Pittsfield Councilor Wants Summary of PHS Investigation Outcomes
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A city councilor is adding pressure to release an executive summary of the Pittsfield High School misconduct investigation.
Councilor at Large Earl Persip III has submitted a petition to Tuesday's City Council meeting urging the School Committee to release a public summary of the findings from the independent investigation into staff misconduct at PHS.
He said public trust needs to be restored in the school district, and transparency is vital to make that happen. The petition asks his colleagues to go on record in agreement.
"The community has been deeply affected by recent events, including the arrest of a school administrator on federal drug charges and subsequent allegations involving other staff members. While we understand the importance of protecting individual privacy rights, transparency is crucial in restoring public trust in our educational institutions," Persip wrote.
"At the core of this issue is trust, trust between the school district and the community it serves. The scandal at Pittsfield High School has eroded that trust severely. Students and parents have felt betrayed that school officials, who are supposed to ensure a safe learning environment, were implicated in serious misconduct. Confidence in the school's leadership and in the district's ability to police itself has been shaken."
Last week, school officials requested a recap of the process and, if possible, the findings of Bulkley Richardson & Gelinas' investigation triggered by allegations against two administrators that surfaced in December. They have since been reported cleared of misconduct by the Department of Children and Families.
"Right now, the public has the seven of us sitting up here saying nothing was substantiated," said Mayor Peter Marchetti, who motioned for an executive summary.
"And quite frankly, part of the argument may be its cost, but how much money have we already spent and how much time have we gone down this rabbit hole to still have this black cloud hanging over our head without the public buying into anything that happened?"
At the beginning of the conversation on April 9, Chair William Cameron read a six-page written explanation of the committee's choice to follow legal advice and not release the report, citing legal and prudential reasons. He told Mayor Peter Marchetti that the district's attorney, Russell Dupere, saw no issue in releasing a description of the process.
Persip proposes an executive summary that outlines the scope of the investigation, the process undertaken, and the general conclusions reached, noting that it should respect legal and privacy considerations while providing the public with a clear understanding of the outcomes.
"Such transparency will demonstrate the School Committee's commitment to accountability and
help rebuild confidence among students, parents, and the broader community," he wrote.
At the end of March, the School Committee voted to extend the investigation to the end of April, as Cameron reported "The investigation is coming to a close, but it may not be finished, and the documents may not be completed by the 31st of March, which was the date for the original retainer."
Judge Mary-Lou Rup, a retired Superior Court judge, is the lead investigator at a rate of $275 per hour and paralegal services for $110 per hour.
Tags: investigation, PHS,
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