Cambridge director keeps his job after external investigation

An external investigation into a Cambridge Public Schools principal who was accused of fostering a toxic work environment found the allegations to be “unfounded,” the school district said Monday.

The closure of the investigation came after parents pressured the district to investigate Kathleen Smith's hiring, including the involvement of the former superintendent.

Smith, principal of the Graham & Parks School since 2022, was investigated after parents raised concerns about new policies, hiring and a “top-down” leadership style, a parent coalition said.

The G&P Caregiver Coalition also cited a report from Newton Public Schools, where Smith served as principal at Underwood Elementary School for eight years. An internal investigation there found a “toxic work environment” and recommended new leadership for the school. Parents claimed the report was overlooked when Smith was hired.

Study shows: Not a toxic workplace

CPS Acting Superintendent David Murphy told parents Monday that Smith would remain in her position after the city's outside legal counsel said “credible evidence does not support a finding of a toxic workplace.”

“The evidence shows that staff have had a variety of experiences under Dr Smith's leadership, some of them extremely positive, supportive and stimulating, and others considerably less so,” Murphy said in the findings.

The investigator said that “many of the incidents reported appeared minor compared to the responses they provoked,” but said an additional reference check should have been conducted before Smith was hired at Graham & Parks, which accepts children from preschool through fifth grade.

However, that would not necessarily have changed the decision to hire her, Murphy wrote.

“The district hopes that this solution, along with additional support to promote a more inclusive and constructive learning environment, will enable the Graham and Parks community to move forward with confidence in the school's leadership and direction,” Sujata Wycott, a district spokeswoman, said in a statement.

Interim Superintendent Sends District Administrator to G&P

Murphy, who stepped in after former Superintendent Victoria Greer was fired, said the district will work to improve the school climate in the coming year. He and Smith will meet with staff and hold a “town hall meeting” for parents and guardians in September. The first day of school is next Tuesday.

Murphy also said his office will play a larger role at the school. A special adviser to the superintendent will be “resident” at Graham & Parks, and another group of administrators will host small group discussions with staff and parents, his letter said.

“Dr. Smith has made it clear how much she wants to lead Graham & Parks to greater equity and better outcomes for students,” Murphy wrote. “Her unwavering commitment to the children of the school is evident, and I am grateful for her willingness to collaborate and for her pursuit of a more inclusive and harmonious time with all stakeholders.”

Several leadership changes at Cambridge schools this year

Greer was fired in May after the superintendent had a turbulent year and was named interim superintendent in 2021. She was voted out of office by the school board “without good cause” and received a severance package of over $200,000.

Her dismissal came after she received a “needs improvement” rating in her annual evaluation. The school committee raised concerns about Greer's management and communications with stakeholders, member Rachel Weinstein wrote in her monthly blog.

Weinstein also raised concerns about Greer's hiring practices, which included the hiring of Smith in 2022.