ARE THEY KIDDING???!!!

The Independent, proving once again that they are anything but, has done a 180 degree turn and is now defending Lona DeFeo's continued employment status in the Everett School Department, despite her guilty plea to multiple counts of a felony in the performance of her job duties.

In today's "Independent", referring to DeFeo as having plead guilty to "minor charges", accuses those who believe she should be removed from her post as trying "to keep Mrs. DeFeo's wound sore and open, with salt being poured into it at every opportunity." They claim that this plea should absolve her of any other punishment -- "Where we come from, " they say, "this would be the end of the matter -- but not in Everett."

No, thankfully, in Everett there are people who know that in any other city -- this woman would've been out of a job when her indictments were handed down. In any other city, this woman would've been removed of her duties once the guilty plea was entered. In any other city . . . there would be a School Committee who would act on behalf of the citizens they represent rather than protecting their own self interests; there would be a Board of Aldermen who had a collective spine among them who, while unable to direct the School Committee to dismiss DeFeo, would certainly be willing to stand up and represent the wishes of their constituents that this woman should no longer be an employee of the Everett School Department; in any other city, there would be a mayor who would want to live up to his reputation as "Mr. Honesty, Integrity and Compassion" and send a strong communication to the appropriate parties that, as difficult as Mrs. DeFeo's situation must be for her, the right thing for the City is that she be dismissed. There are people in Everett who know that once you get caught shoplifting from the local grocery store, whether or not you benefitted from your actions is irrelevant. You don't get back into the store.

Evidently there's a big punch bowl of Kool Aid somewhere, and the Independent, the School Committee, the Board of Aldermen and our new mayor continue to drink from it.