Boxford students suspended for sexual harassment

(NECN: Ally Donnelly, Boxford, Mass.) – A Massachusetts middle school student says she was touched inappropriately by some of her classmates. Five boys have been suspended from school, but could they face criminal charges? The eighth-grade boys are from Masconomet Middle School in Boxford, Massachusetts. An eighth-grade girl says over the course of about a week and a half, the boys individually sexually harassed her. Superintendent Anthony Bent tells NECN in one or two of the instances, touched her inappropriately. Bent says after the girl told a guidance counselor about the alleged harassment, school officials met with the kids and their parents and decided to suspend the boys for 10 days. The investigation is ongoing, so Police Chief Russel Gordon wouldn’t comment specifically, but says they should have a report ready for the Essex County district attorney within the week.