By JOSH RESNEK
Superintendent of Schools Priya Tahiliani is not one to become involved in the muddy mess that Everett politics presents to so many members of the school committee and or the schoolteachers and members of the school administration.
Tahiliani is a bit above the fray, seemingly unconcerned but not exactly unknowing about what the politicians think, and quite at ease with her leadership style and attention paid to details.
For many months, the mayor has publicly and privately questioned Tahiliani’s policies and style and her overall ability to shepherd the Everett Public Schools.
He has made no bones about it.
He’d like to remove her if possible – and as soon as he can.
That is all well and good but what would she be removed for other than to satisfy the mayor’s whim?
She is under contract for three years.
Her contract would have to be bought out if the mayor were to rid the city of her.
Sources tell us it doesn’t matter to the mayor if the buyout costs $300,000.
Now that the mayor is a voting member of the School Committee, his effort to control and manipulate the school committee is apparently in full swing.
With the demise of the political careers of Frank Parker and Tom Abruzzese, Tahiliani has lost two of her biggest and most influential supporters.
In the meantime, Tahiliani goes her merry way doing what she was hired to do, which is to run the EPS after the fashion she sees fit.
Here at the Leader Herald, we listen carefully to all Everett “chatter” about
the running and management of the public schools.
Many, many parents, teachers, administrators, and students all have opinions and there are many who share the same opinions and many who share differing opinions.
Tahiliani’s tenure so far has shown her to be businesslike and forthright, steady, and organized, education-based and not politically based, articulate and informed.
Her recent real-time, hands on oversight of the recurring violence problems at Everett High School has appeared to quiet the situation, although it is well known that violence is now a problem in nearly every urban high school in the land.