The mayor of Gloucester is facing backlash for giving the middle finger while driving by striking educators and supporters Thursday evening, amid the ongoing teachers strike.
After contract negotiations ended at the West Parish School for the night, Gloucester Mayor Greg Verga said he had to wait inside the building until police could escort him out through the crowd of protesters.
While driving through the chanting crowd, Verga was caught on cell phone video briefly flashing the middle finger.
“He is not setting a good example for our children and he’s not setting a good example for our city,” said Gloucester parent Emily Prestigiovanni.
The crude gesture comes amid contentious contract negotiations that have lasted days in Gloucester, Marblehead, and Beverly.
“It’s starting to feel a lot like those early days of COVID, where we’re all trying to still work — if we can, if we have that flexibility from home — but also to occupy the kids, keep up with some of their education if we can,” said Gloucester parent Amy Cavender.
Verga explained the reasoning behind the middle finger gesture in a video he recorded.
“Anyone who knows me knows this is out of character,” Verga said in the video.
He said he was leaving contract negotiations Thursday when someone approached him shouting.
“The gesture — which I wish I hadn’t done — was directed toward that individual, not the crowd, and certainly not the teachers,” Verga said. “My frustrations got the best of me and I responded to the nastiness being hurled at me as I was trying to make my way home to my frightened wife.”
The mayor said protesters have gathered outside his home, and that it is taking a toll on his family.
“I never expected to fear for the safety of my family in my own home, from members of my own community. I see how someone’s passion could easily turn into feelings of frustration and anger,” he said.
Teachers, however, said that they do not feel like the school committee and the mayor are bargaining in good faith.
“It gets a lot of emotions of anger, disappointment, hopelessness,” said Abbi Ash, a Gloucester teacher.
Parents said the students are the ones really being affected by the ongoing strike.
“I really would like this to come together somehow. I am begging the city to get this together so that the kids can come back to school, and come to the afterschool activities, and we can come together. It is very separated right now in this city and it feels awful,” said parent Erika Wall.
In Beverly, teachers on the picket line called on several town officials to resign from office, as negotiations continued Friday.
Union members said they have collected enough signatures to recall Beverly Mayor Michael Cahill and two school committee chairpersons.
The members were cheered on as they submitted the petitions. City officials said that while they respect the democratic process, they will continue to work to reach a deal with the union.
“This is my ninth year of service. I provide service to the community and I respect the process by which they wish to express their disappointment,” said Rachael Abell, president of the Beverly School Committee.
“We live in a democracy and all we can do is focus on getting our kids and our educators back in the classroom. As Mrs. Abell said, we’re hopeful and we’re gonna keep working at it,” Cahill said.
Beverly teachers are asking for a new contract to include better wages and paid parental leave. Teachers and students said they are eager to get back into the classroom, but will not do so until a negotiation is reached.
The Beverly Teachers Association called the latest offer on the table “insulting.” Now, Cahill is joining the negotiation table in hopes of reaching an agreement that is financially responsible.
In Marblehead, although teachers are still on strike, the Marblehead High School football team was given a pass to play Friday night. The superintendent announced Thursday that non-teacher, non-union personnel would facilitate extracurricular activities.
