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Superintendent's Message
Dear Families of Harvard Students,
Recently, in the news, you may have heard about the recall of national protections for the LGBTQ community. We want to reassure students and their families that we will continue to provide a safe and supportive school environment for all. We wanted to share information about protections provided by the state of Massachusetts and our school district. Fortunately, our state has been ahead of the national response in the care of students. The Acting Commissioner of Education, Russell Johnston, recently sent out the following details in his newsletter:
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Educational Vision remains unchanged. In its simplest form, it is to create a public education system where every student is seen, heard, and valued and where all students have the opportunity to thrive.
This work remains firmly grounded in Massachusetts General Law Chapter 76, Section 5, which prohibits discrimination in public schools based on race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation, and the Massachusetts Constitution, Article CXIV of which prohibits discrimination based on disability. Massachusetts schools remain responsible for providing a safe and supportive learning environment for all students, and this responsibility under state law is not impacted by recent executive orders at the federal level. Our guidance on nondiscrimination on the basis of gender identity in public schools is unchanged.
It is essential that schools should continue their support for marginalized students — including LGBTQ students — to reinforce that they belong in their school communities. Research consistently demonstrates that when schools take proactive steps to foster inclusivity - through strong policies, affirming practices, and supportive educators - students experience improved mental health, academic success, and overall well-being.
School and district leaders are strongly encouraged to continue implementing policies and practices that protect all students, including transgender and nonbinary students. The Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ Students is available to provide training, technical assistance, and implementation support to help schools uphold these commitments. If your school or district would like assistance in continuing this essential work, please reach out through the contact information at the link above.
We can work together so that all students in Massachusetts experience a safe, supportive, and affirming learning environment.
We are fortunate to live and educate students in a state where our core values are not taken for granted but are supported by the laws. We will continue to verbalize and act in support of our students.
Sincerely,
Dr. Linda Dwight, Dana Labb, Michelle DellaValle, Dan Hudder, Kim Murphy, and Dr. Rebecca Katsh-Singer
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