"Fast Track" Decision on TMS Principal

Lately, there have been articles in the newspapers regarding the selection of John Hudson as Torrington Middle School Principal. I wanted to further comment on these stories.

I sat on the six-member selection committee of teachers during the second round of interviews for principal. From the start, we were concerned because the interview sheets instructed that "only positive comments" for each candidate were to be made. I for one did not follow the directive and made both positive and negative responses. After the interviews were completed, our team recommended that no principal be selected at this time.

We had our reasons for each candidate. In Mr. Hudson's case, it was due to the fact that he was never a middle school administrator. This was an important consideration to us as teachers at TMS. Our last principal had only elementary administrative experience. We found this to be a tremendous weakness and flaw that was never overcome during the former principal's seven-year tenure at Torrington Middle School. Also, Mr. Hudson did not posses a doctorate, which according to the posting was not required, but preferred.

Shortly after interviews were over, we started getting information that there were circumstances surrounding Mr. Hudson's resignation at Hall High School which were controversial. These were relayed to the Superintendent and the Human Resource Director. We also heard that the other interview committees did not select anyone from the six candidates interviewed, and also had stated that no choice should be made at this time. Superintendent Riccio conveyed to us that if there was no top candidate recommended by the committees, that the current situation would remain for one year, with a new posting for principal in the future.

Imagine our surprise when less than two weeks after the interviews, on Tuesday, June 4, we found out that Mr. Hudson would be presented to the Board of Education on June 5 for approval. It is important to note that as an association we sent email messages with our concerns to every board member on June 4, and we also hand delivered to each board member the same letter fifteen minutes before the executive session. Five Board of Education members told me before the meeting that they shared these same concerns. The members of the Board of Education were well aware of the concerns in the letter.

Needless to say, despite the plea to wait a short time to complete a more extensive background check, Mr. Hudson was approved unanimously after a half-hour question and answer session. Torrington taxpayers have paid for school officials to go to Arizona, New York, and other places across the country for other principal candidates. Doesn't anyone find it odd that no team was sent a half hour down the road to West Hartford? Isn't it also odd that the recommendations from three interview committees were disallowed? Doesn't anyone find it odd that this position was given "fast track" status?

I do not know Mr. Hudson. For all I do know, he may be exactly what Torrington Middle School needs. I believe some of his criticism is unwarranted. For example, numerous complaints were made in the media by parents who didn't want their "Billy" or "Sally" disciplined. Without question, we need a strong discipline philosophy at TMS, and I believe Mr. Hudson will fill the "black hole" we've experienced in this area.

However, the voters and taxpayers of Torrington need to realize that the members of the Board of Education are elected to represent the interests of the town, not the individual(s) they hire. The Torrington Education Association did not ask the members of the Board of Education to vote down Mr. Hudson, but to err on the side of caution by waiting a few days or until the next BOE meeting. It was more than a reasonable request given the circumstances. The former principal vacated his position on May 10. Only three weeks had passed.

This approval should not have been rushed; it was too important a decision after the turmoil Torrington Middle School has experienced for years. If the BOE had waited two weeks to make its decision, Mr. Hudson still could have been seated July 1 as was the hope of Torrington's administration. In this case, the BOE would have discovered what happened at Hall, and then would have had to decide if they wanted to move forward. At least they would have had more facts on which to base their decision.

Torrington's students, teachers, parents, and public deserve better than what they received. I find it impossible to believe that a principal position can be posted and searched out, candidates interviewed by two sets of separate committees, selected, and approved in three weeks, after the committee's recommendation was to continue searching. This process was flawed from the start; there was obviously another agenda. The board needed to slow it down before it was too late, but unfortunately that didn't happen. It's easy to say that it's "time to move on" when you've made a wrong decision. I sincerely hope the losers are not the students, teachers and staff of Torrington Middle School.

Matthew P. Valenti is President of the Torrington Education Association.