School Board Moves to Oust Frank Frisoli

Frank J. Frisoli '35, superintendent of Cambridge public schools, faces dismissal at the end of this academic year as the result of a motion filed at a School Committee meeting Tuesday.

Four of seven School Committee members support the motion to remove Frisoli. The four--supported by the Cambridge Civic Association in last November's election--pledged during the campaign to dismiss Frisoli.

Frisoli indicated that he will oppose the motion, which he said was backed by "educational deviates and radicals."

"There is not a lot that Frisoli can do to fight the removal." Peter G. Gesell '62, a members of the Committee, said yesterday. The School Committee may deny reappointment to any non-tenured school employee by giving proper notice before April 15. Frisoli does not have tenure.

Frisoli was appointed superintendent by the School Committee last March after serving as acting superintendent for several months. Gesell said that he was "galled" by the manner in which Frisoli was selected.

He said that the School Committee had agreed to solicit citizen participation in last year's search for a new superintendent. A citizen's committee was selected to help choose a new superintendent from a field of five, but the School Committee selected Frisoli without consulting citizen committee recommendations. Gesell said.

Gesell said that candidates with better qualifications than Frisoli's were eliminated.

At the Tuesday meeting, the four CCA members also filed a motion outlining procedures for selecting a new superintendent.

Gesell also noted that although the school system had adopted a program of recruiting well-qualified minority group teachers, only "one or two" minority teachers had been hired since Frisoli's appointment.

The School Committee said that it expects Frisoli to continue as superintendent until his contract expires at the end of the year