Background checks on superintendent finalists are called into question at Cambridge roundtable

Marc Levy Cambridge superintendent candidate Lourenço Garcia takes questions from School Committee members Tuesday.

Concerns about background checks on Cambridge superintendent candidates were raised by School Committee members at a Monday roundtable.

Members questioned whether performing the checks was the responsibility of the district or the external firm hired to facilitate the superintendent search, The Equity Process. Other concerns centered on the thoroughness of the checks.

The concerns take on heightened importance after the reporting that one of the finalists, Lourenço Garcia, is said to have lost $750,000 on a cryptocurrency scam and then sued his bank in an attempt to recoup the funds – a story widely discussed by school district community members who followed the search th