Cambridge’s own Graham & Parks School is involved in controversy: allegations of a toxic work environment propagated by Principal Kathleen M. Smith have sparked an investigation and raised questions about the hiring process within the school district. The situation has placed a spotlight on the district’s response, the concerns of caregivers, and the broader implications for the school’s future.
The controversy began when concerns about Principal Kathleen M. Smith’s leadership practices were brought to the attention of the Cambridge School Committee by the G&P Caregiver Coalition, an anonymous parent group. The coalition, composed of 50 members, expressed concerns about Smith’s management style, citing a 2019 Newton Public School Human Resources investigation into her tenure as principal at Newton’s Underwood Elementary School. The investigation uncovered a “toxic working environment,” complete with reports of fear among employees, the perpetuation of an “in-group” and “out-group” dynamic, and a lack of empathy for staff.
The G&P Caregiver Coalition, in a January 2 letter to the Cambridge School Committee, stated that the Newton report corroborated behaviors exhibited by Smith at Graham & Parks. They expressed concerns about the district’s hiring process, contending that the information from the Newton investigation should have disqualified Smith from becoming their principal. The coalition alleged that some staff members were fearful of speaking out publicly due to concerns about retaliation, and some parents worried about the potential departure of experienced teachers in response to the difficult work environment.
Tensions within the school community escalated in the fall of 2023 when caregivers expressed growing concerns about Smith’s decisions, which they said did not align with the school’s mission and a leadership style hostile to educators, caregivers, and students. A petition circulated by the coalition, signed by 116 caregivers, urged Smith to adhere to democratic practices integral to G&P school culture; this includes transparent communication, community inclusion in decision-making, and caregiver and educator input in hiring decisions.
Prompted by the G&P Caregiver Coalition’s concerns, Cambridge Public Schools engaged a law firm to conduct a thorough review of the allegations surrounding Smith’s leadership at Graham & Parks. Superintendent Victoria Greer, in a January 5 email obtained by The Crimson, assured the community that the district was taking the concerns seriously. The investigation, she promised, will include both the reported toxic work environment and the issues raised about the hiring process for Smith.
In a January 17 response to the coalition, Superintendent Victoria Greer reassured that the law firm’s investigation was underway, and retaliation against individuals participating in or assisting with the review was prohibited. The G&P Caregiver Coalition expresses a lack of trust in the district’s ability to protect staff and teachers during the investigation. The Cambridge Education Association, the city’s teacher union, is closely monitoring the situation.
As Cambridge’s Graham & Parks School deals with the allegations against the school’s Principal Kathleen M. Smith, the community finds itself at a tense standing. It is certain that the outcome of the review will hold long-term implications for the school’s culture, the well-being of its staff and teachers, and the trust between the community and its educational leadership.
The article also appears in our February 2024 print edition.
