Superintendent Priya Tahiliani – Everett Leader Herald

Tahiliani suit discussed at School Committee executive session

Everett resident Sandy Juliano showed where she stands at the meeting Monday night.(Photo by
Paula Streriti)

By Josh Resnek

A large and boisterous crowd of Superintendent Priya Tahiliani supporters that assembled holding signs and booing some members of the school committee complained mightily when the meeting was sent into executive session at the high school Monday night.

The special meeting, and executive session, presumably, were held to discuss strategy regarding pending litigation now weaving its way through Federal al District Court in Boston and very likely any other issues raised by those on both sides of the issue.

Lawyers representing the school committee and Tahiliani attended the executive session with the school committee and the mayor, who serves as a voting member of the board.

Also, as written on the school committee agenda for the session, it was held to discuss discipline or dismissal of, or complaints brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual.

Very likely, this refers to Tahiliani, who has not been granted an extension of her contract and or the mayor and others named in Tahiliani’s discrimination lawsuit filed some months back in the Federal Court.

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A completely legal and binding vote without conscience

School superintendent selection process begins

By Josh Resnek

The same Everett School Committee that has given positive evaluations twice in recent months to Superintendent Priya Tahiliani caved to the wishes of a higher power and started a search for a new superintendent Monday night.

With a 6-3 vote that was never in doubt, the school committee went forward with an inexplicable effort to replace a superintendent who is respected, has done an admirable job and who should not be removed without reason.

Chair Mike Mangan gave all the perfunctory reasoning for the immediate need to begin the search, but his heart wasn’t in it. Despite his professed reluctance to do what he did, he did it and in so doing, advanced one of the most stale bits of recent Everett political history to take place in the 21st Century.

Members Joseph LaMonica, Cynthia Sarne, Millie Cardello, Jason Marcus and Mike McLaughlin exhibited a crassness about this decision that on its face runs against the better part of common sense.

They voted to being a process, a costly one at that, to find a new superintendent when the present superintendent does a good job which they acknowledged in her evaluation.

The entire meeting Monday night was a seemingly disingenuous charade for those whose vote prevailed.

Superintendent Priya Tahiliani sat through this transparently humiliating meeting with characteristic aplomb.

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Mayor Carlo DerMaria sued in federal court by school superintendent Tahiliani

Everett High School students rally for Priya Tahilianiin front of Everett City Hall two weeks ago.(Photo by Joe Resnek)

Allegations of racism, sexism, retaliation

By Leader Staff

A breaking Boston Globe story Tuesday morning revealed that Superintendent of Schools Priya Tahiliani has filed a law suit in Federal District Court accusing the mayor and several school committee members of racism and discrimination after they voted two weeks ago not to renew her contract.

Her contract expires in 2024.

Tahliani and Kim Tsai, a deputy superintendent, accused the mayor and the School Committee of “blatant and overt acts of discrimination and retaliation” because they are women of color, because Tahiliani hired administrators who are non-white, and because the two administrators were participating in a Department of Justice inquiry into Everett’s discriminatory practices, the Boston Globe reported.

The Globe reported that once Tahiliani and Tsai began participating in the federal probe, the lawsuit alleges, DeMaria had secret cameras installed in the superintendent’s office.

“The FBI removed those and is currently investigating that unlawful wiretapping activity,” according to the lawsuit, as reported in the Globe.

The lawsuit in federal district court is a successor to similar complaints Tahiliani and Tsai previously filed with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. The lawsuit asks for an undetermined amount in damages and for the defendants to be ordered to cease and desist, the Globe reported.

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Monday night’s vote against renewing contract an inevitable fait accompli

By Josh Resnek

Something that is inevtible cannot be stopped from taking place.

A fait accompli is a thing that has already been decided before those affected hear about it.

In both instances Monday night at the school committee meeting, Superintendent of Schools Priya Tahiliani met her rendezvous with her Everett destiny.

The vote against extending her contract was inevitable and the politics of the situation.

She was basically, unequivocally asked to leave when her contract is up in March of 2024, a fait accompli for the first woman of color to lead the Everett Public Schools.

Going into the meeting she did not have the votes to prevail.

This is one of the harsh realities of of democracy in action in Everett.

Make no mistake, it was democracy in action.

That didn’t make Monday night’s vote fair or just.

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School Committee votes to discuss extension of superintendent’s contract

Four members continue their anti-Tahiliani stance

By Josh Resnek

The School Committee membership decided Monday night to notify as to whether or not they will be inclined to discuss the possibility of a contract extension for Superintendent Priya Tahiliani by December 1st as required by her contract.

The vote was 6-4, and frankly, came as a bit of a surprise.

The wording for the measure is taken from the November 21 School Committee agenda: That the Everett School Committee notify the Superintendent of Schools in writing no later than December 1, 2022, whether or not it wishes to commence negotiations for a successor agreement.

School Committee member Millie Cardello voted for the measure, an unusual move for the senior committeewoman who has shown a propensity to vote as the mayor votes.

The mayor voted against the measure, as did committeemen Jason Marcus, Joe LaMonica and Mike McLaughlin.

The mayor is opposed to Tahiliani and has been for quite some time.

It is no wonder.

Tahiliani filed a complaint against him to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination claiming racism and sexist behavior.

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