Tea Party planning rally outside Saugus School Committee meeting

SAUGUS – Christmas may have ended almost two weeks ago, but Santa Claus will be taking center stage at next week?s School Committee meeting, both in the meeting room and on the steps of the Roby Building.Carlos Hernandez, the state coordinator for the North Shore Tea Party, is organizing a rally to take place outside the school administration building next Thursday, Jan. 12 at 5 p.m., the same night the Saugus School Committee will be meeting to discuss the recent Santa Claus controversy.?Once they ban Santa Claus from the schools, next thing you know they?re going to be going after decorations and then the Santa parade we have every year in Saugus,” said Hernandez. “That?s what?s going to be next, banning everything that this country was based on.”Superintendent Richard Langlois garnered national media attention in the week leading up to Christmas after he initially decided to end a nearly 50-year tradition of Saugus firefighters dressing as Santa Claus and handing out coloring books at the town?s elementary schools. Langlois reversed his decision later in the day.Langlois was then bashed on the prime time Fox News Channel talk show “The O?Reilly Factor,” and the following day Saugus police responded to the School District building on Main Street for a threat that was mailed to Langlois.Hernandez said at least 25 people have signed up for the rally so far, but is hoping for at least 100 to attend. Hernandez said there are around 600 people in the North Shore Tea Party.?There?s a lot of people coming,” said Hernandez. “I live in Saugus so this is very dear to me. I could not understand what was going on. I started getting calls from people wondering, ?What the hell is going on here?? We want to ensure that they vote the right way. The firemen have been doing this for 49 years. How in the world is this all of a sudden a problem?”The school?s “ceremonies and observances” policy states that “the observance of religious holidays is not the responsibility of the schools.”Hernandez said he plans to attend the School Committee meeting after the rally and will speak during the public comment portion.School Committee Chairman Wendy Reed said she knows Hernandez personally and isn?t expecting any kind of disruptions at Thursday?s meeting.?This is all part of the process,” said Reed. “It doesn?t surprise me. It?s a sensitive issue.”Reed said the School Committee is still waiting to hear back from counsel and from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees for clarification on the policy.Fire Chief James Blanchard said he hadn?t heard about the planned rally and thought the issue would have fizzled out by now.?I figured it would go gently into the night,” said Blanchard. “I?m surprised it?s still carrying on. I thought by postponing the meeting it would reduce the amount of people that showed up.”Blanchard said he could see Langlois? point of view on the issue, but his biggest problem with Langlois? initial decision was the timing.?I could understand (Langlois?) reasoning, but the timing was horrible,” said Blanchard. “If that?s a decision the School Committee jointly makes with the superintendent, then I could understand it. But get ahead of it, don?t leave it until the last minute.”Blanchard said local firefighters are welcome to attend the rally if they want, but noted it?s not likely.?Off duty guys could go, absolutely,” said Blanchard. “I don?t think they will, it isn?t something you want to get in a big battle about. It really isn?t that big of a thing.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].