Exclusion of Williams from leadership post a missed opportunity for School Committee
The elected officers prioritized earning the trust of their colleagues over building the trust of the wider community.
Democracy was not in play during the June 3 School Committee meeting to select officers for the Acton-Carlisle High School and Acton School Committees.
Four times, Drew Magliozzi nominated Michael Williams for chair and vice chair positions of the CCHS and Acton School Committees and, each time, the nomination and amendment process seemed pre-ordained to defeat — and silence — Michael.
The result was that members who had already served were nominated and elected to serve again. Norms, such as the vice chair acting as the “understudy” for the chair position were ignored, as the chair of the CCHS Committee just rotated down to become the vice chair.
My impression was that the elected committee officers prioritized earning the trust of their colleagues over building the trust of the wider community and ease of internal collaboration over open and honest communication.
Drew Magliozzi said it well when he said that Michael has the skills that are needed for these times — to bring up difficult conversations and widen the conversation to include all members of the school community. Such inclusive conversations are the source of creative and sustainable solutions.
By reseating existing School Committee officers, the leaders of our School Committees are opting for the status quo over inclusion.
This was truly a missed opportunity.
Ellen Quackenbush
Prairie Street
The author is chair of the Transportation Advisory Committee writing on her own behalf.
