Mayor Takes Flak From Waltham School Committee Over Parent Meeting

The Waltham School Committee criticized Mayor Jeannette McCarthy on Tuesday over arranging a meeting with concerned James Fitzgerald Elementary school parents. 

At one point, the meeting became heated when School Committee member Robert Cincotta told McCarthy to stop “lying.”

Near the end of Tuesday’s School Committee meeting, Vice Chairman Lisa Limonciello asked for an item to be added to the agenda, to which the committee agreed. Limonciello began the agenda item by asking McCarthy about an upcoming meeting with Fitzgerald parents.

In response to concerns over the “stability” of the overall school system she has received from Fitzgerald parents, McCarthy said she had scheduled a meeting with the parents to address the concerns, some of which had been discussed on social media channels.

“You cannot have people who feel they are not part of the process,” she said of parents’ concerns.

However, several committee members strongly criticized her for not notifying the committee of the gathering. 

“I intended to notify the committee,” McCarthy said. “I’ve been hearing a lot of issues. I contacted [the Fitzgerald parents.]."

The strongest criticism came from Cincotta, who got into a heated exchange with McCarthy. McCarthy said, “You have indicated to me [in the past] that it’s not ok for me to speak to parents [as mayor].”

Cincotta, who is running for a seat on the City Council and plans to leave the school committee, retorted, “I never said that.”

A few seconds later, Cincotta yelled at McCarthy, “Don’t put words in my mouth,” in response to McCarthy’s saying Cincotta told her she could not speak to parents but that committee members could. 

Cincotta exploded at McCarthy several seconds later, “I wish you would stop lying … now you are lying. Do not put words in my mouth.”

See the video for a clip of the exchange. It is courtesy of WCAC-TV.

MEETING TOPIC UNCLEAR

While the exact topic of the meeting remains unclear, Waltham Public Schools Superintendent Susan Nicholson said she had received word about an email circulating among Fitzgerald parents inviting them to meet with McCarthy and that the subject would be herself.

“Mayor McCarthy has invited us to meet with her to review our recent interactions with Superintendent Nicholson. The meeting will be held on Monday, August 12, at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Waltham Cultural and Community Center at 510 Moody Street,” Fitzgerald PTO president Liz McCarthy wrote in that email.

Nicholson, during the school committee meeting, said it would be uncomfortable for her to attend the gathering.

“I certainly do not want to be in a position where I will be defending myself. I also feel very strongly that if parents were concerned about anything … that they should be meeting with me.”

However, Liz McCarthy later told Waltham Patch the meeting would be about “recent events” at the school.

The meeting comes soon after the Fitzgerald school hired a new principal. The Waltham Public Schools recently hired an interim principal to replace Robert LaRoche, who left for a job in the Watertown schools.

Liz McCarthy told Waltham Patch the meeting is closed to the public and media. Mayor McCarthy said it would be an open meeting.

MORE CRITICISM

After the exchange between McCarthy and Cincotta, Limonciello took the microphone to express her concerns that the committee should be involved in responding to parent concerns.

“We cannot respond to disagreements of things that happen with the superintendent that we have not encouraged those parties to follow up with the superintendent first,” Limonciello said. 

McCarthy said she was acting as mayor when responding to the parents and not as a school committee member. Technically, McCarthy said she is an ex-officio member who only attends school committee meetings in order to run them.

“The intent [of the meeting] is to try and see what the problem is that is circulating,” McCarthy said of the planned meeting. “A lot of stuff is swirling, and if you’re not aware it is swirling, then you’re not paying attention.”

COMMUNICATIONS

School Committee member Margy Donnelly expressed concerns similar to Limonciello's of how the committee should communicate with the school community.

“I am disappointed that if there is a whole lot of stuff swirling there, that we are not contacted now,” Donnelly said. “We need to clarify things here. We should be notified of things and not just have to read about them on social media … I think we are looking for a lot more transparency.”