School district chaos prompts 2 resignations

Harvard schools are facing their biggest crisis in years, after a jarring sequence of controversies that includes a critical audit, a number of external probes, a vote by residents to censure the School Committee, and, most recently, two high-profile resignations.

Last Thursday, a day after residents voted, 2 to 1, in favor of censuring the School Committee for its unwavering support of embattled Superintendent Thomas Jefferson, one of its members stepped down.

Jeff Shaw, whose term was to expire in April, said it's clear residents have lost confidence in the School Committee.

"If people feel that strongly about how badly we are doing, it's time for one [of them] to take over," Shaw said. "It's been an extremely tough year."

Meanwhile, the town auditor, who recently released a management report highlighting problems in the School Department, has also stepped down and is calling for Jefferson's resignation.

"We need a fresh start," said George McKenna, who had been the town auditor since 1992. "We need a new beginning to put this controversy behind us. I resigned to spark that."

A group of 248 citizens had signed a petition placing an article on a Special Town Meeting warrant to censure the School Committee. Petition drive organizers say the committee has dismissed the auditor's report and prematurely extended Jefferson's contract while the School Department was under investigation by several state agencies. After a lengthy debate at Town Meeting last Wednesday, residents voted to censure the School Committee by a vote of 215 to 117.

Petition organizer Keith Cheveralls said he hopes the School Committee hears the message and takes steps to restore confidence. "My hope is the School Committee will take this very seriously," he said. "They need time and space to reflect on the vote of the town."

Willie Wickman, chairwoman of the School Committee, had no comment on the vote or Shaw's resignation.

Shaw said the experience has soured him on running for elected office and worries that other potential volunteers will be turned off by the censure vote. He said he still does not understand what the residents were trying to accomplish with the petition.

"It wasn't any fun," he said. "I never expected to feel appreciated. I did it because I thought I could make a difference."

Cheveralls said he is disappointed Shaw stepped down. He said the petition was not intended to fuel resignations but to spark a debate.

"It's regrettable," he said. "The intent was to stimulate open debate and move it out of the shadows where the issues could be dealt with. This isn't about winning and losing. It's about dealing with something and moving forward."

The School Committee and the Board of Selectmen will hold a joint meeting to fill the vacancy until the town election on April 1. No date has been set for that meeting.

Cheveralls said he will consider throwing his hat into the ring.

He helped start the petition drive after the School Committee extended Jefferson's contract over the summer. Jefferson was halfway through a four-year contract when the committee extended his pact by a year.

Cheveralls said he and many residents were unhappy with the decision because the School Department was under investigation by the state Ethics Commission, the Criminal History Systems Board, and the Worcester district attorney's office.

The investigations revolve around the department's decision to reimburse a former School Committee member for his child's tuition at a school not approved by the Department of Education for special education.

The district attorney's office found no wrongdoing, but the Ethics Commission is still investigating. Also, a resident has accused the superintendent of discussing his criminal background with other parents, a violation of state law.

McKenna's year-end management report raised questions about the special education expenditures and a series of thefts in the School Department. McKenna recommended the town look into the special education payments more carefully.

Wickman has challenged the validity of the report, saying the auditor does not have experience in special education law. She also questioned his independence because he is a resident and member of the Finance Committee.

McKenna said this is the first time his objectivity has been questioned during his 15-year tenure as town auditor, and he could not ignore the accusations. He said standards as a certified public accountant require him to step down if questions are raised about his independence.

After he stepped down, he immediately called on Jefferson to resign. Citing the special education expenditures and what he said was the superintendent's lack of response to a series of thefts in the schools - including a laptop computer, food from a school cafeteria, and various small tools, equipment, and office supplies - McKenna said he has lost confidence in Jefferson's ability to manage the affairs of the School Department.

McKenna said his investigation also found that many employees in the schools are unhappy with Jefferson's leadership. "We may lose them, and that frustrates me as a taxpayer," he said.

Jefferson was not available for comment.

Jennifer Fenn Lefferts can be reached at jflefferts@yahoo.com.