Wikipedia says that a teacher “is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue.” According to the Westford PS Handbook, the Westford Public Schools will “endeavor to create an environment of mutual respect, courtesy, and responsible behavior” and that “standards of conduct are guidelines for all employees to follow in order to create a safe, comfortable and productive work environment that sets forth a model worthy of emulation by students.”

There are approximately 5,000 students in Westford. Would you want one of Westford’s teachers to create an online social media presence using your child’s likeness? Can you imagine what disciplinary action would be taken if your student did exactly that? What if a teacher, under a false name, made a public social media post stating that you and he had an affair and were “friends with benefits?” How would your student feel going to school once their friends had seen that post? These hypotheticals just a couple of the offenses that Mike Colson has admitted to doing in open court. Although the District Attorney has determined that there is not enough evidence to prosecute Mr. Colson under the harassment and identify fraud statutes, this does not mean that Mr. Colson should return to Westford as a teacher.

Every year our town has budget talks and the shortfalls are discussed at length. For the 2020/21 school year we have been paying Mr. Colson to do nothing, despite his admitting to harassment, identity theft, posting on social media under six different aliases, and other criminal behavior. This is not someone who I believe is helping my students acquire virtue. This is not someone who is showing respect, courtesy, or responsible behavior. This is not someone who should be teaching in Westford.

With this petition I am asking Mr. Colson to resign immediately so that the Westford community can heal and move on from his divisive actions. In the alternative, I am asking that the superintendent and the Board immediately remove Mr. Colson from the Westford Public School’s payroll and terminate his employment.