The Frederick Foresteire Center for Performing Arts at Everett High School – otherwise known as the auditorium – is before the School Committee this month on a request by Mayor Carlo DeMaria to rename the facility after the late Dorothy Martin Long.
At Monday’s School Committee meeting, the Committee by a unanimous vote accepted a request from the mayor for the renaming and sent it to the Subcommittee on Property for further evaluation.
There was no immediate comment from anyone on the Committee and Mayor DeMaria did not wish to comment at this time either. He submitted the item in his role as an ex officio member of the Committee.
The Center was named after former Supt. Fred Foresteire when he was still at the helm of the schools and shortly after the new Everett High was completed so many years ago. However, criminal allegations of improper conduct against him prompted his resignation in December 2018 and charges were filed in court in early 2019. The case is still pending and has been delayed by COVID-19 court shutdowns. He is charged with seven counts of misconduct, but hasn’t yet been convicted of anything.
That said, many have asked numerous times if the Performing Arts Center would be renamed given the negative publicity surrounding the former superintendent. Nothing, however, was done as the School Committee said it was waiting until the resolution of the court case before taking any action on renaming things that carry the name of Foresteire – including the Center.
On Monday, in what was a surprise to observers, Mayor DeMaria moved to have the Committee go ahead now and consider the renaming.
Dorothy Martin Long was a long-time community and education advocate in Everett, serving in numerous capacities before her unexpected passing earlier this summer. She was prominent on the Superintendent Search Committee that met many times in 2019 before picking new Supt. Priya Tahiliani.
The matter was voted to Committee on an 8-0 vote.