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