Boston charter school shifts to remote learning following nearby gunfire
A Boston charter school has shifted to remote learning due to safety concerns in the Dorchester neighborhood where it’s located.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) approved the step at Neighborhood House Charter School’s Centre Street high school campus.
It follows last Friday’s gunfire outside nearby Shawmut Station.
No one was injured in the afternoon barrage of bullets, but the shooting has intensified safety concerns at the charter school.
The school dismissed high school students early on Monday and decided to close the school entirely on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“Police believe one of our students - who is not currently attending school in person - was the intended target,” said Executive Director Kate Scott. “We also became aware that individuals associated with the alleged assailants from last week’s incident were communicating with members of our community that they intended to return. The alleged assailants are not NHCS scholars.”
Scott told Boston 25 News that the school is working with its security team from Concrete Protective Services, the Boston Police Department and the MBTA Transit Police.
The school has temporarily transitioned to remote learning until the end of next week for students enrolled in Grades 8-11.
Seniors have already concluded their school year.
“We are grateful that DESE granted us this request and is taking seriously the safety and wellbeing of our community,” added Scott. “We are working hard to center the safety of our scholars, staff, and families in all of the decisions that we are making.”
Parents told Boston 25 News that students are afraid for their lives coming and going from the school on a daily basis due to drug deals and gang activity in the area.
Neighbors said that suspicious activity stretching from Shawmut Station to Samoset Street, near the school’s back entrance, has been worrisome.
“I think people causing the violence aren’t thinking about the bigger picture,” said neighbor Bryan Martinez. “It’s a bunch of heads butting from neighborhood to neighborhood, and unfortunately it all happens to come down right here.”
Police have not yet made any arrests in connection with last week’s gunfire at Shawmut Station.
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