Framingham School Committee Picks First Person Of Color As Chair

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The Framingham School Committee elected the first Brazilian woman as chair of the body on Wednesday, elevating Priscila Sousa to the position that was held by Adam Freudberg over the last four years.

Sousa was elected in a near majority vote with District 7 member Tiffanie Maskell abstaining. Maskell and District 9 member William LaBarge nominated Freudberg for a third term as chair, but he declined.

"I know that you can do this, you can do the work, you can lead us during difficult and happy times," he said in remarks to Sousa as he declined the nomination.

In general, the School Committee chair leads the group during meetings, and picks members to serve on committees.

"The school committee chair shall preside at all meetings of the school committee, regulate its proceedings, and shall decide all questions of order. The school committee chair shall appoint all members of all subcommittees of the school committee, whether special or standing," the City Charter says of the School Committee.

Sousa, 33, emigrated to Massachusetts from Brazil as a child. In remarks about her election, she credited her education in Framingham as a reason why she sought a School Committee seat in 2019 — she also ran for mayor in 2017. Sousa was reelected without an opponent in 2021.

Over the past two years, Sousa chaired the School Committee's Equity Diversity & Inclusion Subcommittee, which last met in June 2020. She was also a key player in the recent process of renaming of Harmony Grove Elementary. She highlighted the city's diversity in her remarks about taking over as chair.

"There is one place in Framingham where all this diversity connects one way or another, in the schools," she said.

The School Committee also on Wednesday unanimously elected Jessica Barnhill as the vice chair. District 2 member Ricky Finlay and District 9's LaBarge were both nominated to become clerk. Finlay won in a 5-4 vote with Finlay, District 3 member Jennifer Moshe, Sousa, District 6 member Valerie Ottaviani and Barnhill in favor.