Bangor School Superintendent James Tager said part of the reason he’s retiring at the end of the month is that some administrators resisted his efforts to make students of all backgrounds feel welcome, safe and accepted at school.
While Tager’s June 30 retirement is primarily spurred by his desire to be close to his elderly parents in Florida, he was also pushed by a handful of unnamed administrators who “were against some of the initiatives that I wanted to bring forward,” he said.
This resistance, he said, stymied his ability to ensure every student felt cared for and supported, which can ultimately improve attendance, graduation rates and student mental health.
“I would say six or seven people that are administrators, whether they’re district or school-based, really didn’t believe in the work,” Tager said. “To me, that led to a lack of trust, and when I can’t trust people that are around me, specifically that are at that level, I knew it was time for me to go.”
School Committee Chair Marwa Hassanien declined to comment on what Tager said.
Despite the roadblock, Tager’s achievements he’s proudest of includes boosting Bangor High School’s graduation rate to 92 percent this year — the highest in the department’s history — and introducing full-day pre-kindergarten, which gives young students and families stability.
Tager also helped bring Penobscot Community Health Care clinics that provide mental and physical health services to students to Bangor High School. Identical clinics are slated to open in two Bangor middle schools in September due to the overwhelming success of the first one, he said.
Aside from helping students access care and avoid long waitlists at other providers, Tager said the clinics improve attendance because “it keeps them in the building.”
The department also installed Centegix, a security system that allows staff to call first responders using a wearable badge, in all of its schools under Tager’s leadership. The system instantly calls police in the event of an emergency, like a school shooter or medical event, and can also be used for lower-level emergencies that don’t require police, like a fight between students.
All Bangor schools made Narcan, a nasal spray that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, readily available recently, as Tager said “it’s only a matter of time where that’s gonna be an issue at school too.”
“It could be student related, but it also could be guests that come in for programs that are coming in,” he said.
Tager took over the superintendent position in 2021 following the departure of longtime Bangor Superintendent Betsy Webb.
At the time, Bangor schools had recently come under fire after students reported experiencing racism at the predominantly white high school. The racism included white students calling them a racial slur and defending slavery and white supremacy in class discussions, which were later confirmed by an independent investigation.
In response, Tager joined a 40-person diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging committee, which evaluates ways the department can ensure all students and staff feel respected and valued.
For Johanna Bridges, a William S. Cohen School Spanish teacher of 14 years, Tager taking over as superintendent three years ago was “a breath of fresh air” because of his kindness and compassion for all students.
Sam Moring, principal of James F. Doughty School, said Tager frequently visited every Bangor school, and “when he walks in the school doors, people stop and talk to him and the kids know him by name.”
Tager recognized the term “diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging” is politically polarizing, but urged families to remember the core mission is to make all students feel welcome at school and that no child is worth more than another.
“If you don’t go into this job thinking every child belongs, progress won’t be made,” Tager said. “And when I say all students, I mean all. We have 3,500 of them, and I can show you something good in all of them. You’ve got to be inclusive or you’re gonna run out of players.”
The Bangor School Department announced last month that Marie Robinson will take over as Bangor superintendent on July 1. Most recently, Robinson was superintendent of RSU 89 Katahdin Schools in Stacyville, but has more than 25 years of experience in education.
Tager believes Robinson will be able to continue improving the high school’s graduation rate and make progress where he wasn’t able to.
“You have to get past old ways and I think she brings in a fresh perspective,” he said. “I think it’s about getting everybody to believe in the work and I hope she does that.”
