Lynnfield School Committee elects new chair amidst public outcry

LYNNFIELD — The School Committee elected a new chair, addressed its meeting on Sept. 11, and listened to the public’s response at its meeting Tuesday.

More than 50 community members filled the room in support of School Committee Member Jamie Hayman following the events of the Sept. 11 meeting in which Former Chair Kate DePrizio publicly accused Hayman of threatening her and her family.

The Police Department has since closed the case regarding claims against Hayman, deeming it a civil matter . Following the release of the police report, DePrizio stepped down as committee chair.

At the beginning of the meeting on Monday, School Committee Member Kristen Elworthy was voted in as chair of the committee. She appointed School Committee member Jenny Sheehan as vice chair.

The motion to elect Elworthy as the new chair passed 4-1, with Hayman being the only opposing vote.

“After the events last week, I’m going to have trouble supporting any of you,” Hayman said prior to the vote.

Elworthy then addressed the events of the meeting on Sept. 11 and the days that followed. She apologized to Hayman, his wife, and two daughters, all of whom were in attendance at the meeting.

“It was unprofessional, and I don’t expect it to happen again,” she said.

She said she has spoken to Hayman and the committee’s attorney since the meeting and has clarified the attorney’s advice.

“At this time, there will be no further school committee action on this matter,” Elworthy said.

Elworthy said the attorney said her “recommendation may have been misinterpreted” on how to handle the situation and “she did not recommend or require the step of reading the letter aloud in a public meeting.”

The attorney confirmed that Superintendent Thomas Geary was correct to bring concerns regarding Hayman to DePrizio, who was chair at the time.

“I contest the facts as stated,” DePrizio said in response to Elworthy’s apology and explanation. DePrizio said she has records and will be preparing a statement alongside counsel.

Sheehan and School Committee Member Jim Dillon supported Elworthy’s apology to Hayman.

Hayman acknowledged the committee’s apologies to him and his family and the recognition of the attorney’s advice. He thanked those in the community who have supported him and his family.

“I still believe, and maybe naively so, that there’s so much good that can come out of this role,” Hayman said, as he urged the committee to begin discussing important issues regarding the district, such as MCAS scores and collective bargaining.

Geary apologized to Hayman and recognized there were opportunities for people to step in and handle the situation differently.

“I agree with Jamie, it’s maddening that we continue to spend precious time on these areas,” he said. “Now it’s time to fully focus on doing what’s right, put our agendas aside and work toward our stated goals and the overall success of our students.”

Elworthy opened the floor up to public participation, during which nine residents spoke. Of the nine, two called for resignations of school committee members and two specifically called for DePrizio’s resignation from the committee.

Hayman’s oldest daughter, Ella Hayman, spoke during public participation.

“Now I feel as though I must stand up for myself and my sister and defend our integrity,” Ella Hayman, a senior at Lynnfield High School, said. “At the last school committee meeting on Sept. 11, Mrs. DePrizio accused my father of abusing his position, thus giving his children — my sister and I — unfair preferential treatment.”

Ella Hayman, who serves as the Student Council President at LHS and is in the top 10% of her class, said she has worked alongside DePrizio in her leadership positions at school.

“I’m both surprised and offended that you made these baseless allegations that have direct repercussions on me and my sister,” she said. She said she doesn’t know the other committee members personally, but found it “disrespectful” they allowed DePrizio to make these claims.

She said her and her sister have earned all of their accomplishments and deserve the credit for their own work.

“We have never once gotten special treatment because of our dad’s position,” Ella Hayman said. “It is not our dad’s school committee position that has helped us, but instead his, and our mom’s, endless love and support that got us where we are today.”

She called for the committee to recognize their actions and the consequences that go beyond the school committee.

“In the future, I hope you fully understand who will be impacted when you make these public statements because we did not deserve or ask for any of this,” Ella Hayman concluded.

Elworthy, Dillon, and Sheehan responded to Ella Hayman’s statement and apologized for how the situation was handled. Geary and DePrizio did not directly respond to Ella Hayman.

“I do want to say that I had no questions about your integrity,” Elworthy said. “I really, truly do apologize.”

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