Haverhill High School.
Haverhill Superintendent of Schools James F. Scully.
A Haverhill High School teacher was sent to the hospital after being attacked by a 17-year-old student late Tuesday morning.
No weapon was used and the unidentified teacher returned to classes before the end of the school day, Superintendent James F. Scully told WHAV News. Scully warned the public not to read too much into the story.
“I hope most people in Haverhill understand that if you look at the successes of our schools, these isolated incidents—while they do cast a shadow—in fact they are behaviors that are exhibited all throughout society, and yet the public schools are always expected to address and to solve everybody’s problems. Like it or not, we cannot solve all of society’s ills, but I think we do a darn good job of doing what’s right for children.”
The school chief said the student became disruptive and became very aggressive when he was asked to leave. Despite his age, the student was a freshman. Scully added the unnamed pupil came from out of state and was enrolled for only 52 days. Records suggest the student attended classes for only 10 of those days.
“A typical example of what rarely happens—but does happen—in many urban school systems. That is that we have children—young men and women—come to us from a variety of situations and the public schools have to deal with it.”
The teen, whose parents took him from the school after the incident, will be summonsed into court and faces suspension or expulsion, Scully said.
“It’s a challenge that many urban school systems face and yet people do not understand the challenge a teacher faces every single day is very demanding. This is just another example of a behavior which distracts from the good that so many do.”