FALL RIVER The public sparring continues.
The Fall River School Committee defended itself in a response on Tuesday to criticism rained down on members by the City Council, which condemned four members for their November vote to keep Superintendent Matt Malone despite allegations he harassed and bullied school staff.
“Last week, City Council members questioned the performance of this Committee and its response to these allegations suggesting that a conflict of interest influenced its actions in response to the complaints against the Superintendent. Any such suggestion is unfounded. The members of this Committee followed the proper legal procedure and received specific guidance from the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission prior to participating in or voting on the matters concerning the Superintendent. There is no legal or ethical basis for raising such concerns and it cannot be fairly questioned that the members of the School Committee ethically and lawful
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: