Boston Latin School headmaster resigns

The headmaster of Boston Latin School has resigned, the School Department said Tuesday. This came after several allegations of racially charged incidents at the school and on social media. The resignation will be come effective at the end of the school year, which is Friday.

Lynne Mooney Teta’s resignation has been approved, school officials say. In recent months, several civil rights and community organizations had raised concerns about racial harassment and argued that a school department review into the racial climate at the school did not go far enough. They also called for Teta to be fired.

“This has been a very difficult decision, but one which I believe is in the best interest of our students, faculty and our historic institution,” said Teta, according to the Boston Globe. “I believe that it is time for a new headmaster to lead the school and carry on the tradition of excellence.

According to WCVB, Teta said the school faced challenges this year, but she has been encouraged by the commitment of the community to work together to address issues of racism and discrimination. Superintendent Tommy Chang thanked Teta for her dedication to the school and the district as a whole in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon.

Earlier this year, Boston Latin students and members of the group BLS BLACK, Meggie Noel and Kylie Webster-Cazeau, cited incidents in a video in which their white peers used racial slurs and weren’t reprimanded by school officials. The video launched an investigation by the district’s Office of Equity, which revealed that administrators violated school policy in the handling of one of seven reported incidents.

According to school officials, the school was scheduled to have a meeting Tuesday evening to to provide end-of-year analysis and look ahead on work around cultural proficiency, but it was canceled in light of the resignation. The district said it will conduct a national search for a new headmaster.

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