Cambridge School Committee votes to oust superintendent

The Cambridge School Committee voted Wednesday in favor of Superintendent Victoria Greer's resignation. Greer recently faced backlash for hiring a principal who had been accused of creating a toxic environment.

The committee voted 5-2 in favor of giving Greer a 90-day notice to resign, a measure previously ratified in a closed session between committee members on April 30. The committee said that meeting was private to avoid "a detrimental effect on the negotiating positions."

The committee didn't publicly say why they chose to end her contract. In a statement posted on the school committee website, the group wrote that "Cambridge Public Schools appreciate the hard work that Dr. Greer has put into advancing student outcomes in Cambridge, and we applaud her many accomplishments."

Mayor E. Denise Simmons and school committee member Richard Harding voted against the move. Greer's contract was set to last through the end of the school year in 2025.

In a statement to the Cambridge school community, Greer said she had "mixed emotions" and named accomplishments she was proud of, including reducing absenteeism, increasing academic achievement and extending the school day by 30 minutes.

"I leave the superintendency absent any regrets and immensely thankful that I was afforded this opportunity," she wrote. "I am saddened to leave as I know there is much work to continue and I am confident that our school and district leaders will continue the great work that we started. I will do all that I can to work alongside Mayor Simmons to help ensure a smooth transition to your next leader."

Mayor Simmons said the district will "work with great speed" to appoint an interim superintendent and will look both in and outside the district for a new superintendent. Simmons said the district will have a transition plan to replace Greer on or before June 30.

Greer has been the Cambridge superintendent since February 2022 after having served in an interim capacity beginning in July 2021. She was the superintendent of Sharon Public Schools before taking on the role in Cambridge. In 2021, the Sharon school district reached a $750,000 settlement with Greer after she alleged the school committee retaliated against her by voting not to renew her contract after she complained of racial discrimination. Greer, who is Black, was Sharon's first superintendent of color.

In a July 2023 performance review, the school committee rated Greer's overall leadership in her first year as "needs improvement." They wrote that they "see the need for her to improve hiring processes, community relationships, management and communication." But they also commended her leadership on the city's universal preschool initiative and said data showed that students' academic performance metrics were "moving in the right direction." They had rated Greer's performance as "proficient" in 2022.