
July 2022
Community Letter

Letter to Woburn Public Schools' Community
Dear Members of the Woburn Public Schools’ Community:
I am writing to provide you with an update regarding the incident that occurred in the Woburn Memorial High School last year. As many of you know, in September 2021, one of our WHMS football players was assaulted by several other student athletes in the WHMS locker room.
When the incident was reported, the building principal immediately met with the student’s parents, conducted an internal investigation, and imposed discipline on the several students involved. The Woburn Public Schools then commissioned two outside investigations into the incident to learn more and what steps or measures should be taken to avoid such incidents in the future.
Specifically, the Woburn Public Schools retained the law firm of Butter Brazilian, LLP to conduct a Title IX Investigation, as well as a firm owned by former Massachusetts Secretary of Public Safety, Attorney Daniel Bennett, to conduct an administrative review of the entire matter. While there is much I cannot share due to the privacy rights of the individuals involved as well as applicable legal privileges, I can inform you that the two external investigations have been completed and the District is generally satisfied with the recommendations of the outside investigations.
The Title IX investigation and outcome are student records. As such, I am unable to share those documents or the specific results of the investigation with the public; however, I can assure you that the investigation and determination was comprehensive, thorough, and considered all of the relevant facts. As to the administrative review of the matter, Attorney Bennett concluded that the District generally had proper policies and procedures in place and timely responded to the incident by developing appropriate safety plans for the student consistent with national standards. Attorney Bennett's report also included recommendations concerning potential additional procedures and training requirements for the supervision of athletic locker rooms, additional training on conducting investigations, and safeguards for students while such investigations are pending. We have learned much from this report and are reviewing the recommendations for potential implementation in the future.
In Woburn, athletic participation is an important and vital part of our school community, but participation in athletics is a privilege that comes with a great deal of responsibility. We are committed to taking the necessary actions to ensure that any students who wish to play sports can participate safely and that those students who engage in actions that compromise the safety and the wellness of others are held accountable. We must treat each other fairly and with dignity and teach our students to do the same. The purpose of this letter is to reiterate the District's commitments to student safety and accountability, and to assure the School Community we are taking these issues seriously. I want to express my gratitude to all of those who cooperated and assisted in this process so that we continue to work on ensuring the health and safety of all of our students both in school and during extracurricular athletics.
At this time, on account of both pending litigation and laws protecting the privacy of students and employees, I have shared all the information that I am permitted. Please rest assured that school staff and I, including the Athletic Department, will continue to promptly and proactively address this and any other allegations involving the well-being of our students.
Respectfully,
Matthew Crowley Ed.D.
Superintendent