The following letter to the editor was submitted by Andover resident Christopher Shepley, who ran for school committee in this year’s local election. The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Andover News. You can learn more about our policy on opinion and commentary on our Mission and Policies page.
I am writing to express my disappointment in Dr. Conoscenti’s handling of the October 17th School Committee Meeting. As you all know, the agenda included an item for public input and a subsequent response to public input. During public comment, the Vice President of the Andover Education Association (AEA), Lauren McCarron, asked on behalf of the AEA why the Committee did not have an agenda item regarding Ballot Question 2 and voiced disappointment in the decision not to include it on the agenda.
After the public input section had concluded, Dr. Conoscenti refused to allow fellow elected School Committee members to have an opportunity to respond to Mrs. McCarron’s question and public comment. This decision poses several significant issues.
Firstly, the agenda of October 17th very clearly included a dedicated time for response to public input. Neither the School Committee policy guidelines nor Massachusetts General Law allows the Chair to skip over an agenda item unilaterally. During the meeting, Dr. Conoscenti defended her decision to stifle public deliberation by claiming that the Committee had a “very packed agenda.” Regardless of how busy the School Committee may be, the law is clear, and the Chair must run the public meeting following the agenda. Furthermore, the decision to skip over this agenda item deliberately silences fellow Committee members from voicing their opinions, undermines the School Committee’s fundamental purpose, and prevents transparent public deliberation.
Unfortunately, this behavior is not an isolated incident. Dr. Conoscenti has routinely disregarded fellow Committee members’ requests for agenda items and has actively impeded debate within the School Committee and the public on multiple occasions. These actions only erode trust between the people and their elected officials. Therefore, I believe it is in the community’s best interest for Dr. Conoscenti to step down as Chair of the Andover School Committee and allow another member to take the position.
Respectfully,
Christopher Shepley
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