Campaign of accusation and innuendo

Posted 4/23/15

To the Editor:

The recent actions of public officials regarding the issue of Gorton teacher Mario Atoyan and the school administration are very troubling to me. All we know is what’s been …

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Campaign of accusation and innuendo

Posted

To the Editor:

The recent actions of public officials regarding the issue of Gorton teacher Mario Atoyan and the school administration are very troubling to me. All we know is what’s been reported in this paper and the Providence Journal and, unfortunately, much of the reporting has been sloppy. At its core, this is about a personnel issue and the administration’s handling of it.

With little to no actual facts in hand other than the aforementioned newspaper reports, the mayor, some council members, and some School Committee members feel it necessary to play judge and jury. The call for a no-confidence vote in Dr. D’Agostino and others by School Committee member Bachus andCity Council members Travis, Vella-Wilkinson and Usler before any investigation is conducted is little more than political grandstanding. Logic and fairness would compel you to investigate first and then judge, but that’s just me. It’s also peculiar that all of this is coming in the middle of a search for a new superintendent. 

The appointment of Mr. Ragosta is a good move, in my opinion. But the recent call by Ms. Bachus to have his verbal report presented to the committee in public forum instead of executive session smacks of an ulterior motive. Her statement that the verbal report should first be presented in a public forum “since it’s been all over the news” is stunning. One has to wonder that if the situation was one in which she was the focus of such an investigation if she would be such a champion of transparency. Respect for all the parties involved requires Mr. Ragosta’s verbal report to be made in executive session and his written report be made public should the School Committee vote for such action. What’s puzzling is why Ms. Bachus, after strongly advocating for a public reporting, abstained when it came time to vote on the issue. If you believe in something, then for heaven’s sake go on record in support or opposition. Over the past couple of years, abstaining seems to have become a growth industry within our School Committee.

At the end of the day, this matter will be investigated by an attorney with excellent credentials. He will report his findings and any actions should be taken after a review of all of the facts. Those elected officials who seem to want to influence the current superintendent search by this campaign of accusation and innuendo are engaging in a most banal form of behavior and should be ashamed of themselves. I’ve long felt that the mayor and the City Council would love nothing more than to move to an appointed School Committee and a public campaign to besmirch the current superintendent before all the facts are known in an attempt to, presumably, provide an advantage to another candidate is but one small step in that direction. 

David Testa

Warwick

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