Museum Apologizes To Black Students Who Were Allegedly Told 'No Watermelon' During Visit

The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston issued an apology to a group of black middle school students who were allegedly told by a museum staff member, “no food, no drink, no watermelon.”

The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston issued an apology to a group of black middle school students from Dorchester who were allegedly told by a museum staff member, "No food, no drink, no watermelon."  According to one of the teachers serving as a chaperone, the students were also subjected to a variety of other mistreatments from both museum staff and visitors, notes WHDH. The Washington Post reports that among them was another museum patron allegedly saying of a student dancing to the music in an exhibit: "It's a shame that she is not learning and instead stripping."  The teachers complained immediately and said no action was taken.  About a week after their visit, the museum wrote in a statement: "A number of students…encountered a range of challenging and unacceptable experiences…That is not who we are or want to be. Our intention is to set the highest of standards, and we are committed to doing the work that it will take to get there."