowledged a need to review communications and vetting procedures for volunteers; members said they would report back with any clarifications or policy changes and reiterated the difference between volunteers and district employees.
Next steps: the committee said staff would follow up with the public commenter and would provide any additional information the district is permitted to share once it is available.
