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Addressing Hate in School Sports

A collaborative project to provide training and support to school and athletic officials across Massachusetts.
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In April 2022, Attorney General Maura Healey, Department of Elementary & Secondary Education Commissioner, the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, and the Massachusetts School Administrators’ Association announced a new collaborative effort to address hate and bias in school sports. Working with community partners and experts, the project will provide free training and support to school and athletic officials across the state. 

The project currently has three components: 
 

  1. Call to Action: In April 2022, the organizations hosted a virtual convening to bring together state officials, school administrators, and school sports officials to collectively commit to increasing efforts to address hate and bias incidents and ensure safe and healthy environments for young people. Information was provided about current resources, including School Sports Guidance from the Attorney General’s Office, and a survey was conducted to inform the other project components. A recording of the convening will be posted soon.   

  2. Conference: The Addressing Hate in School Sports Conference on Thursday, December 8th will provide additional programming and information on best practices to build positive environments in athletics and prevent, report, and address hate incidents. The conference will be held in-person and will include presentations, panel discussion, and workshops for school administrators, athletic directors, coaches, referees, and other school leaders. If you have any questions or need to contact us regarding this conference, please email us at addresshate@mass.gov. 

  3. Regional Trainings: During Fall 2022-2023 school year, the organizations will host 12 regional trainings across the state for school and athletic leadership. The trainings will be conducted by the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University. At least one training will be held in each of the nine sports districts organized by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. Schools can sign up to send select staff to an interactive two-day training in their area. Through the use of a “train-the-trainer” model, attendees will be equipped to bring the programming back to their schools and train others. For more information about the Center for the Study of Sport in Society, please visit the Center’s website. Additional information about the trainings, including dates and registration forms, will be available soon.

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