On Worcester's next superintendent

 I have the English major habit of, when I cannot find the best words myself, quoting those who put it better. 
I could not think more highly of Brian Allen, who the Worcester School Committee voted (8-1) to make the next superintendent of schools. I give you, thus, a passage from Robert Bolt's A Man for All Seasons about Sir Thomas More.

Margaret: In a State that was half good, you would be raised up high, not here, for what you've done already. It's not your fault the State's three-quarters bad. Then if you elect to suffer for it, you elect yourself a hero.

More: That's very neat. But look now … If we lived in a State where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us good, and greed would make us saintly. And we'd live like animals or angels in the happy land that needs no heroes. But since in fact we see that avarice, anger, envy, pride, sloth, lust and stupidity commonly profit far beyond humility, chastity, fortitude, justice and thought, and have to choose, to be human at all … why then perhaps we must stand fast a little--even at the risk of being heroes.

T&G coverage here; MassLive here; WGBH here

For those who are there, I also put up a LinkedIn post here, which I copy below: 

The Worcester School Committee made an excellent decision last night in their appointment of Brian Allen as the next superintendent of the Worcester Public Schools. Not just the city, but the state and even the country know Brian for his financial acumen, his leadership in such contexts, his generosity in sharing what he knows, and his patience in explaining it (this former member of his school committee particularly appreciates those last two!). What may be less visible is how very good he is at working with different kinds of people, his thoughtful and careful judgement, his unimpeachable integrity, and his sense of humor.

He also has what matters most in such a position: he values public education.

I'm grateful as a resident of Worcester and someone who loves our school system that he's willing to serve this way.