Letter to the Editor: Aubin helps Diman students reach their fullest potential

I had the pleasure of meeting Tom Aubin during the beginning of his tenure as Diman's superintendent. My first impression of him was energy. You feel the passion and pride he has in his school, students an faculty and staff. A perfect success story: He graduated from Diman in the 1970s, goes to college, starts as a substitute, gets a to be a full-time teacher, coach, vocational department head and then superintendent.

But that wasn't good enough for Diman's school committee and committee member Joan Menard, who is trying to pull off the best hatchet job since Lizzie Borden.

In the first year of Aubin's contract he got a review as superintendent for the 2016-17 school year. Rough start, according to Menard.

In the 2017-2018 school year, in mid-December, Aubin pitched Diman to the Massachusetts School Building Authority and got us a seat at the table to get a new school or rehab Diman. After six or so denials, this would be another "wow" moment, you might think.

So now, according to the process, a committee must be appointed (here’s where things go south) for a feasibility study that has to be submitted within 270 days from acceptance, which would be early September, the time Menard's term on the committee is expiring. The friction is new versus renovation of an old antiquated building. This where Chair Paul Jennings should know better than anyone that once you get into these old buildings, you can’t rehab them due to the materials used to build it. So Aubin is right to push for a new state of the art school for Diman. Besides, you’ve already got 1,400 students in a school built for 800. Where would they go in the meantime?

So then in October Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia II gets bagged by the feds (for all purposes rendering him irrelevant). Menard’s term on the committee expires. At this point in Fall River politics, it’s a jungle. On Nov. 28 Menard gets reappointed by the City Council, which is gonna go against anyone the mayor appoints, so better stay. Status quo, right? The exception to this was the Rev. Jay Mello (way to go Father J), who convinced the council to appoint him anyway. I give the City Council credit for that.

So on Dec. 6, the Diman school board met, went into executive session, came out and astonished everyone: They declared they would not renew Aubin's contract. The Herald News reported that Menard did most of the talking, basing it on the 2016-17 review. Notice though, there is no mention of a 2017-18 review. Why? Because Aubin got them the golden ticket with the MSBA, so it just got overlooked.

In the meantime, Aubin goes out into industrial, medical and all the arenas our kids are going to be competing in and procures over $1 million in grants and equipment. I’m talking state of the art equipment. He procured a $375,000 3D metal image printer. We are the only vocational high school in the country that has one. Congressman Joe Kennedy used our school as a platform to rebut the State of the Union Address. Diman goes national. This should be another "wow" moment.

Aubin spends most of his time in or advocating for his one true passion, Diman Regional. Sometimes I think the students see him more than his own family does. These days he’s all hands on deck. We’re getting a lot for his salary. His presence in the school means a lot to the students, faculty and staff. He’s a great mentor and role model and a true success story.

I’m a retired soldier (nobody special) but I am a good judge of character. The Diman school committee is making a big mistake. Aubin is the same caliber of man as James P. Harrington and has his finger on the pulse of the Bengals. He knows what these kids need to be ready for the future. The committee doesn't have a clue.

Menard should do us all a favor and retire. She had a good run. Diman students need to have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. That opportunity is what Diman's school committee is elected to provide.

W.S. Buffington

Fall River