EASTHAMPTON — After a tumultuous month in which the search for a new school superintendent made national news, the School Committee on Tuesday agreed to put the search on hold and seek an interim leader for next school year.

In a 5-1 vote, the committee chose to contact the Massachusetts Association of School Committees to see what candidates are available for an interim role. The committee also had the option to offer the job to superintendent finalist Jonathan Bruno, but decided against it after several members again felt that he was “not ready” for Easthampton.

“I really think it’s time to put this particular search away and start fresh,” member Ben Hersey said. “We get an interim in the meantime and, hopefully, begin the process of healing. I think that our community does need to, hopefully, put this away and find a way forward. And I think that someone, hopefully someone could come in and set up shop for a little while and help us get started on the new era in Easthampton.”

School Committee member Shannon Dunham dissented, and member Laurie Garcia abstained.

Before the vote, Garcia once again made an appeal to reenter negotiations with superintendent finalist Vito Perrone, who was first offered the position by the School Committee. Less than a week later, the committee rescinded that offer after Perrone included “Ladies” as a salutation in an email.

“I just want to state once again that I truly feel that the only way we can work towards healing this community and showing what a true teachable moment is and showing students that we can sit together and learn from our mistakes together and work towards a good solution, which will heal, I would like to make a motion to enter into negotiations with Dr. Vito Perone,” Garcia said.

She also said that the committee “never negotiated” with Perrone and that she was troubled by the fact that other committee members had said otherwise.

In the end, the committee voted down Garcia’s motion 5-2. Dunham, who had announced her resignation from the committee via social media earlier this month, supported Garcia’s motion.

Dunham was able to participate in the meeting because she had not officially submitted a resignation letter, something she intended to hand-deliver to the city clerk on Wednesday, she told the Gazette.

Perrone and his attorney James B. Winston, who both attended Tuesday’s virtual meeting, said they were disappointed that the motion to re-offer the superintendent position to Perrone did not pass. In a statement, Winston thanked Garcia and Dunham for stating on record that the committee never negotiated and that the “offer was rescinded because he addressed two women as ‘ladies’ in an email.”

Winston also noted that Perrone was grateful for the continued support from the community, several of whom were vocal during the public comment portion of the meeting.

According to Karin Moyano Camihort, director of the city’s Information Technology Department, the meeting was attended by 519 users.

Winston also said he had spoken to the School Committee’s attorney on Tuesday before the meeting and reiterated Perrone’s continued interest in the superintendent position.

“The school committee’s attorney did confirm to me prior to the school committee meeting that he had relayed my message to the chair. Interestingly, and disappointingly, the chair did not disclose during the School Committee meeting that Perrone remains interested, although it should be noted that she did praise the other candidate for his continued interest in the position,” said Winston, referring to Bruno.

Chairperson Cynthia Kwiecinski indicated that the hope is to have an interim in place by July 1, with the superintendent search process taking place again this winter.

Another finalist, Erica Faginski-Stark, was offered the job by the committee after Perrone. She withdrew her candidacy after students from the high school’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance club flagged a Facebook account with Faginski-Stark’s name that contained posts they described as “conservative transphobic rhetoric a multitude of times.”

Though committee members did not reference Faginski-Stark by name at the meeting, several commended the students who had brought the finalist’s Facebook posts to their attention.

“I am enormously proud of students in our district who stand up for each other, who watch out for each other, who prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion, who call out transphobia and bias and racism when they see it and this is not a single example of it,” said School Committee member Megan Harvey. “Transphobic comments, make a candidate not viable for this district.”

Committee member Hersey echoed Harvey’s sentiments, adding that he was grateful that the Facebook posts were discovered. As a previous advocate for Faginski-Stark, Hersey said once he learned of that information it was clear that it was time to move on.

He also expressed interest in attending the Gender and Sexuality Alliance Club’s meetings or stand with the group as an ally to show further advocacy.

“I would also like to support your work however I can because this is an issue that is massive and needs to be much more visible,” said Hersey.

Emily Thurlow can be reached at ethurlow@gazettenet.com.]]>