In the week since the dean of students of Pittsfield High School was arrested on charges of alleged large-scale cocaine trafficking, more staffers in the district have been put on leave or are the subject of misconduct accusations.
The claims range from inappropriate relationships with students to hiring practices that saw administrative jobs go to underqualified candidates. At Wednesday’s school committee meeting, city leaders responded to Pittsfielders who demanded answers.
“None of us in this room want to be in the position that we're in now. And as mayor, I've said to myself 1001 times, what's that one thing that's going to happen to keep you up at night? Well, it’s been nights since I've been able to sleep. I don't want to sit here and defend the fact that I had no clue. You can believe me or don't believe me- I had no clue," said Mayor Peter Marchetti. “At this stage of the game, the only thing that I can pledge is that we will follow through with the FBI and DCF and allow the investigation to go forward. I don't know how many times that I have spoken with Superintendent [Joe] Curtis since Wednesday morning at 7:30 when I got the text from someone saying, hey, do you know the FBI is raiding a school employee's home? I happened to have been on the radio at that time and was like, oh, what am I going to do? Because I have no clue what's going on, I have no idea why.”
Marchetti said he supports a third-party investigation into the district which the school committee is already working on putting together.
“I've had concerns about the hiring process," he continued. "So, I think our recommendations and where we're going is a step in the right direction. I pledge that we will hold everyone accountable along the way, when we get a fair investigation back from DCF and the FBI. But right now, I want to turn away from the investigation for a moment and spend some time thinking about the students and the teachers, first at Pittsfield high school, but then secondly, across the district. Because what do I hear every day? Huh, that school district in Pittsfield? Well, you know what? That school district in Pittsfield means all of us up here and all of you out there, and everyone at home- And I don't think we all deserve that same reputation, because we're not those people.”
The mayor said he would make himself available to those in the school community reeling from the crisis.
“My pledge is to taking care of the people today, because I know they're hurting, I know they're afraid, and I know they need help, and when the investigation comes back, we'll take swift action to hold folks accountable," said Marchetti. "But we cannot do this alone, and I don't want to be pointing fingers of who knew what, when, and where. We need to take action once the report comes in.”
Pittsfield Public Schools Superintendent Joe Curtis echoed Marchetti’s claims that he was ignorant of the wide swath of allegations directed at his staff and deflected criticism of his leadership.
“When I started getting the text messages at virtually the same time, I was immediately outraged," said the superintendent. "Now, I will say I have not slept, and I'm not quite myself. But if anyone thinks that, if these allegations are true, that I'm OK with that, as a parent of this school district who has put three boys through Morningside, Reed, and Taconic High School, that I am OK with that, or I would dare ignore that, then you do not know me. You have not taken the time to know my values, personally or professionally, and it is not okay. And I invite anyone that wants to have a conversation to please do so. This is highly upsetting. I am embarrassed, and I am livid.”
In 2022, Curtis received community criticism about noxious fumes from construction work filling two schools during the school day. In a story first reported by WAMC, a whistleblower from the PHS staff said her efforts to sound the alarm on the dangerous conditions in the schools went ignored by Curtis and other administrators.
The Pittsfield city council is holding a special meeting Monday to hear a petition calling for an investigation.
