National Guard requested at Brockton high
Members of school board seek response to violence, security concerns
A number of Brockton School Committee members say they want the National Guard deployed to Brockton High School to address a “disturbing increase in incidents related to violence, security concerns, and substance abuse,” but the mayor is against the measure.
Though Mayor Robert Sullivan said in a statement to the Brockton Enterprise that he opposes the use of the National Guard at Massachusetts’ largest high school, he forwarded the committee members’ request to Gov. Maura Healey.
Only the governor has authority to deploy the National Guard in times of emergency, whether they be natural or human-made disasters.
The Brockton Enterprise brought the request to light on Saturday.
Four committee members sent a letter to Sullivan last Thursday “formally requesting that he ask Healey to deploy Massachusetts National Guard soldiers to the school ‘to assist in restoring order, ensuring the safety of all individuals on the school premises, and implementing measures to address the root causes of the issues we are facing,” the Enterprise reported.
Sullivan did not provide the Enterprise specific reasons why he’d oppose the deployment of the National Guard during a time when Brockton High School, which enrolls 3,586 students, is experiencing what teachers describe as “shocking levels of chaos and violence.”
The city did not immediately respond Sunday to a Herald request for access to Sullivan’s statement.
“Recent events at Brockton High School have prompted us to seek immediate assistance to prevent a potential tragedy,” committee members Joyce Asack, Tony Rodrigues, Claudio Gomes and Ana Oliver wrote in their letter to Sullivan.
Three committee members did not sign the letter.
The escalating turmoil at the school “reached a critical point” when 35 teachers were absent recently, “underscoring the severity of the challenges we are facing,” the letter states.
Students are often seen wandering the halls, engaging in fights and disrupting class, with instances of the behavior becoming “alarmingly frequent,” committee members wrote. More and more students are also walking out of school unauthorized, while the number of trespassing incidents into the building are also on the rise, they wrote.
“There are many instances where trespassers are found on school grounds, raising serious questions about the security and safety measures in place,” the letter states. “These situations not only put the students and staff at risk but also undermines the overall safety of our community.”
Former Gov. Charlie Baker activated the National Guard in September 2021 to help bus students to school as districts across the Bay State struggled to hire enough drivers, including Chelsea, Lawrence, Lowell and Lynn, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Healey activated up to 250 National Guard members last August to provide basic services at hotels providing emergency shelter for migrants that do not currently have a contracted service provider.
Karissa Hand, spokesperson for the governor, told the Herald that the Healey administration is “aware of concerns raised about Brockton High School and are in touch with local officials.”
“Our administration is committed to ensuring that schools are safe and supportive environments for students, educators and staff,” Hand said in a statement Sunday.