EDITORIALS

Editorial: Lansing deserves more from superintendent, Lansing School Board

LSJ Editorial Board

Editor's note: The address for the upcoming public input session was incorrect in a previous version of this editorial. It has been updated to the correct location.

Lansing School Board members have an important decision to make in replacing outgoing superintendent Yvonne Caamal Canul: Will they move forward with internal candidate Mark Coscarella even after he was accused of sexually harassing an intern nearly two decades ago?

Caamal Canul unconditionally defends Coscarella, asserting “It didn’t happen. It’s a completely false accusation.”

School board president Rachel Willis said board members did not have any concerns about Coscarella following the accusations.

And school board member Gabrielle Lawrence said, “I believe him 100% when he tells me these allegations are not true and I think we're very lucky to have him as a district.”

These are disturbing responses to a serious allegation of impropriety. Casually dismissing it or accusing the alleged victim of seeking her “15 minutes of fame,” undermines progress made in encouraging victims and survivors of sexual assault or harassment to come forward.

Caamal Canul apologized late Friday to the former intern for not using better wording in discussing the incident and "for the impression that I am not sympathetic to nor in support of women who have endured this experience."

Read more:Caamal Canul apologizes for 'lapse in judgment' after describing accuser as 'troubled'

Yet, these earlier comments suggest complaints of sexual harassment will not be taken seriously by Lansing schools, especially when Coscarella currently serves as the school district’s Title IX coordinator – the one responsible for investigating any complaints of sexual assault or harassment in the school district.

Since public reports of the allegation against Coscarella, board members have decided to hire a firm to investigate. They are also looking to the Michigan Association of School Boards to help assess his candidacy.

These are positive and appropriate steps.

Additionally, the first of two community input sessions was held last week, allowing residents to provide comments on the process thus far.

Read more:Outgoing superintendent defends Coscarella in harassment claim

A second input session will be held at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 12 in the Wainwright Conference Room at 4200 Wainwright Ave. Residents who are unable to attend but still want to weigh in may also do so online at surveymonkey.com/r/lansingsearch.

Board members would be wise to pause their superintendent search and take to heart the comments they are hearing from the community.

Perception is reality. And in a district with 11,000 students and 3,000 employees that fights daily to build its reputation and advance its students, the next superintendent should have the full support of the constituencies he or she will be serving.

Judy Putnam:In Lansing superintendent search, citizens deserve public interview

This is an important decision for the future of Lansing Schools. The school board should take great pains to ensure it makes the right choice.

– an LSJ editorial

---

The LSJ Editorial Board speaks for the LSJ as an institution. Editorials do not carry an individual byline because stances on issues are never decided by one person. Contact the board by emailing opinions@lsj.com