The Westford School Committee announced Monday evening that a majority of the Committee has “lost confidence” in Superintendent Olsen’s leadership. I would like to make clear the majority of Westford’s teachers have not. Increasingly however, Westford’s teachers are losing confidence in the leadership of this School Committee.
Many staff feel that if numerous former Westford School Committee members were willing to get up Monday night and say “you (SC) violated open meeting law by not allowing him to be there when his character was discussed” then there is probably merit to the claim they did in fact violate the law. I might personally say its an “honest mistake” but please SC dont hang your hat on Bill’s honest mistake with the procurement contracts.
Staff morale is becoming a bigger and bigger issue, and “unsettled” (the SC chair’s word) barely scratches the surface. We are disheartened, exhausted, and frustrated. That School Chair Adam doesn’t know what morale might look like if Bill is not back with us next year under these circumstances means the School Committee is very out of touch with how their decision is negatively impacting already sliding staff morale in our school system.
I commend Sean Kelly for his strong sense of conviction. We appreciate that he was willing to stand alone in his support for renewing Bill Olsen for one last year.
We, the proud teachers and staff of the Westford Public school system, respectfully but assertively call on our School Committee to reconsider their non renewal vote. — Mike Colson, President, Westford Education AssociationÂ
