A day after Boston Latin School faculty members openly criticized the leadership of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Superintendent Tommy Chang for their handling of what has become a crisis for the school, Boston Latin parents, alumni and students held their own rally demanding clarity from the mayor.
The school is in a state of crisis after the resignations this week of its headmaster, Lynne Mooney Teta and assistant headmaster Malcolm Flynn, who offered his resignation along with a sharp rebuke of the mayor and superintendent's leadership. Many parents, students and faculty believe Teta and Flynn were pressured to resign—and, many believe, unfairly—over an ongoing investigation by federal officials into allegations of racism at the school.
In a meeting with Mayor Walsh on Thursday, Boston Latin faculty asked the mayor to refuse the resignations of Teta and Flynn—a request the mayor declined, prompting faculty to hold their own impromptu press conference criticizing city and school district leadership.
While it's unclear exactly how many parents share the same view, many clearly believe that Teta, Flynn and the school as a whole have been the victims of false accusations and unfair or uninformed characterizations in the media.
After chants of "B-L-S!" turned into chants of "What's the plan?" Kristen Johnson, a co-chair of the school's Student Parent Council, addressed reporters and dozens of parents and alums holding signs and wearing the school's color, purple.
"We've been in touch with the superintendent's office and we hope to have a meeting with him next week," Johnson said. "Twenty-four hundred families are going into the summer being like 'What is happening to our school next year?' That is unacceptable."
