READING, MASS. (WHDH) - Dozens of parents and students in Reading protested in the town common Sunday over the school superintendent’s decision to cancel extracurricular activities, including sports.
Parents said they got an email from Superintendent John Doherty last week announcing the cancellations.
In a statement, Doherty said the school has seen 37 positive cases between students and staff since Dec. 23, including 14 at the high school.
“After reviewing the data, it was clear that we needed to go remote next week,” Doherty said. “In addition, if we are going remote for health reasons, it would be difficult to defend a decision to continue to have athletics when I am saying that we cannot attend school in person. ”
Doherty said he’ll revisit that decision later this week, but parents and students said they’ve been careful during the season so far.
“We’re doing what we need to do to be safe, keep everyone safe, and keep practicing and playing,” said boys’ hockey team captain Colin Mulvey.
“Senior year is supposed to be the best season ever, and we just wanted some kind of season, especially working at it for for years,” girls’ basketball team captain Kiara Tangney added.” It sucks to just have it taken away.”
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