Lawyers representing Tahiliani, former deputy superintendent Kim Tsai, and two people who read the document but asked not to be named for fear of retribution said the investigator found little or no evidence to support allegations of discrimination against Tahiliani.

School officials declined to release the report to the Globe in response to a public records request, citing ongoing litigation. DeMaria and School Committee members did not respond to requests for comment. DeMaria had previously denied the allegations in Tahiliani’s lawsuit against the Globe.

Jamie Gass, director of the Center for School Reform at the Pioneer Institute, a fiscally conservative think tank based in Boston, said there may be reasons to withhold information during an investigation. he said.

“If not, they should explain why,” he said.

Justin Silverman, executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition, which promotes access to government and its work, said it is important for the public to know when allegations were made against a school official and the outcome of the investigation.

“We have a right to know what the investigation found,” Silverman said.

Tahiliani, who took office just before the pandemic, was chosen to lead a school district in a city where local leaders and staff have long been white and unrepresentative of Everett’s diversity. Two-thirds of Everett’s approximately 7,300 students are Hispanic; More than one in 10 are Black students and 5 percent are Asian.

It was extremely inspiring to see a woman of color — Tahiliani is Indian American — leading the district, said Gianna Martin, a 22-year-old Everett High graduate who worked as an intern for the school department during Tahiliani’s tenure. This means leadership will have a stronger understanding of the lived experiences many residents face, he said.

“Everything has changed, and we need people in our community to lead and represent it,” said Martin, who now studies history at UMass Lowell.

Some community members say Tahiliani’s ouster, after leading the school district for nearly four years and receiving public support and positive performance reviews, was due to city politics.

According to the federal lawsuit filed by Tahiliani and Tsai, it was clear soon after arriving in Everett that institutional racism and sexism existed in city government and that a “patronage network of old men” was working to ensure Everett was looking out for “him.” its own political class.” The complaint also explains: a network of alliances and family connections in city government.

After taking over, Tahiliani began diversifying the ranks of the public schools’ 100 percent white leadership team, according to the lawsuit.

“Woman. Tahiliani and Ms. Tsai were subjected to derogatory and sexist comments, abusive and disparate treatment, and retaliatory attacks simply because they were women of color who refused to uphold the ‘whites only’ hiring policy for all district-level jobs and engaged in protected conduct,” the lawsuit states.

In March 2023, DeMaria, who serves on the School Committee. The vote was 6-4 to not renew Tahiliani’s contract. Tahiliani’s critics at the time said his decisions were based in part on teacher complaints and the cleanliness of school buildings, among other reasons.

Tom Abruzzese, a former member of the School Committee who was chairman when Tahiliani was hired, said the board was “looking for someone who can completely change the culture of the Everett School Department and that will extend to the entire Everett community.” For example, one of Tahiliani’s predecessors, Frederick F. Foresteirewas placed on leave following sexual harassment allegations end of 2018; He was convicted last year and forced to register as a sex offender.

“I believe this has been accomplished, and what we are witnessing now is the reaction,” Abruzzese said.

DeMaria has spoken openly in the past about seeking revenge against those who challenge him.

“Let me tell you, I’ve raised a lot of money and I’m going to go after a lot of people.” DeMaria told fans During his victory speech on election night 2021.

Many elected leaders have remained silent in the months since his ouster due to a climate of fear, said two people who viewed the Abruzzese and Tahiliani investigation report.

“When you’re at Everett, you have a constant fear of speaking,” Abruzzese said. “Who knows what will happen to you or your relatives if you speak out?”

Some in Everett pointed to former School Committee member Samantha Lambert, who supported Tahiliani’s reinstatement, as an example of an elected official being punished for supporting the former superintendent. In June, Lambert announced that he was resigning and moving out of town. At that time, he said harshly that the external pressure on his family was was a factor in the decision.

“For those who actively try to harm me, I have only three words: ‘Bless your heart.’ “Because you weren’t hurting me, you were hurting my kids,” Lambert said, according to a meeting recording.

Some people in Everett are frustrated that repeated reports of harassment and discrimination from within the city government and school system have not received more attention from the state’s education department or the U.S. attorney’s office. In 2022, Everett announced an investigation into possible civil rights abuses in city government.

Among them is Thalia Patino Molanowho graduated from Everett High School in June and wants Tahiliani’s reputation restored. Molana, 18, now at Boston University, said he was inspired by Tahiliani, including when he worked with him as part of his high school youth council.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for Priya,” he said. “It’s people like him who push kids forward.”

John Hilliard can be reached at [email protected].