Community Corner

High School Principal: Boston Tragedy Reinforces Need For Respect

Layne Millington spoke to students at an all-school assembly Tuesday.

 

The high school principal told the school's 700-plus students he's confused and saddened by last week's tragedy in Boston.

He also told them he has been thinking about individuals and groups and violence in the aftermath of last week's attacks.

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"I am forty-five years old and I am confused," he said, before the all-school assembly shifted to Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison's presentation. "I'm angry and profoundly saddened at what has happened."

He told the students he cannot stress enough the importance of not judging people based on their nationality, religious beliefs or ethnicity.

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That practice can lead to people to a dangerous place, he said.

Bullied, marginalized and harrased people will seek acceptance in communities, perhaps extremist communities, he said.

He reinforced school mantras: treat people with dignity, courtesy and respect.

The principal learned of the explosions in Florida, while on vacation with his children.

They were unaware of the events until people came up to them, noticing the Red Sox shirts the Millington children were wearing, he said.

Upon hearing the news he hoped all his Swampscott High kids and their families were not at the marathon, he said.

To the best of the school safety team's knowledge no Swampscott people were injured in the blasts.

He said the school safety team's general feeling, upon returning to school after last week's vacation, was to not hold an all-school assembly given all the attention that the events had received last week.

 


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