Dr. Omar Easy is seeking to clear misconceptions spread about his educational degrees this week, degrees he said that are of the highest order and were obtained through hard work at a leading research university – noting they weren’t done online and he spent four semesters researching and studying to get his doctorate.
The statement released by Easy, who serves now as the executive assistant principal for the Academies at Everett High, was in response to public comments made about him in the Everett Independent by School Committeeman Frank Parker.
“While it is unfair to judge Mr. Parker’s intentions, the function of his failure to properly review my degrees and qualifications is highly irresponsible, unprofessional, and misleading to our school community,” he said. “One thing for certain is, with all the degrees that I have obtained over the years they are no match to the life of experience that I have gained by being a dedicated educator and resident of this this extraordinary city.
“(After reading the comments), I spent some time trying to decipher if Mr. Parker’s statement was based on ignorance, disrespect or just a futile attempt to diminish my 12 years of higher education accomplishments in the hopes of enhancing the qualifications of the appointed Superintendent,” he continued.
Easy, who did apply to be the superintendent of schools and was not given an interview, said in a conversation that he has moved on from that situation and looks to be a team player. He said he looks forward to new Supt. Priya Tahiliani starting her leadership this summer, and hopes to work closely with her on the academy implementation and other matters in the school system.
However, he said he was not ready to move on from comments made that he felt disparaged a great deal of hard work he did to get his degree, especially comments made by Parker and others that he only had a doctorate in philosophy.
Easy said that is incorrect, and that he actually holds the highest academic degree of anyone in the Everett Public Schools.
He elaborated that a Ph.D., and even his Ph.D., is the abbreviation for Doctor of Philosophy, contrary to Parker’s interpretation of this degree being a Doctorate in Philosophy.
“My Doctor of Philosophy, like every Doctor of Philosophy degree, is a terminal research degree, which means it is the highest academic degree one can receive at a college or university,” he said. “A Ph.D. is only awarded to people who have done advanced research into a particular subject or concentration area. In my case, my subject and concentration area was Education Leadership, not a minor in this subject area, as Mr. Parker stated in the article.”
Easy attended Penn State for his undergraduate degree, and also for his doctorate degree. He said he also possesses a Master’s in Education Administration, a Master’s of Business Management, and that he majored in communication with a minor in business management as an undergrad.