On October 20, I drove to Dana Hall like any regular school morning, passing Wellesley High School on my route. On this particular day, though, I saw a large crowd of people protesting outside Wellesley High School. Signs reading “Wake up Administration,” “You’re silence is deafening,” “WMHS do better,” and “Consequences that fit the crime” were raised to the sky around the school’s front lawn.

This protest was in response to bullying in Wellesley over the summer. On July 19, 2021, a sophomore at Wellesley High School was attacked by six classmates he previously thought were his friends. 

The teenagers orchestrating the ambush taunted the victim physically and verbally, sending the boy to the emergency room. He was beaten, chased, punched, kicked, elbowed, and urinated on. Additionally, the attackers told the boy to kill himself, that nobody liked him, and more. 

While his physical injuries healed, the incident still haunts the victim. 

According to a WCVB News report, “Some of the teenagers involved in the attack were charged with conspiracy and assault and battery, and sent to juvenile court. Some of them, however, will return to school after serving suspensions.” These teenagers are also required to engage in community service and behavior courses. However, many in the community are not satisfied with this response. 

The boy and his family, as well as other Wellesley parents and students, disagreed with the way Wellesley High School handled the incident. The victim’s parents felt there was no public communication specifically about their son and that the crime was being dismissed. Protests like the one I witnessed were organized in hopes that the district would take more action to hold the attackers accountable and advocate for the victim. 

With siblings at Wellesley High and Middle School, Ellie Redgate ‘22 shared that “a very interesting aspect of it all is the immense amount of gossip that erupted from the event,” and “It was only when the individual spoke up about what happened that something as moving as a protest occurred.”

Dana Hall patrols bullying very well. I hope that Dana Hall students will reflect on how lucky we are to have the support system we do. Additionally, our community should take the time to learn more about this incident and others that have occurred to spread awareness in any way we can. 

Image source: NBC Boston.