In a move that has sparked considerable debate among locals, Stoneham Public Schools Superintendent David Ljungberg will keep his job following the public's outcry over his handling of a security incident involving James McCarty, a convicted sex offender. Ljungberg faced backlash when it came to light that parents were not informed until five days after the incident occurred on March 21 outside South Elementary School, as reported by Boston.com.
Despite the uproar, the Stoneham School Committee decided that Ljungberg would not be removed from his position, having concluded that he did not violate any district policies. The discretion on communication with the public, under existing safety policies, is left to the administration. The committee acknowledged the situation was poorly handled, saying in a joint statement,“While it is encouraging that our school safety procedures resulted in a safe outcome for students, staff, and the community, we understand that the communication following the incident was a failure in judgment. We apologize for the distress this has caused. We recognize that promptly sharing as much information as possible, and updating our community as needed, is the minimum expectation. As a school district, we will do better to ensure this lack of communication does not happen again,” according to a Boston.com report.
McCarty, the 39-year-old offender, was found wandering near the school with two knives on him, and a third on the ground nearby, said Stoneham Police. Deemed a level 1 sex offender with a known history of mental health issues, McCarty attempted to flee but was promptly apprehended by law enforcement and charged with carrying a dangerous weapon on school property and disorderly conduct, WCVB detailed.
As tension mounted, Stoneham residents signed a petition with over 500 signatures demanding Ljungberg's removal and voiced their frustration at a school committee meeting. Parents angrily decried the lag in critical communication. "Mr. Ljungberg, I have absolutely zero faith in your ability to be the superintendent," Stoneham resident Andrew Dawson stated. He further emphasized his disdain by saying, "I really think you should resign, or go your separate ways, because this isn't working," Stoneham resident Andrew Dawson told Hoodline.
Another parent, Katrina Bridges, expressed her exasperation, "You don't respond to emails, you don’t communicate upfront when it needs to happen," also reported by Hoodline.
In response to the situation, Superintendent Ljungberg apologized for his handling of the event, and the school committee has promised a review of policies related to crisis response.
