~ Letter to the Editor ~ A Call to Preserve the Spirit of Malden

To the Malden Community,

Malden’s motto is “Strong Past, Proud Future.” For generations, those words meant something. They represented a city built on pride, connection, loyalty, and an unwavering commitment to its students and community.

I graduated from Malden High School in 2021 as Class Treasurer, a three-sport athlete, and a two-sport captain. Even while attending college, I continued working with Malden High through the athletic department because my connection to this city never ended at graduation.

My older sisters graduated in 2016 and 2017, both deeply involved in student life and school pride as class officers, sports captains, record holders among other volunteer work and accomplishments. My aunt graduated in 1972. My mother, Judi Lombardi (formerly Ball), served as secretary of the Class of 1985 alongside three of my aunts, and the relationships and memories formed through Malden Public Schools still remain strong decades later. My great uncle, James Conway, served as Mayor of Malden. I do not share this as a boast, but as evidence of how deeply rooted my family has been in this city for generations.

That kind of lifelong connection does not happen by accident. It happens when a school system becomes part of the identity of a community.

For many years, Malden represented something special. It was a place where educators devoted their lives to students, where institutional memory mattered, where school spirit bled blue and gold, and where community loyalty carried real meaning. People stayed because they believed in the city and believed in its future.

Today, many members of the community feel that pride is fading.

This is not simply “resistance to change,” as it is often dismissed. Every institution must evolve. New ideas matter. Progress matters. But meaningful progress is built upon a strong foundation, not by erasing it.

Over the past several years, many longtime educators, mentors, and respected community figures have quietly disappeared from the system. These are people who shaped generations of students, people who devoted their careers to Malden, and people many of us credit for our success both inside and outside the classroom. Whether intentional or not, the result feels the same: the gradual erosion of the identity and culture that once made Malden Public Schools exceptional.

One of the clearest examples of this concern was the removal of Principal Chris Mastrangelo. Students organized walkouts. Alumni and families spoke out emotionally. The reaction was not simply about one administrator; it reflected a deeper fear that experienced leaders who understand the heart of Malden are increasingly being pushed aside despite the trust and support they built within the community.

I recently returned to Malden after graduating college and beginning my career as an emergency room nurse in North Carolina. Coming home, I expected to feel the same sense of pride and unity I remembered growing up. Instead, I found many mentors and students discouraged, disconnected, disenfranchised and afraid to speak openly about the direction of the school system and the city itself.

Too many people who care deeply about Malden have been pushed into silence. But silence does not preserve communities. Silence does not strengthen schools. Silence slowly weakens the passion, trust, and pride that once filled the halls of Malden High School.

Participation is what preserves communities.

I urge parents, alumni, students, educators, and residents to become involved again. Attend meetings. Ask questions. Support the educators who continue to serve students with integrity. Share the stories and traditions that made Malden special. Hold leadership accountable while still advocating for unity, transparency, and respect.

Most importantly, do not allow decades of community pride and sacrifice to quietly disappear.

A proud future cannot exist if we erase the people who created our strong past in the first place.

The strength of Malden has always been its people. That strength still exists, but only if we are willing to protect it.

David Lombardi

Malden High School Class of 2021