~ Op-Ed ~ Learning from Our Educational Past in Everett

By Mayor Carlo DeMaria

A little less than 9 months after a brave woman told a Middlesex County jury that shame, embarrassment, and fear kept her from coming forward sooner to report her unacceptable working conditions in the Everett School Department under the prior superintendent, it is difficult to understand why anyone would object to the School Committee using a professional process to make sure that we were not repeating the mistakes of the past.

The Everett School Committee has been criticized for acting differently than it did during the leadership of the previous superintendent. We are acting differently, but not for any malicious or political reasons. We are acting differently because we have learned from our mistakes. We are making a concerted effort to be more accountable to employees, especially those who felt that they were failed in the past. This week, we did not revert back to more than 30 years with a superintendent denying and dismissing any and all complaints and a school committee simply taking that to be the answer because the superintendent said so.

Requesting an independent investigation is not a new approach. It is a practice that has been used in the past in Everett. It also is a practice that is used by other school districts and school committees in other cities and towns. Investigations are professional tools that are used to review the conduct and performance of employees at all levels of an organization.

The votes taken by the Everett School Committee on Monday night were not determinations on the merits of recent claims that have been made. Not every claim of harassment, discrimination, hostile work environment, or retaliation is proven to be true. The votes taken by the members who support an independent investigation were decisions that school employees deserve a better opportunity to have their complaints reviewed than they were given in the past.

If we know that we have done nothing wrong, then there is no need to object to or take offense at a process being followed. Are investigations fun? Absolutely not. Are they how we would choose to spend our time? Of course not. Are they an important part of making sure we are fulfilling our obligation to our employees and to the public?

Absolutely.

I don’t know what the outcome of this investigation will be. I do know that this process will respect the rights of all parties involved and that is the obligation of all employers.

What troubled me the most about the discussion and debate that I witnessed this week was the lack of acknowledgement and the outright dismissal by some committee members of the complaints that had been brought forward by school employees. Voting against an investigation basically sent a message to those employees that there was no merit to their concerns and they didn’t even warrant being considered. Comments made by certain members at the meeting emphasized the importance of due process for some, but failed to acknowledge the process that is owed to those raising concerns. More attention and focus were placed by some members on trying to figure out who had made the complaints and what steps they had taken. This type of behavior that scrutinizes employees who have the courage to voice their concerns and make the complaints is the type of behavior that can have a chilling impact on the willingness of employees to come forward in the future.

For those residents, individuals, and organizations who questioned what message the Everett School Committee was sending to students with its decisions this week, the message is a simple, but important one. The message is that we are capable of learning from our past, including our past mistakes. The message is that we have an obligation to create safe spaces and channels for our employees to voice their concerns. The message is that all of us who serve the residents of Everett must be held accountable and are subject to scrutiny regardless of the position held.

The most important lesson that we have learned from our educational past in Everett is that respect is owed to every Everett employee and we need to have processes in place to meet that obligation.