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Last year, a dedicated group of Sudbury voters came together to overwhelmingly elect a group of candidates that represented Sudbury’s shared values at a time when they were relentlessly under attack — and the photo above captures exactly the kind of community energy that made it happen. That same energy is needed again on March 30.
There are two open Sudbury School Committee seats this election, and I want to offer my take on the current status of the school committee so voters have the full picture before they head to the polls.
The candidates I’m supporting
I’m proudly endorsing Julie Durgin-Sicree and Ellen Lederer DeFrancesco for the two open seats.
Julie was appointed to the SC after Mandy Sim’s departure and has been a thoughtful, committed voice for ALL students in Sudbury. She has been an active, engaged member of the committee and her own words about why she’s running speak for themselves. I encourage you to read her piece here in the Sudbury Weekly.
Ellen Lederer DeFrancesco is newer to Sudbury but brings significant experience, skills, and passion to this role. She is exactly the kind of fresh, committed voice this committee needs. She is a progressive public school educator and you can learn more about her here.
This SC has accomplished an enormous amount of work in just the last six months. I urge you to read their most recent newsletter — it is a testament to how hard these volunteers work on behalf of our students and schools.
A word of caution
A write-in candidate is being heavily organized and promoted for one of these seats. This 11th-hour campaign has bypassed Sudbury’s three-month vetting process and I struggle to see how that is promoting transparency. I also encourage voters to look closely at who is backing this campaign — many are the same individuals who opposed the gender identity support policy, opposed the formation of the LGBTQ+ PAC, and/or endorsed a Parental Rights ideologue in previous elections. This pattern of opposition is worth understanding before you vote.
Misinformation about the current SC is also circulating intentionally, aimed at stalling the progress this community has worked hard to achieve together. The widely promoted and anonymously supported petition of “no confidence” was based on several un-truths that have been debunked here in Sudbury Weekly, and it also has a large number of signatures from non-residents, raising further questions about outside influence.
I’d encourage you to go directly to primary sources — attend a meeting, read the newsletter, talk to the candidates.
Vote on March 30. Our students, our schools, and our community are worth showing up for. Please share this so your neighbors have the facts too.
— Rebecca Thompson, Sudbury resident
