Smiley’s Appointment of “Prep School Dad” to School Board Comes Under Fire

Smiley’s Appointment of “Prep School Dad” to School Board Comes Under Fire

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley announced his appointments to the Providence School Board this week. 

Among his appointment is businessman George Matouk — the CEO of John Matouk & Company — a Fall River-based manufacturing company. He took over the helm of the company from his father.

Matouk is an unusual appointment. He attended one of the country's most exclusive prep schools — Phillips-Exeter. And as a parent, his children have attended local prep schools — the Gordon School and Moses Brown school. 

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

He served as chair of the board of trustees at Gordon School for a decade, according to his bio. The other three appointed by Smiley were Toni Akin, Erlin Rogel and Carolina Roberts-Santana.

Matouk’s appointment has come under fire from Smiley transition team member Pilar McCloud.

“[The appointment of Matouk], it's not what we need, it’s not what parents need. You have people who have no idea of the temperature of the city or what black and brown kids need. That’s not their fault, but again why are these people applying for the School Board? Please make me understand how he is going to be helpful in understanding the dynamics of the students who go to Providence schools, where the majority of students are black or brown,” said McCloud, who for many years served on the Board of the NAACP Providence Branch. 

“The people closest to the problem have the solutions. Do [these new members] really want the solutions? This is a repeat of the administration that just left. Perception is everything. It makes people think, why bother apply, they’ll just give [the appointments] to their friends,” said Mccloud.

McCloud was also a candidate for the school board, but said there were other candidates with significantly more education and community experience.

“This isn’t, ‘boo-hoo,’ I didn’t get picked. I guess I was fine for the [Smiley] transition team and that’s it. It’s a bunch of other people. Like why would you pick someone in the Lt. Governor’s office — when the state has taken over the schools?" said McCloud, referencing long-time aide to Sabina Matos, Erlin Rogel, who Smiley also appointed. 

"Take Lisa Niebels — I’ve known her for 30 years. She’s been at the Met [School], she’s an advocate. She didn’t make it. I don’t understand any of this,” she said.

 

Not the First Business Person Appointed

This is not the first time that a “business person” was appointed to serve on the Providence School Board. 

The late Governor Bruce Sundlun served as chair of the Providence School Board in the 1980s. Sundlun had little impact on improving schools, and the dropout rate spiked to nearly 50%.

And, prominent Providence attorney Kathleen Crain quit after just six months.

 

In 2011, GoLocal reported:

Kathleen Crain resigned from her position as President of the Providence School Board Monday evening, a week after a General Assembly decision to strip the board of its authority to sign union contracts.

In a phone interview following the school board meeting, Crain told GoLocalProv that city finances played too much of a role in Mayor Angel Taveras’ decisions regarding education. Crain said she was originally a supporter of the Mayor, but that “money, power and politics” have gotten in the way.

“I don’t think the rhetoric has matched the action,” she said, referring to the Mayor.

Crain, who only became President in February, said the system is too broken. She said she could get more done being a member of her child’s parent teacher organization.

“You can only bang your head against a brick wall so many times,” Crain said.

 

Not Qualified

McCloud said, de facto, Matouk is not qualified.

"The presumption used to be Black and Brown, low-income families don’t actually care about education. Did we think about why so-and-so’s mom doesn’t come to school? Maybe it’s because she has two jobs. She might not speak the language. This is not the Gordon School. You might not be able to remotely understand these families' everyday lives," said McCloud.

"When you think about it, the school board has a lot of power. Look at who applied — I’m not saying they can’t apply. I’m not saying he can’t apply. But why now? Why didn’t you apply during the Elorza Administration? It’s like me applying to be a firefighter. Would you want me showing up at your house when there’s a fire? These are people with full plates. Why do they all of a sudden want to be on a school board when their children don’t go to the schools?" she asked.

Matouk did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Emily Ward, Smiley's chief of staff, refused to answer the question, why is a man who went to prep school and sent his kids to prep schools an appropriate appointment?