MIDDLEBORO —  A recent “uptick’’ in the use of racial slurs in the school community has prompted a call from Superintendent of Schools Carolyn Lyons to form a task force to seek possible solutions.

“There’s no place for words of hate in our school community,’’ Lyons said at a Feb. 2 School Committee meeting. “Not in our classrooms, not in our hallways, not on our school grounds, not on our playing fields, not in our theaters.’’

The use of racial slurs has led in some cases to “verbal and physical altercations and even vigilantism.’’ She did not specify details of the incidents. 

School Committee members did not make any public statement on the issue at the meeting. 

Lyons said slurs create a “tremendous impact on our learning environment for a child who’s been the subject of these words.’’

Students subjected to such slurs experience “feelings of isolation,’’ she said, and a sense of “disconnect from the community.’’

The hostility, she noted, also leads to “disruption of education.’’ 

She has developed an action plan that includes looking at training options for faculty and staff and “opportunities for learning’’ for students.

She plans to form a task force of faculty, staff, students, parents, caregivers and community stakeholders to help determine who should do the training and what it “should and shouldn’t include.’’

By having a task force looking at this, the solution becomes a team effort and “isn’t just something that’s forced upon’’ people, Lyons said.

She also hopes to involve students in discussions. “A situation like this warrants that we listen to the students who are in our hallways every day.’’

Reviewing student handbook wording is another part of the effort, she said. “There’s room for improvement on handbook language and how we might approach this,’’ she said.

She stressed that she enjoys spotlighting the positive achievements within the school community and will continue to do so but her job also entails having “difficult conversations.’’

“I’m unafraid to have these conversations,’’ she said. 

The ultimate goal, she said, is to “create safe spaces for all our students and learners.’’

Committee chair Richard Young did not respond to a request for further comment.