A fourth term of the contract, the School Committee has the right to send Malone to undergo an independent medical examination to determine if he is capable of performing the functions of his job “should a question of fitness arise in the future.
Earlier this month in a majority vote, School Committee members voted on the amendments to Malone’s contract in closed session.
In November, in another closed-door meeting, committee members vote retain Malone to run the Fall River School District which has over 10,000 students and 2,000 staff.
In both votes, sources indicated that there was a 4-to-2 vote, with School Committee members Kevin Aguiar and Paul Hart voting to fire Malone instead of amending his contract.
“Thanks to the School Committee,” said Cadime.
H Harrison, assistant to MCAD commissioners, said that when a complaint is filed with the anti-discrimination state agency, an investigation is conducted.
“At the conclusion of the investigation we issue an investigative disposition, which are our findings. At that point we will be able to discuss or disclose the complaint and the findings and at that point it becomes public,” said Harrison.
MCAD investigations take approximately 18 months to conclude, he said.
MCAD does not make public pending investigations, Harrison said.
School Committee member Mark Costa responded to the City Council s criticisms in an emailed statement:
“In August 2020, I broke the tenets of our core values by behaving in a manner that disrupted the team work of our central office and hurt the feelings of our professional community. At that time, complaints were filed and the School Committee did the right thing by investigating, said Malone in a phone interview Tuesday. So now we’re in January and the investigation is done and discipline has been meted out and I want to say I am embarrassed by my actions in August and I’m sorry for my lack of professional judgment and lack of professional decorum and I apologize from the bottom of my heart to those whom I have impacted.”