Lilly Havstad
She/Her
Currently: Lecturer in History & Literature
Election history: 1st-time candidate for School Committee
She/Her
Currently: Lecturer in History & Literature
Election history: 1st-time candidate for School Committee
Dr. Lilly Havstad, PhD is a longtime academic and former Fullbright scholar currently working as a Lecturer at Harvard. She is parent to a Grahams and Park School 3rd grader and serves on its School Council.
Lilly is an active member of the CEA-affiliated Solidarity Squad.
Lilly Havstad's policy priorities include an audit and reform of the Controlled Choice school selection system, reforming public meeting and public comment, strengthening the School Councils, and taking a more active role in budget negotiations with the City. She is in favor of raising the starting paraprofessional salary to $50k and investing in 2nd-tier and 3rd-tier intervention support.
She has a close relationship with CEA, the teachers union, and often references placing a higher priority on teacher involvement.
Lilly was very critical of the School Committee in its approach to the Superintendent Search. She penned a statement following the Committee's selection of David Murphy. Her stance could be described as "cautiously critical."
The School Committee needs to work proactively with the City Manager and City Council to set the annual budget based on actual student needs, not based on whatever number the City Manager comes up with annually.
(I believe this is entirely possible and will work with my colleagues to help them see that this is possible! Austerity economics is a choice, not an inevitability in this historical moment. There’s no reason we can’t pursue more progressive tax policies to combat the growing distance between the haves and have-nots, and the shrinking middle class in Cambridge. That is just one way we can generate more revenue for, for example, more wrap-around services in our schools.)
We aren't listening to our teachers, and that's really apparent in how the accelerated rollout of Algebra 1 for all eighth graders is happening.
We have to stop this top-down decision-making that treats our educators as mere workers in the classroom to deliver a product. They are humans. Teaching is human work.
I want nothing more than for David Murphy to succeed as our permanent superintendent—because his success is quite literally the success of our students, educators, and families—all of us.
...
While I appreciate that Mr. Murphy is humble in his public statements about the fact that he doesn't have experience as an educator, I've not yet seen clear evidence of him taking seriously the expertise and experiences of our front-line educators, at least not in my somewhat troubled corner of the district where staff morale at our school is far lower than any other school in the district right now.
| Organization | Cambridge? | Union? | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAW | |||
| Cambridge Residents Alliance | this cycle | ||
| Cambridge Education Association | |||
| Our Revolution Cambridge | this cycle |
Pedestrian and cycling safety, policy, infrastructure, governance
Pedestrian and cycling safety, policy, infrastructure, governance
Lengthy panel on progressive issues; 12 respondents. This is the first year this has appeared.
Lengthy panel on progressive issues; 12 respondents. This is the first year this has appeared.
If Cambridge schools should adopt (or adhere to possible state adoption) of the IHRA definition
If Cambridge schools should adopt (or adhere to possible state adoption) of the IHRA definition
Forum run by the Cambridge Education Association union
Forum run by the Cambridge Education Association union
A two-panel candidate night hosted by the Cambridge Advanced Learning Association focused on achievement gaps and advanced learners.
A two-panel candidate night hosted by the Cambridge Advanced Learning Association focused on achievement gaps and advanced learners.
Roundtable discussion focused on "why" candidates want to run
Roundtable discussion focused on "why" candidates want to run
Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association School Committee Candidate Night 2025
Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association School Committee Candidate Night 2025
Lecturer in History and Literature at Harvard and challenger candidate Lilly Havstad said that the district had wrongly overinvested its budget in “market-driven solutions.”
“We’re not putting it where it matters most,” she said. “We are buying too many products rather than investing the money in our educators who are working with our students on a day-to-day basis.”
Oct. 10, 2025 — Dionise Guerra-CarrilloLecturer in History and Literature at Harvard and challenger candidate Lilly Havstad said that the district had wrongly overinvested its budget in “market-driven solutions.”
“We’re not putting it where it matters most,” she said. “We are buying too many products rather than investing the money in our educators who are working with our students on a day-to-day basis.”
Lilly Havstad, one of the candidates and a CPS parent, said that Greer’s resignation was an “important moment that woke up a lot of people to the dysfunction in our School Committee and the district.”
Sept. 9, 2025 — Ayaan Ahmad and Claire A. MichalLilly Havstad, one of the candidates and a CPS parent, said that Greer’s resignation was an “important moment that woke up a lot of people to the dysfunction in our School Committee and the district.”
Lilly Havstad, a CPS parent who is also running for School Committee this fall, echoed those frustrations.
“There has been little meaningful engagement with the educator, students, and families who will be most affected by this hire,” she said. “This is a failed search.”
Sept. 3, 2025 — Ayaan Ahmad, Claire A. MichalLilly Havstad, a CPS parent who is also running for School Committee this fall, echoed those frustrations.
“There has been little meaningful engagement with the educator, students, and families who will be most affected by this hire,” she said. “This is a failed search.”
Lilly Havstad, a parent at Graham & Parks Elementary School, wrote in an email to The Crimson that she hopes that the complaint and its aftermath will prompt the School Committee to increase communication with parents.
“I sincerely hope that the SC takes this complaint as an opportunity to finally commit to more transparent, open, and regular dialogue with the public, beyond the listserv,” she wrote.
Dec. 17, 2024 — Darcy G LinLilly Havstad, a parent at Graham & Parks Elementary School, wrote in an email to The Crimson that she hopes that the complaint and its aftermath will prompt the School Committee to increase communication with parents.
“I sincerely hope that the SC takes this complaint as an opportunity to finally commit to more transparent, open, and regular dialogue with the public, beyond the listserv,” she wrote.