LAWRENCE, Mass. — Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy should step down from his $200,000 a year job this summer to save the Lawrence schools from any further embarrassment, many mayoral candidates said last week.
The calls for Laboy's resignation came after the School Committee voted to suspend him last week. The superintendent faces a criminal investigation into allegations of financial wrongdoing, which has led to police raids on both the School Department and his Methuen home in the last nine days.
The mayoral hopefuls said they aren't sure whether Laboy is guilty or not; they're just sick of all the drama.
Laboy, 58, announced a few months ago that he would retire in October 2010, when he will be officially vested in the state pension system. But for many of these candidates, that's 14 months too long.
"He can no longer lead the school system. There's always drama," said mayoral candidate David Abdoo, District E city councilor. "This is not a conviction on my part of his guilt or not guilt. Let's leave that to the criminal justice system. But this would be a very good time to do the honorable thing and step down.
"We need a good clean break ... and to allow some healing," he added.
As the race for Mayor Michael Sullivan's seat heads into the summer stretch, Laboy has become the race's first hot-button issue and will likely stay that way leading up to November's city elections.
There are 10 people vying to be mayor, including city councilors, former city councilors, a state representative, a high school teacher and a funeral home director.
Most candidates interviewed Friday said they thought the School Committee did the right thing Thursday when it voted unanimously to place Laboy on paid administrative leave pending the investigation.
Laboy was placed on leave for at least two months or until he is cleared in the ongoing investigation by District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett's office. The superintendent also turned over the keys to his leased SUV, his gas card, and his Blackberry and agreed not to communicate with anyone in the School Department while on leave.
Mayoral candidate Pedro Payano, however, said the School Committee and the mayor — who serves as the committee's chairman — could have handled the situation better and sooner.
"I don't think the mayor handled the situation very well," the Lawrence High School teacher said. "They waited too long. They waited until the last minute. They could have sent a message a long time ago: 'It's time for you to go or you're going to face consequences.' ... But he became like a dictator in a way. That's not good."
Payano encouraged the superintendent to resign, saying, "If I were in his shoes I would have done that a long time ago... but he's stubborn."
Many school and city officials had called for Laboy to be disciplined earlier in the year after a string of scandals rocked the schools. Mark Rivera, Laboy's right-hand man, was found to have used School Department software to run hundreds of background checks on people with no affiliation with the schools.
Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett's office was also investigating underage drinking at Lawrence High School, including an incident that sent a 16-year-old girl to the hospital. The probe focused on alleged efforts to cover up the scandal and the failure of school Principal Terika Smith to report the drinking to police.
Payano said the school system must create a new image.
"The worst thing to do right now is start crying, lamenting about what has happened," he said. "Let's put it past us and move forward. ... I would like to see a new superintendent in place by next July. Let's start the search now."
State Rep. William Lantigua, D-Lawrence, another mayoral candidate, also felt the School Committee may have waited a little too long to act.
"When they found out about the profiling, something should have been done then," he said. "After so many allegations and problems in the past — and no one in the city should be making the money he makes — the best thing he can do is step down."
Lantigua said he will send the Department of Education a letter tomorrow asking the state to send someone to run the schools on an interim basis while they search for a replacement.
"If the allegations are found to be true, we should do a search for a new superintendent, out of the district, who has no ties," he said. "A fresh start."
Marcos Devers, a former city councilor and mayoral candidate, said Laboy should step down because with a cloud hanging over him, the school system cannot focus on what matters — student achievement.
"It's sad what's happened," he said. "It's just too embarrassing for the city. We need a superintendent with credentials, capability and professionalism to run the school system, someone who won't be involved in politics. The interest should not be political, but getting the right services to the kids."
Israel Reyes, a former city councilor who is running for mayor, had called for Laboy's resignation back in April. He said he isn't comfortable talking about what he would have done in regards to the latest investigation, since he has been away this week in Washington, D.C., and doesn't know all of the facts.
"I stand by what I said before," he said. "Being leader of the Lawrence public schools hinges on the ability to move the education system forward. I think he's lost it with the folks that work there. When you've lost that, I think it's time to rethink your role in the system."
Mayoral hopeful Nilka Alvarez-Rodriguez, a city councilor at large, said she agreed with the School Committee's decision to place Laboy on leave.
"I would have suspended him. Whether or not he's guilty, it really doesn't matter at this point," she said. "There's no way he can function effectively, and we still have work to do. ... They needed to find a new superintendent yesterday."
Mayoral candidates Julia Silverio, Michael Fielding, Daniel Cotnoir and Nunzio DiMarca could not be reached for comment Friday.
Abdoo said it's critical that the schools start fresh, as the investigation into Laboy could carry on into the fall, and possibly even next year.
"The Lawrence schools cannot tolerate another year of drama," he said. "The kids don't need this. The teachers don't. They're getting beaten up over there, constantly in the news. It's enough."
