BOSTON — A 32-year-old woman who worked for the state of Massachusetts fraudulently enrolled as a student at several Boston high schools using false identification and documentation during this school year, officials said Tuesday.
The woman, who has not been identified, “has been discharged and is ordered to stay away from Boston Public Schools,” BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper said in a letter to the school community.
At various times during the 2022-2023 school year, the woman attended Jeremiah E. Burke High School, Brighton High School and English High School while using the transfer student process and enrolled under various aliases, according to Skipper.
Last week, a Boston Public Schools staff member noticed irregularities in the recorded paperwork and reported it to school leaders, “who immediately contacted Boston police,” Skipper said.
Boston 25 was also able to confirm that the woman in question previously worked for the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families from December 2021 to February 2023.
“While the investigation is in its early stages and remains ongoing, school officials have not identified any incidents of harm to students or staff,” Skipper said. “At this time, school staff and investigators are contacting directly the families of students who may have interacted with this individual.”
In a separate statement on the matter, Skipper called the incident a “breach of trust”.
“I am deeply concerned that an adult would violate the trust of our school communities by impersonating a student,” Skipper said. “This appears to be an extremely sophisticated case of fraud. As soon as BPS staff identified irregularities with the student’s enrollment, the case was turned over to the Boston Police who are now initiating a criminal investigation. I am grateful to the staff of BPS for spotting and acting quickly and to the Boston Police Department for initiating an immediate investigation.”
The investigation into the woman’s alleged actions and how she was able to enroll remains ongoing.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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