LYNNFIELD, MASS. (WHDH) - A substitute teacher in Lynnfield was fired Tuesday morning due to his “alleged connection to hate-based ideologies,” according to Lynnfield Public Schools.
Jarek Reihner, who taught high school students math, will no longer be permitted on Lynnfield High School property after officials were informed of the issue late Monday night, Superintendent Thomas Geary said in a letter to parents.
While authorities won’t say what kind of rhetoric the staffer is accused of, the letter states, “all antisemitic hate is especially troubling and isolating for members of our Jewish community. The timing of this situation around the High Holidays and the October 7th anniversary of violence in Israel is also concerning.”
School administrators worked with local police and the town administrator to investigate, according to the letter.
“I know it was discovered by seniors from our school — they were the ones that found it,” said sophomore Gabriella Dambrosio. “If you’re hiring someone that high schoolers can go online and find information about so easily, it’s clearly like you just didn’t do your job good enough.”
In the letter, Geary said that Reihner completed mandatory criminal background and fingerprinting checks before he was hired.
“I think these things should be uncovered over the course of the hiring process and it’s unfortunate, things do get missed,” said Lynnfield parent Sonia Arista.
Geary also said that counselors would be reaching out to students potentially impacted by Reihner’s actions.
“I actually did have him as a teacher,” said Sam Childress, a senior at Lynnfield High.
The student said Reihner was a quiet and laid-back teacher.
“He talked a bit about his life, like how he explored Europe. Obviously, he never mentioned any of the groups he was a part of. It was mostly specifically math. I never personally never felt he was trying to indoctrinate me or something,” Childress said.
School officials said they have received no student reports and that they have no evidence of Reihner attempting to influence student beliefs in a negative or derogatory manner.
“In attempting to move forward and help our community reflect and learn, we have contacted the Anti-Defamation League and spoken with other outside organizations to tailor appropriate responses at our schools so that we can educate students and staff on the impact of all forms of hate,” Geary said in the letter.
Before he was a substitute teacher at Lynnfield High School, Reihner worked for Stoneham Public Schools, the district confirmed.
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