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April 03, 2008 07:50 pm
Father fights to bar dirty-mouth boy from daughter's grade school
Superintendent says he has no choice but to allow the youth to attend school even though he had been suspended for making sexual comments to girl students.
By Shawn Regan
CNHI News Service
HAVERHILL, Mass. — The superintendent has overruled the principal and the father of a young girl, and allowed a boy twice suspended for explicit sexual comments to female students to return to his elementary school.
Superintendent Raleigh Buchanan's decision angered the father, who said his daughter was one of the girls harangued by the boy and that she now fears for her safety.
The father, whose name has been withheld to protect his daughter's identity, filed a criminal complaint against the boy, and also asked the school committee to review the superintendent's decision.
The students attend the Silver Hill Elementary School, which serves kindergarten through grade five.
School officials would not provide the boy's age or grade. But the principal of the school, Themia Gilman, said she had recommended he not be allowed to return, and that he instead finish the school year with outside tutoring.
The boy was suspended for three school days on March 20 for making lewd comments to three girls, school officials said. Upon his return, they said, he repeated the bad behavior, and was suspended for another five school days. He is scheduled to appear in juvenile court April 15 on the criminal complaint.
The superintendent said while the boy has been an unusual conduct problem, he does not believe he poses a threat to other students at the school. Furthermore, he said, he's bound by state laws requiring student attendance at public schools.
'"I have no choice," Buchanan said. "No discretion at all in this."
Mayor James Fiorentini, who doubles as school committee chairman, doubted the school board would get involved. And, even if it did, he questioned whether it has the power to reverse the decision to allow the boy to attend the school.
"The superintendent has exclusive authority over school buildings and discipline issues," the mayor said.
Shawn Regan writes for The Eagle-Tribune in North Andover, Mass.
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