Page 6 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, OCTObER 6, 2023 QUESTIONS | FROM PAGE 4 Lambert chided back, “Of course you’d have more applicants than seats.” She also said that even though there was only one applicant, they should have been vetted according to a scoring rubric. “Just because we only had one applicant, it’s not automatic,” she feels. “The consultant will be paid from a budget line item we didn’t vote on,” Almeida-Barros added. “It was your sole decision. You’re asking us to ratify something, but the group has already been hired.” Mangan answered that he appointed four people to evaluate Alma, and “based on what they saw, they thought it was a good fi t. They work with many urban districts, especially urban districts. I believe Alma gets us and the challenges of an urban district. That was what was appealing to me.” In Public Comment at the outset of the meeting, Robin Babcock asked why a fi rm outside the state was chosen and said Alma favors privatization of education. Lambert echoed these comments, saying, “Alma is affi liated with groups interested in privatization and private money determining what is happening in public schools.” “Consulting fi rms from Massachusetts didn’t want to be part of this,” Almeida-Barros added. “If no consulting fi rm from Massachusetts applied, is there a reason for that?” Mangan answered that being from Massachusetts or another state was and should not be a qualifying or disqualifying factor. He suggested members research Alma on their own. Outlining the search and screening process, he said the Search/Screening Committee will meet every two weeks, with their next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, October 11. Meetings will be held in executive session to protect the privacy of applicants. Alma will be winnowing down the usually large fi rst-round pool of applicants before the screening aspect takes over. In the meantime, a list of stakeholders and interested parties in the city will be determined and there will be a schedule of forums at various schools to hear concerns. The Screening Committee will submit a list of fi nalists to the School Committee, who will interview them in public sessions to determine who will be the next superintendent in late November or December. The election in November will determine new School Committee members who will take offi ce in 2024. Mangan said any members-elect will be able to participate in various steps, but the fi nal decision will be made by the current School Committee. Cristiano called this an overly aggressive and ambitious timeline. “To think of having a new Superintendent by December – I’m not comfortable with that,” she said. She doesn’t feel this process should be happening at all. “I can’t say enough wonderful things about her,” she said of Supt. Priya Tahiliani, whose contract was not renewed by the board. This echoed earlier Public Comments by teachers and administrators. Director of Instruction Anne Auger said Tahiliani empowers teachers, including having them on hiring and review committees, and the School Committee is disregarding how hiring a new Superintendent will affect teachers. Teacher Shane McNally was quite blunt in his vitriol. “End this fiasco and let the new School Committee decide on the Superintendent’s contract,” he said. “You are implicated in an unethical racist campaign to remove the Superintendent. None of your history absolves you of that. The next generation of leaders are everything you’re not. Your actions reek of white privilege.” Once again, the supporters of Tahiliani ran the race card, mirroring her empty lawsuits she fi led based on false claims against the mayor; and again, when her contract was not renewed. According to sources, Tahiliani’s lawyers have yet to move forward in either of her lawsuits – possibly relating to the August announcement by the state U.S. Attorney’s Offi ce of its offi cially dropping its year-long inquiry – absolving the city of any racism, sexism, discrimination or sexual harassment. Tahiliani, who left the Boston School District for her current position after fi ling a lawsuit against the City of Boston, was picked for the job thanks to the eff orts of former school board member and search committee chairman Thomas Abruzzese, who picked Tahiliani to lead the school district despite instead of more qualifi ed candidates. The highest degree she attained was a Master of Liberal Arts in Creative Writing and Literature. According to the resume she fi led for the position, she was still earning her Master’s in Education degree with Pheonix University online. (Editor’s Note: James Mitchell contributed to this story.)
7 Publizr Home