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AG's Office Investigating Reports of Racist Incident at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts

The museum conducted its own investigation, which led to two patrons being banned for alleged disparaging remarks

The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office is investigating reports that minority middle school students were subjected to racism by staff and patrons during a field trip to Boston's Museum of Fine Arts last month.

During a visit to the museum on May 16, the principal of the Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy in Dorchester said museum security followed his students while leaving white students alone.

Two patrons were also banned by the museum for alleged disparaging remarks during the visit.

"Following public reports about the field trip, our office reached out to the Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy and the MFA," the attorney general's office said in a statement. "Our educational and cultural institutions must be welcoming to everyone -- especially to our young people. We take allegations of discrimination seriously and can confirm that our office is investigating this matter."

The investigation is being conducted by the attorney general's civil rights division and will involve gathering information from school officials, teachers, students and the museum about what happened.

The Museum of Fine Arts has also hired an outside law firm to conduct its own investigation.

Museum leadership in a statement Wednesday said the review is being led by former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger of Casner & Edwards LLC.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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