School Committee to Discuss Complaint Against Cresta in Open Session

As Marblehead Beacon reported yesterday, a Marblehead resident recently issued an official complaint with the School Committee against Acting Superintendent Michelle Cresta. The complaint was in response to a district-wide email sent by Cresta condemning Hamas attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023.

The School Committee originally planned to meet in executive session—meaning without public participation—to review the complaint. School Committee Chair Sarah Fox told Marblehead Beacon yesterday that a complaint of the kind issued against Cresta is required to be discussed in executive session, unless waived by the individual about whom the complaint is filed.

The School Committee is scheduled to meet tonight—Thursday, October 19, 2023—and the previous agenda indicated that an executive session would be held, after which the School Committee would return to public session to make a statement.

As of this morning, the agenda for tonight's meeting has been updated to include: "Review Complaint Against Michelle Cresta (right to executive session waived) (vote)."

Reached by phone after the updated agenda was released, Fox told Marblehead Beacon that, "Michelle Cresta waived her right to the discussion happening in executive session, for which I am very grateful. I think this speaks to her character."

The School Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in the Marblehead High School library and on ZOOM.

Editor’s note: School Committee member Jenn Schaeffner is a Marblehead Beacon founder and editor. She is recusing herself from Marblehead Beacon’s coverage of the School Committee and anything pertaining to Marblehead Public Schools.