School Committee Defends Superintendent Hart Against ‘Slanderous’ Licensing Claims

By Neil Zolot

Members of the School Committee and Everett Public Schools Superintendent William Hart characterized recent remarks about his qualifications made at a recent City Council meeting as slanderous, at their meeting on Monday, December 1. “I don’t expect everybody will like everything I do, but it has been personal,” Hart said. “It’s slanderous in the way it’s done. It’s said with anger. The credentials I hold are no different than other superintendents.”

“It’s laughably false to state Hart doesn’t possess the licenses required by state law to serve as our superintendent,” School Committee member at-Large and Chairperson Samantha Hurley agreed. “It seems as though it’s personal against a member of this community. Allegations against the one and only employee we are in charge of is not qualified are false,” a reference to the fact that the School Committee hires a superintendent, and the superintendent hires the staff in the school system.

Allegations that Hart lacked licenses and qualifications were made by Peggy Serino during Public Comment at the City Council meeting on Monday, November 24, considering appointments the City Council is making in the waning days of the DeMaria administration and before mayor-elect Robert Van Campen takes office in January. Serino has been described as a complainer who speaks at every meeting complaining about something. “Why aren’t you delaying appointments until the new administration comes in?” she asked. “People voted for change, not more of the same. People voted for change, not a continuation of the good old boys network. Isn’t it bad enough Hart — he’s a good guy, no one says he isn’t — seems to represent the good old boys network? He doesn’t have any of the credentials the state requires to be a superintendent but has a temporary license and was just given a contract extension and money. Is this what we want at City Hall?”

In October, the School Committee extended Hart’s contract from June 30, 2028, to June 30, 2031, with Cost-of-Living Adjustments retroactive to July 2024 and an increase of $3,000 in a retirement account. “We felt he’s done a great job and is deserving,” Chairperson Hurley said after the vote at the School Committee meeting on Monday, October 20. The extension followed the release of an evaluation of Hart’s performance at the School Committee meeting on October 6, on which it was rated as exemplary, and an Executive Session vote to extend his contract the same night.

Hurley and Ward 3 member and Vice Chairperson Jeanne Cristiano placed an item on the December 1 School Committee agenda with the idea of sending a letter to the City Council disagreeing with the allegations and tone of Serino’s remarks, although one was not sent. Hurley pointed out, “Although an emergency license was obtained where Hart became interim superintendent [in 2023], he applied for and currently holds a provisional license from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). This includes completion of a Bachelor of Arts degree in an accredited institution while Hart holds a Masters’ Degree in Public Administration. He passed the licensing test requiring at least three full years of employment in an executive, management or leadership or in a supervisory, teaching or administrative role in a public or charter school, private school, higher education or another educational setting accepted by DESE. He has more than 25 years of experience in leadership roles in education accepted by DESE,” a reference to him being a former teacher at Bunker Hill Community College and head of the state Association of Community Colleges.

Cristiano added, “To allow this type of discourse to go on we do a disservice to ourselves, our parents, children and the superintendent. I’m for free speech but not speech that is slanderous. It’s okay if you don’t like someone, but this helps nobody.”

She also said the allegations against Hart “malign us as well. It questions our integrity about hiring a person with no background in education and no qualifications.”

Ward 5 member Marcony Almeida Barros objected to naming Serino in any communique with the City Council, citing a 2023 state Supreme Judicial Court ruling based on remarks at public meetings in Southborough that requiring such remarks be civil and free of rude, personal or even slanderous remarks constitute an unconstitutional restriction on free speech. He said Serino “used her right of free speech to say what she believes, even though it’s not the truth. I believe it is the duty of this body to defend our only employee, but I don’t think it’s the role of this body to send a letter. The person went to a public meeting and used her constitutional right of free speech.”

He eventually made a motion to refer the matter back to its sponsors. Ward 2 member Joanna Garron agreed: “I don’t think it’s necessary to have this person’s name on this. She isn’t the only one with these misconceptions.”

“Free speech is a right the School Committee respects, and we take the same opportunity to refute falsities and set the record straight,” Hurley countered. “We urge the City Council and others to reject the false narrative about the schools and by rejecting false narratives and comments about its leadership intended to influence public perception and erode confidence in the school system.”

School Committee attorney Robert Galvin said he believes a letter is “an acceptable” response. “I don’t agree that making a false statement is something the City can’t respond to,” he said. “The School Committee has every right to correct the record and explain what the truth is. You’re all subject to criticism and harsh criticism, but do I believe you have to accept statements that are false? I do not.”

Reflecting on the discussion that named Serino despite the lack of a formal written response to her allegations, Ward 4 member Robin Babcock concluded, “Talking about countering the narrative without infringing on a person’s rights, as uncomfortable as we feel, is important.”