New Bedford School Chief Cleared, But Teachers Union Vows Further Action

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — New Bedford Superintendent of Schools Andrew O’Leary has been cleared by the New Bedford School Committee of any wrongdoing after allegations of a verbal interaction and physical assault with a union leader following a recent school committee meeting.

However, representatives of the city's unions have said that despite a finding of no wrongdoing, they still insist that O’Leary is creating “a chilling effect” in “an overt attempt to silence the voice of the unions,” with the teachers’ union saying it will file a complaint against O’Leary with the Department of Labor Relations.

According to a school department release, a complaint was submitted alleging that O’Leary engaged in a verbal interaction with and physical assault against a union leader following the school committee meeting on October 5, 2026. Thomas Nickerson, President of the New Bedford Educators Association, confirmed to WBSM that he was the union leader in question.

Dispute Over New Bedford City Health Insurance Rates

The disagreement centered around Nickerson’s claim that O’Leary was supporting New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell’s belief that union members should be paying a higher share of their health insurance premiums to help save money for the City of New Bedford.

On October 5, Nickerson posted a photo on the New Bedford Educators Facebook page with the caption, “The Unions never rest! I was joined tonight by NBFP, AFSCME 641 and AFSCME 851, NBFD, NBSSU, NBPD and our retirees reps to defend the voice of the Unions and your health insurance against the efforts of the Superintendent and the Mayor who seek to silence us and increase your rates. Your Unions are working together to make sure that doesn't happen.”

New Bedford Educators via Facebook

School committee member Chris Cotter, also a member of the New Bedford Police Union, responded in the comments, “In full transparency, the Superintendent did not make any statements or mention supporting ‘The Mayor’ in his bidding. I was prepared to fight this point at the meeting if it had come up. I stand with any [sp] the Unions to NOT increase any split for our coverage. Our city employees are near the bottom of municipalities in wages and the insurance split, which is a benefit but far from a golden coverage that the Mayor touts in calling his bull [expletive] talking points. DUMP MITCHELL and HEALY [sp].”

Incident After School Committee Meeting Reported to New Bedford Police

The issue continued on to the interaction after the meeting, which led to a report filed with New Bedford Police on October 8. WBSM was provided with a copy of the police report, in which Officer Noah Brum recounted his response. Nickerson told Officer Brum that O’Leary “came within approximately 18 inches of him” and that “O’Leary appeared aggressive and repeatedly called him a liar.”

“The reporting party said O’Leary patted him on the left side of his chest and said, ‘You’re doing a great job. Good job.’ The reporting party said he believed O’Leary made the remark sarcastically. He said O’Leary returned to the meeting while he remained behind and spoke with his colleagues,” Brum wrote.

READ MORE: The Complete (But Redacted) Police Report on the O'Leary-Nickerson Incident

Nickerson told Brum that he did not have any marks or bruises but that “he felt O’Leary was trying to intimidate him and believed the pat was out of anger,” according to the report.

Police and Video Review Find No Misconduct

O’Leary then went to New Bedford Police Headquarters to speak with Brum, and confirmed that he did go up to Nickerson after the meeting ended.

“He said he had a direct conversation with him and told him, ‘He made it up,’ referring to a portion of the reporting party’s speech that O’Leary believed was untrue. O’Leary said he tapped the reporting party on the left shoulder and walked away when the conversation ended. O’Leary also told me he had video of the incident,” Brum wrote.

Brum wrote that “the video shows O’Leary having a brief conversation with the reporting party. When the conversation ended, O’Leary tapped the reporting party on the left shoulder with his left hand.”

“Based on the video footage, I will not be requesting charges against Andrew O’Leary,” Brum concluded.

The New Bedford Light released video footage of the incident on its website on October 22.

School Committee Unanimously Clears O’Leary

Meanwhile, the New Bedford School Committee held its own investigation into the incident. The school department said that on Tuesday, October 20, the school committee met and reviewed the complaint, surveillance video of the incident, and the investigative findings of an independent investigator.

“The video surveillance of the alleged interaction confirmed that the alleged assault did not occur,” the school department said. “The investigator found that there was no physical assault and no violation of school committee policy.”

The school committee then unanimously voted to accept the findings of the investigator “that there was no physical assault and no violation of any school committee policy,” according to the school department.

“The school committee has full faith in the independent investigation and after review, the committee finds that the allegations lacked credibility,” the release stated.

Unions Push Forward with State Labor Complaint

Following the decision of the school committee, Nickerson provided WBSM with a statement credited to him and the NBEA Executive Board.

“The New Bedford Educators Association maintains that New Bedford Schools Superintendent Andrew O’Leary interfered in protected union activity and is attempting to create a chilling effect on public employees exercising their rights to advocate for fair and affordable health insurance,” the statement read. “The NBEA is pursuing a charge of prohibited practice with the Department of Labor Relations against the superintendent for violating labor laws.”

New Bedford PEC Board Weighs In

The New Bedford Public Employee Committee (PEC) represents all of the collective bargaining units, or unions, of city and school department employees in negotiations with the City regarding health insurance benefits for employees and retirees. The PEC also provided a statement to WBSM, addressed to the members of the school committee and signed by PEC Chairman Kevin Cormier (New Bedford Firefighters Local 841), Vice Chair Jeff Camara (Retiree Representative), Treasurer Nickerson (NBEA), Michelle Willis (NBFP), Kevin Melo (AFSCME Local 641), Lorenzo Gonzalez (New Bedford Police Union), Shelly Avila (AFSCME Local 851), and Sean Trahan (New Bedford Support Specialists Union).

“After the adjournment of the October 5, 2026 School Committee meeting, an incident occurred in the vicinity of a majority of the members of the PEC. Superintendent O’Leary approached the President of the New Bedford Educators Association, presumably to comment on his speech given during the Public Comment section of the meeting. Mr. O’Leary did not conduct himself in a professional manner, including physical contact with President Nickerson.

President Nickerson spoke on behalf of all unions in defense of our members, regarding the proposed health insurance split increases and adoption of sections 21 and 23. This speech is protected, concerted activity according to MGL Ch 150e. Any attempt to intimidate or coerce are direct attacks on it.

Mr. O’Leary’s actions that evening amount to an overt attempt to silence the voice of the Unions in the presence of its leaders and will not be tolerated.

We are unified in our message: Our protected, concerted activity shall not be attacked by any member of district leadership, including the superintendent of schools.”

WBSM reached out to a New Bedford Public Schools spokesperson seeking comment from Superintendent O'Leary. No response was returned as of this writing, but we will update this story if a statement is provided.

O'Leary and Nickerson's Leadership Experience

O’Leary was named Interim Superintendent in April 2023 following the departure of Thomas Anderson and was appointed permanently in January 2024. He was given a five-year contract extension in March of this year that runs through 2031.

READ MORE: New Bedford Public Schools Extends Contracts of Leadership

Nickerson has served as President of the NBEA since 2021, and has been a member of the Executive Board since 2013. He has taught for New Bedford Public Schools since 1997.