Comments Nothing Personal Says Doherty

John Doherty has read the comments, enough to disagree with a reporter's conclusion that Reading's School Superintendent was mentioned by name more than anyone else.

The comments were part of the Board of Selectmen's late summer survey of residents regarding the failed 2016 override. The goal was to learn from previous mistakes and prepare for the next expected override attempt in April. The comments were an addition to the survey, and were anonymous, honest, and sometimes not all that nice. More than a few were directed at Doherty, who has been directing Reading's schools since taking over from Patrick Schettini in 2009.

"John Doherty is so bad at managing the school budget, I would never vote for an override until he is replaced as superintendent," read one comment. Like Boston sports radio, the negative is heard far more than what's good and that certainly applied to the survey comments.

"I have read the comments," said Doherty while holding office hours at the Killam Elementary School Wednesday. "I look at the comments, and if there's information there that would improve me as a superintendent and what I'm trying to do for the school district and the children of Reading, absolutely I will take that information and I will learn from it. I think my record shows that when I get feedback from community members that I try to do what I can to adjust my practices and my leadership style in the best interest of moving our school district forward. I'll do the same with the comments. I learn from those and if there are things I can change, I'll change.

"For example, if some of the comments are not accurate then I need to do a better job of communicating information to the community regarding things like budget, curriculum instruction, and teaching and learning and the great things that are going on in our school district. Do I lose sleep over it, no. I can't lose sleep over it."

But when a resident says he should lose his job, doesn't he take it personally?

"No, I can't. In my position you can't do that. You really can't. You're never going to be the most popular person. If you're the most popular person that means you're making decisions that are not necessarily in the best interest of the school district. That's always my goal, to continue to improve as a superintendent and my primary motive is always to do what's best for kids."

Photo by Bob Holmes