School Committee members Stu Sklar and Virginia Justicz show remarkable forgetfulness, or, in my opinion, outright dishonesty in their letters to the three Harvard newspapers last week. The petition to censure the School Committee is based on facts. They are aware of investigations by state and federal agencies: excellent reporting by all three local newspapers, by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, and by the Boston Globe have cited various investigations.
For instance, in the June 22, 2007 edition of the Harvard Press: “Harvard’s director of special education, Charles Horn, said that he had been interviewed by the Massachusetts Ethics Commission and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of the Inspector General.” The Harvard Hillside, on June 29 reported, “Wickman closed the conversation by saying the issue is being investigated by outside forces . . .” Wickman also said, “We are awaiting state reports and investigations that are taking place.”
At their June 25, 2007 meeting, the School Committee stated the independent auditor’s report was inaccurate. The School Committee has failed to substantiate inaccuracies in the auditor’s report. They further questioned the auditor’s independence. Although Stu Sklar claims that the report was presented to the selectmen, the School Committee had no compunctions about viciously attacking the auditor and his report.
Presumably they reviewed the report before so doing.
Readers can review the many months of newspaper reporting on these matters to see how the School Committee is twisting and torturing the truth. The School Committee needs to be censured to hold it accountable for its actions.
Deborah Skauen-Hinchliffe
Still River Road
