By Josh Resnek
The School Department, the School Committee and the Superintendent Selection Committee are exerting strong influences to guide the choice of a new superintendent.
The extent to which they have all gone to keep the process a secret from the city government and from the people is a bit like everyone who cares being asked by them to cast their fate to the wind.
How can everyone be so careful about this process and at the same time so uncaring about an incident that happened last week and not have a word to say about it or a suggestion of what to do about it or a care in the world for exercising caution in the face of a situation that is potentially very dangerous?
Last week, an employee of the school department was arrested for a domestic violence incident. He spent the night in jail. He was arraigned in Malden Court the next day.
As soon as he got out of court, he allegedly went to his teaching job at a local elementary school.
Whether this man is innocent or not is not the issue.
It is not for us to decide.
The issue is the safety of school department employees and everyone involved with the school department including students.
Employees of the school department arrested for incidents of domestic violence should be suspended from their jobs pending the outcome of the situation in court, the same way NFL football players are suspended from their right to play football when they are accused of domestic violence incidents.
It is the right thing to do.
Everyone deeply devoted and involved with the secret superintendent
search that is exclusionary should involve themselves in a safety process that keeps employees who are alleged domestic abuse perpetrators away from the school department until their cases are adjudicated.
To do otherwise is to accept having employees who are like hand grenades waiting to go off.
Perhaps the outspoken chair of the school committee should speak up about situations like this.
The Old Warrior
There is something almost nostalgic about Jason Marcus’ effort to get himself re-elected to public office after being out of public office for the past 5 years.
I know how hard he has been working, and how much he has put of himself into the campaign at a time when most people his age are enjoying quiet retirements and watching others battle with political worries about election or defeat.
Jason is facing newcomer Stephanie Martins.
She is about 40 years younger than Jason, and at this point, far more energetic.
She is a newcomer to the Everett scene.
He is the old-timer up at bat for last try at a homerun.
I know Stephanie – not as well or as long as I have known Jason.
I know this. Jason has been there and back in a long life.
He has been up and he has been down.
He is the first to admit he’s made his share of mistakes, and every now and then, his loyalties became muddled in the political storms that raged around him.
Stephanie is a virtual unknown. It is hard to know where she will stand when and if she is elected.
Will she be independent? Will she support the mayor? Is she looking at the council post as a stepping stone to something much more important? It is hard to know any of this other than to be intrigued by her and beguiled by her and to wonder where exactly she is heading and whether or not she is going to make it there.
As for Jason, I know this.
He is the old pro struggling against heavy odds to come back again. Thomas Wolfe, the late great 20th Century author of “You Can’t Go Home Again,” might have said of Jason, “You can’t come back again.”
But then, no one knows these things for certain, not great writers, not handicappers, no one, not until Election Day.
The Mayor’s Dance
The upcoming election features the mayor’s involvement in a number or races.
The mayor knows, and we all know, getting those who vote for you to vote for others you want to see elected is easier said than done.
It is a harsh reality that one can usually mainly depend on their own votes without sacrificing old friends and voters who are asked to vote for others.
The mayor remains the top pol in this city.
His bad habits, his tendency toward greed, his disloyalty, his disregard for people in general and city employees in specific, his bullying, his heartless and soulless firings and the numerous incidents that have come to the public about a number of his private relationships can no longer be hidden by the mayor because he can’t control the Leader Herald.
He has, in other words, lost a bit of his luster, and over the years, he has lost a bit of his support.
How much of a loss he has suffered in his popularity will be partly proven by the outcome of the election in little more than two weeks.
Can he get Al Lattanzi elected?
Possible but questionable.
Can the mayor’s write in tenant defeat first timer Le?
Possible but highly doubtful.
Can his slate wipe out Gerly Adrien and will he cast a vote for a woman of color and ethnicity?
This is very doubtful.
His slate will not likely wipe her out.
Can he get rid of Mike Marchese?
Very doubtful.
Can he get rid of Wayne Matewsky?
Impossible.
Will he support John Hanlon?
Only half heartedly, but John understands the mayor.
How about President Dell Isola? Can he overcome a truly weak and declining series of performance in recent elections?
Possibly but his re-election will be close and in large part, will be a result of Pete Napolitano gaining strength at Dell Isola’s expense. How will the mayor do on Election Day.
We’ll let you know the day after.
We know this – the mayor cares about one thing and one thing alone when you boil the situation down to its root. The mayor cares about himself.