The “help wanted” sign hangs again in Boston as the city searches for its next permanent school superintendent. Since Tommy Chang departed the school district last summer, the process to find a replacement has been quiet and lacking clear timelines and transparency.
Early on in the process I requested that at least one city councilor have a role on the search committee in order to update the entire council and thus keep our respective constituencies informed. Not only are students and parents left out, but even the council has little knowledge as the process unfolds behind closed doors. As the search progresses, we must ensure the person who takes on this mighty task is well positioned to make meaningful, lasting change; if we learned anything from the shortcomings of the recent interim superintendent process, the only way we can do that is by making the details of the process public-facing and having buy-in from all relevant stakeholders. As a member of the recent headmaster selection committee for Boston Latin School, I saw firsthand the value of transparency and broad stakeholder participation in the midst of broken trust.