As Mayor Marty Walsh continues to hunt for a Boston Public Schools Superintendent with the help of his search committee, he’s also soliciting input from the community by wielding the power of the Internet. His office announced Monday night that an online survey has been launched to gather sentiment from Bostonians on what qualities they feel are most important for the head of the school district to possess.
The survey is currently live online, available here, but won’t be for much longer. The mayor’s office has noted it will stay up until Sunday, April 6.
“We, as a community, are taking an active role in the future of the youth of Boston,” said Mayor Walsh in a statement. “This online survey helps to make this process a transparent one, in which the voices of the people will be heard and valued.”
The online survey signifies two distinct aspects Mayor Walsh has cultivated thus far at the helm of Boston. He’s putting a tremendous amount of stock in the voices and ideas of the public, staying true to his commitment of transparency throughout all levels of municipal government.
Just as important, he’s continuing his push for a more digital City Hall. Sure he’s hosted social media Q&A’s on the likes of Facebook and Twitter, and he’s striving to make Boston the tech capital of the world, but when he uses any opportunity to utilize the infinite resources offered by the Internet while bolstering his tech chops, it’s an indication that he’s pulling the city further into contemporary times in all technical respects.
Mayor Walsh announced his Superintendent Search Committee back in February, when he also noted he doesn’t expect to land a scholastic honcho until around September.
“To date, the Superintendent Search Committee has held seven public hearings throughout the city to learn what traits community members are looking for in the next superintendent,” notes the mayor’s office. Public hearings are certainly becoming a signature move for Mayor Walsh, but the fact that he continues to expand his understanding of how much more expansive online surveys are than public hearings, though perhaps less intimate, is encouraging not just for Boston’s tech community but for the city at large.
