As someone who has spent my career teaching, creating schools and advising districts on transformative change, I’m deeply concerned about the timing of Cambridge’s superintendent search. We’re putting the cart before the horse.
Hiring a superintendent is the most consequential decisions a school committee can make. It should be done in partnership with the leaders our community elects this November – not rushed through by a committee whose term is ending.
The current search has been marked by confusion, lack of transparency and frustration from families and educators alike. The Cambridge Education Association has called for a pause. When teachers ask us to slow down, we should listen. There’s no crisis. Our interim superintendent is providing steady leadership. We have the time – and the responsibility – to get this right.
I’m running on a vision of creating the best school district we can imagine – grounded in critical thinking, courage, collaboration and care. Our students and teachers should be both challenged and cherished as stewards of our democracy. As voters, our responsibility is to elect a School Committee that not only upholds those values, but is equipped to lead a superintendent search that reflects them.
In a healthy democracy, major decisions should be made by leaders with a fresh mandate from the voters. We need commonsense leadership to rebuild trust and lead with integrity and expertise. In fact, I believe our newly elected School Committee could lead the superintendent search directly – we have everything we need right here in Cambridge to get this decision right.
As someone who has hired staff and supported districts through complex transitions, I understand how much process matters. Cambridge deserves a superintendent selection rooted in transparency and true community partnership.
This decision is too big to rush. Let’s elect our new School Committee – then let them lead.
Caitlin Dube, Huron Avenue, Cambridge
The writer is a candidate for Cambridge School Committee.
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