By Nate Leskovic
Times Staff
3/6/08
Long-simmering tensions between Superintendent Magdalene Giffune and the School Committee boiled over this week as Chair Beirne Lovely publicly reprimanded Giffune for actions and positions he referred to as “confrontational” and “rude.”
The scolding at the March 4 School Committee meeting was triggered by budget proposals Giffune recently presented that Lovely says contradicted instructions, and what he says are refusals by the superintendent to attend budget-planning meetings.
“I have to tell you that you work for us,” said Lovely, adding that at one point Giffune wanted to know the nature of his concerns before agreeing to meet. “This is absolutely unacceptable.”
Giffune will retire at the end of the school year and will be replaced by Assistant Superintendent Mary Gormley.
Lovely told Giffune there are “other alternatives” the School Committee could take to address the situation if Giffune did not comply, and called her “adversarial.”
“I’m not going to play this game the rest of the year,” Lovely says.
The undercurrent of tensions between the department and the committee, which have remained private until now, have already affected the budgeting process for the upcoming school year, which faces stringent budget cuts without a successful Proposition 2 1/2 override from voters. A Warrant Committee-proposed $3.27 million override would still leave the schools $560,000 short of its request.
Last week, Giffune presented potential budget cuts that included slashing the assistant superintendent for personnel and curriculum and the facilities director, as well as consolidating the elementary schools by grade level and eliminating the neighborhood schools model.
School Committee members had previously rejected the proposals, which Giffune says were intended to be the most favorable for students in the tough budgeting environment. Giffune was in favor of consolidating the schools when the student assignment plan was revamped last spring, saying it was best for maximizing student achievement, but the option was rejected by the committee and the subject of considerable public opposition.
Lovely says Giffune was unanimously instructed by the School Committee’s finance subcommittee to formulate new budget recommendations, though Giffune denies it. Lovely says her presentation “put it in our face.”
“I do have a right and a responsibility to give my best recommendation,” says Giffune. “We disagree and that’s fine…I want to make it clear that (the committee’s guidelines) are not my recommendations. I’m not intimidated.”
The disputed assistant superintendent position is set to be filled by Pierce Middle School Principal John Phelan when Giffune departs. Lovely says the superintendent refuses to attend meetings that include Phelan.
Giffune says the committee has “trampled on some of my rights as an employee” with regards to the situation with Phelan.
“To insist I attend certain meetings is not respective of human dignity,” she says, in light of the “personnel issues” the committee is aware of.
Giffune says she will attend the next finance committee meeting.