SAUGUS — The School Committee on Thursday voted unanimously to dismiss Superintendent of Schools Erin McMahon, nearly ten months after McMahon took paid administrative leave while an investigation into her conduct played out. Later, the committee appointed Michael Hashem, who has been serving as acting superintendent in McMahon’s stead, to lead the district full-time.
During the meeting Thursday, which was initially slated to be conducted in executive session but later held in view of the public at the request of McMahon and her attorney, Michael Long, Committee Chairman Vincent Serino finally made public the concrete allegations against McMahon. Serino, citing a report conducted by the law firm Arrowood LLP, which was contracted by the town to serve as special counsel, accused McMahon of failing to disclose her relationship with Relay Graduate School of Education in a timely manner, permitting Excellent Reflex Consulting to charge excess fees to the district and charge the district for alcohol, and spending 40.5 days out of the district during the course of a six-month period.
More than half — 22 — of those days were classified as “professional time,” with most spent at Boston College, where McMahon is pursuing a doctorate, another 12.5 were spent on vacation, where the remaining six days were split evenly between personal days, sick days, and telecommuting.
A large crowd — including former School Committee Chair Tom Whittredge — attended the meeting, with several audience members holding signs in support of McMahon. Also among the crowd was former Marblehead Superintendent of Schools John Buckey, who was ousted from his post earlier this year.
McMahon defended her conduct during the hearing, and said the process by which she was investigated was corrupt and incompetent. And, she once again alleged that the committee’s practices were discriminatory.
As McMahon laid out her allegations against the committee, Serino appeared perplexed, frequently taking notes and referencing documents in front of him.
“It is clear to me that my leave was never ever about anything I did,” McMahon said. “When this started in January, we were in the process of negotiating a budget that would put more resources in the hands of students, educators, and parents.”
“I went on leave and suddenly millions of dollars were taken out of the budget,” she added, noting that Saugus was allocated more than $6 million under the Student Opportunity Act for fiscal year 2024. It remains unclear where that money went or how it is being used.
McMahon noted that she and her attorneys participated in the investigation, though she said they were under no obligation to do so because it was conducted on behalf of the town.
And, she said, any allegations of impropriety on her part are “patently false.”
“I have a paper trail to back it up,” she said, noting that additional information was provided to the committee Thursday.
McMahon alleged that the committee failed to comply with its own policies, district procedures, and state and local law. She added that she did not have the opportunity to discuss any of the claims made against her prior to her leave, noting that she and Serino met regularly.
“I could have addressed any concern, but no concerns, not one, was ever elevated during those conversations,” she said.
During her statement, McMahon sought to rebut each claim brought against her by the committee, saying she disclosed her relationship with Relay to both Serino and Whittredge. She said that she was not aware of any errors on invoices, which the district receives a “huge number” of each month, and that the errors totaled just $10.40.
She also noted that during the contract negotiation process, when she was hired, she disclosed that she would be pursuing a doctorate at BC during her time as superintendent, seemingly attempting to defray the concerns raised about time out of the district.
On Thursday, McMahon and her attorneys provided the committee with ample rebuttal material, seeking to concretely refute the allegations brought against her in the Arrowood report.
“It provides all the information you need … please review it carefully. Issues were raised, they were asked and answered,” she said.
McMahon also made a personal appeal to the committee, asking them to think of their own daughters and granddaughters and how they would want them to receive fair treatment — an opportunity she said she was not afforded.
Long later said McMahon was never given the chance to review the Arrowood report in its entirety and urged them to review the materials she had submitted to them.
But, the pleas appeared to fall on deaf ears with the committee, with member Leigh Gerow moving to terminate McMahon with cause, which was carried unanimously.
McMahon, after the committee moved to adjourn, said simply “good luck on Tuesday,” noting the impending election set for Nov. 7 in which all five members are seeking to retain their seats.
The vote came just days after the revelation that the committee, allegedly after the intervention of Town Manager Scott Crabtree, reneged on an agreement it had reached with McMahon on her status, according to Long. Serino denied that any agreement had been reached.
McMahon’s departure essentially represents the completion of a sweeping change to the highest levels of the district’s leadership that saw the exodus of four female administrators and Belmonte STEAM Academy Principal Rebecca Long during the summer.
McMahon has alleged her treatment was “motivated in large part” by her gender. She has also alleged the committee violated her contract by failing to provide her with written notice of any allegations leveled against her.
Michael Long has filed an Open Meeting Law complaint against the committee with the attorney general’s office, tied to a May executive session meeting in which members voted to place McMahon on leave after she indicated her intention to end her leave and return to work. The committee allegedly failed to provide notice to McMahon that she was to be the subject of that executive session. The complaint is still pending.
Later, during a meeting of the full School Committee, member Dennis Gould moved to nominate Hashem to take McMahon’s place, pending the negotiation of contract details. Hashem had been receiving a stipend of $750 per day for his role as acting superintendent.
That motion was carried unanimously, with members praising Hashem, the former principal of Saugus High School, for being a calming force for the district.
“In a very short period of time, he got up to speed on all the improvements that were already in place: the new curriculums, identifying key programs, technology, district professional needs, and pulled together the vision and mission statement and actions needed to continue to move the district forward,” Gould said.
Vice Chair John Hatch added that Hashem “kept everybody going and moving forward when it could have fallen apart.”
“This is absolutely the right thing for many reasons for the district,” Hatch said.
