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School Committee: Johnson, Mailman and Kamara join McCullough, Novick and Clancey on board

Jermaine Johnson
Jermaine Johnson

WORCESTER — The eight-way race for six spots on the School Committee has left incumbent Dianna Biancheria and Shanel Soucy on the outside.

Three new members will join the school panel, including Jermaine Johnson, who led all candidates with 8,900 votes, and Susan Mailman, with 8,872 votes, who finished second. Newcomer Jermoh V. Kamara, who collected 7,994 votes, finished fifth.

The other three winners are: Molly McCullough (8,185) Tracy O'Connell Novick (8,009), and Laura Clancey (6,904).

A lifelong resident of Worcester, Johnson's career has been spent working with kids, first as a residential counselor working with at-risk youth at the state Department of Youth Services, then as a social worker at the state Department of Children and Families.

Johnson also acts as the resource coordinator at his office at DCF, handling its budget for services and allocating funds, and providing families with wraparound services and home services to provide support for families.

"I believe I got into this for all the right reasons— I'm truly about the kids and families," said Johnson. "I've been a social worker for 20 years, and this is what I have prided myself on."

He also serves as the chief steward at the Service Employees International Union Local 509, as well as a youth baseball and basketball coach at Worcester schools.

"To have people who truly believed in me and believed in my vision for the kids in the Worcester public schools, and the kids in the city of Worcester and the families in the city of Worcester that we serve, I'm very grateful," said Johnson.

Just behind Johnson was Mailman, separated by only 28 votes.

Mailman is the owner of a construction and electrical contracting company, chairs the board at Quinsigamond Community College and is on the board at UMass Memorial Health.

Mailman, whose father, Ted Coghlin, was also heavily involved in vocational school education in Worcester, has been a longtime supporter of public schools.

Mailman said she felt compelled to run for School Committee because she says these students "are our future."

At 11, Jermoh Kamara and her family fled a war-torn Liberia, seeking refuge in Worcester. Kamara went on to attend Worcester Public Schools for elementary, middle and high school. She is a graduate of Providence College.

Kamara is the director of wellness and health equity at the YWCA, but she also works as an adjunct professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and has taught graduate-level courses in public, social and behavioral health.

This was Kamara's second time running for School Committee.

McCullough, who works in pharmaceutical sales, also helps run a local nonprofit for homeless children and families, and has long been involved in the community and volunteering, which ultimately led to her getting involved in politics.

Novick, a former high school English and history teacher, taught in Massachusetts public schools up until she had children 20 years ago.

"I appreciate the the city of Worcester coming through," said Novick. "I obviously can't speak entirely on behalf of my colleagues, but I think something that I know Molly and Laura and I worked really hard on was trying to stay in touch with where parents were, and where students were, and where faculty were, and how people were doing, particularly during the pandemic. And I feel like that was really borne out tonight."

She said that her interest in Worcester Public Schools became largely grounded from having her children attend the school system, two of who have graduated, and her daughter, who is a sophomore at one of the local high schools.

Novick described being joined by three newcomers to the board as "fantastic."

"I think that we, first of all saw definitely Worcester kind of putting its foot down in terms of what it's looking for on its school committee in terms of representation across the board" said Novick. "In terms of in terms of racial diversity, in terms of family experience, life experience, in terms of people who have different experiences with the school."

Although Laura Clancey has served one term as a committee member, she has been working in the education field for over a decade.

First starting as a preschool teacher, she then transitioned to teaching kids how to pass the General Educational Development (GED) test in the Department of Youth Services, but for the last 15 years she has been working as the education inquiry counselor at the department.

Falling just outside the top six with 6,127 votes was six-term Biancheria, who was first elected to the committee in 2009.

Biancheria spent 20 years in the banking industry before joining former Mayor Raymond Mariano as chief aide.

Coming in last was Soucy, who received 5,079 votes.

Soucy, who is an electrician and barber, said that she was excited about the results despite not being elected.

"This has been an amazing journey, and tonight reigns in a win," said Soucy. "It's been victorious even though I didn't actually win school committee."

Soucy's views on comprehensive sex education in schools as well as comments she was alleged to have made on Facebook about the LGBTQ+ community drew scrutiny.

The Worcester Sucks and I Love It newsletter reported Soucy as an organizer of an opt out campaign that encourages parents and students to opt out of the district's "pornographic" sex education curriculum.

She was also accused writing a post on her Facebook account that said, "I do not support homosexual behavior...(ellipses original) never have, never will.

When asked if these controversies may have contributed to voters choosing not to vote for her, Soucy said, "I think that it played a role in getting people active and getting parents active," said Soucy. "I think the numbers are good, as far as I'm concerned."

"I think over 5,000 people came out and supported and that's a statement," she said. "I think a lot of parents are aware and paying attention. Overall, I'm very happy with what what has transpired in the involvement of parents and families."

More: Unofficial Worcester municipal election results

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: School Committee: Biancheria and Soucy don't make cut in 8-way race for 6 seats