Students calls for restart in Springfield Public Schools Superintendent search

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – As the search for a new Superintendent of Schools in Springfield is ongoing, some are now calling for a whole new search to begin.

A number of Springfield Public School students have been speaking out for a few weeks now, calling Mayor Sarno’s handling of the Superintendent search concerning. Student’s gathered at the Pioneer Valley Project (PVP) offices in Springfield Thursday afternoon to address concerns with the process.

The student’s mentioned their distrust with the composition of the screening committee, which currently includes no students, and includes mostly current and past Springfield Public School employees along with the apparent disclosure of the identity of at least one candidate, which violates the confidentiality of the search process, something they say is incriminating to Mayor Sarno.

David Pagan, a High School Junior and organizer for PVP said, “He actively broke the law and exposed the corruption and rigging of this process. How can we trust a process claiming to be independent and external when our mayor knows who applied and who they are affiliated with. We must restart this process.”

Mayor Sarno has said that student’s were given the opportunity to volunteer and make the one month commitment to give their input at the beginning of the process but no one stepped forward. That process is happening again now.

Mayor Sarno also says he wants the best for the students and the committee plans to finalize the selection of the new superintendent on May 30 along with the help of an independent law firm.

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