Candidate Profile: James DeFeo For Wilmington School Committee

WILMINGTON, MA — Wilmington will have two contested races in the April 24 town election: one for two three-year terms on the School Committee and one for a two-year term on the committee. Wilmington Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles over the coming weeks.

James DeFeo is running for a three-year seat on the School Committee. He faces the two incumbents, MJ Byrnes and David Ragsdale.

DeFeo is a U.S. Army veteran and Boston police sergeant running for his first elected office.

Are you running for office in Wilmington? Contact Christopher Huffaker at chris.huffaker@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to Wilmington Patch.

James DeFeo

Age (as of Election Day)

53

Position Sought

Wilmington School Committee

Education

BA Sociology Suffolk University, MA Criminal Justice Anna Maria College, US Army Command and General Staff College

Occupation

US Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel (Retired 25 yrs), Sergeant Boston Police Department (27 yrs)

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

NA

Campaign website

Jim DeFeo WSC on FACEBOOK

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am seeking a position on the Wilmington School Committee to be an independent voice for the parents and students of the Wilmington Public School District.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is, the lack of in-person learning for the students of the Wilmington Public School District. I will work with both the elected school committee members and the academic staff to ensure that the district has the resources to return to 100% in person learning.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am a problem solver, I believe in the team approach to finding solutions for difficult tasks. Over the last year both of my challengers have shown that they are more willing to follow the established path rather than push forward and create solutions.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

For the past year, the incumbent candidates have had the opportunity to bring back full time 100% in person learning for all students and they have failed. Instead of coming up with innovative ways to get the kids back into the classroom they have supported the stale stand by and wait approach waiting on the state government to mandate change than reacting to those mandates. Whereas a proactive approach to these problems would have returned students to the classroom earlier with less overall stress and minimal disruption.

The parents I talk to are disenfranchised and mad at the current School Committee as a whole. The parents have stated that they have been dismissed and ignored and they feel like they don't have a voice. They have said, they feel like spectators in their Childrens lives.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I will push for a subcommittee dedicated to drafting workable plans designed to prevent another system wide academic shut down like we suffered through COVID. These plans when drafted properly and means tested will work for any catastrophic event.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

As a member of the School Committee I will maintain two-way communication with the community (students, parents, staff and other municipal colleagues).

As a member of the School Committee I will promote the optimal learning environment for all of our students.

As a member of the School Committee I will represent the rights of the students and parents first and foremost.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am an Army Veteran, I enlisted as a Private in 1985 and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2010. I was assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for over 15 years. I was a Team Member, Site Supervisor and Project Manager on numerous civil/military construction projects the most notable was the decommissioning of the Hazardous Waste Sites on the former Fort Devens. I am very familiar with the grant funding and budgeting process associated with municipal and federal construction. My core focus while with the Army Corps of Engineers was Environmental Engineering and Environmental Conservation.

I am currently a Sergeant in the Boston Police Department, it is important to note that with over 27 years of work experience in a major urban setting I have been exposed to the needs, issues, and concerns of our collected communities. As a District Detective and as an Investigator assigned to the Family Justice Center I learned to embrace and appreciate the dynamic behind the Multi-Disciplinary Team approach to problem solving. I have built strong bonds with numerous local, state and federal child advocacy groups and other health and human services agencies. These professional relationships will invariably be beneficial in protecting our children and their families when the school committee is called on to monitor events relative to Title IX issues, complaints or abuses. Many times, I have been the lone voice for disenfranchised students and parents when they felt the “system” had failed them.

I was a union representative for over 12 years during that time I served at the District Level helping to manage and remediate complaints and grievances at the initial steps. I was also a senior member of both the Heath and Safety Committee and Labor Relations Committee, those working groups were charged with proactively identifying problems associated with daily working conditions, facility maintenance, workplace safety and other concerns not specifically defined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. With this experience I will bring a level of reasonableness to the table when addressing issues with the school department staff and the teacher’s association.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Work for what you want, don't ever quit success and failure are both lessons what you do with it is what matters.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

The Wilmington School Committee needs new members who will actively listen to the parents and students and advocate for them personally. On Saturday April 24th vote for James DeFeo for Wilmington School Committee.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.