EAST PROVIDENCE — Educators living in East Providence or those who are products of the city’s public schools will not get any special treatment from the district, as the School Committee begins the process of filling vacant teaching position for the upcoming school year.

Nor will longtime substitutes get any extra consideration for full-time openings, despite some residents and elected officials believing they should.

“I recommend the candidate who is best qualified,” Schools Supt. Jacqueline Forbes said last week at a School Committee meeting where the board’s hiring process was debated and criticized. The procedure includes advertising the vacancies, weeding out the field based on their application alone and then conducting interviews before the superintendent recommends the top candidates to the committee.

The committee had just approved a slew of new hires to replace some of the 60 employees who left or retired this past school year. Human Resources director Lonnie Barham said 39 appointments have been made thus far and 15 positions still need to be filled before the start of school. The remaining six positions will not be filled due to program eliminations — such as the dropping of French classes at Martin Middle School.

The district is not adding any new positions or programs, Barham emphasized.

“I want the most qualified as well,” committee member Stephen DeCastro said.

Yet he said he “values those who have been subbing for a while.” He said the principals at the schools where someone fills in should be able to give input during the hiring process. Forbes said that does and did concur with the latest appointments, but DeCastro didn’t appear to be satisfied with the response, saying those from East Providence should have preference.

“I personally don’t care where someone lives, I want the best candidate,” member Robert Faria said. He also warned members should not be “clouded by pressure and phone calls.”

As the debate continued, chairwoman Mildred Morris said sometimes people don’t interview well and “the best” isn’t necessarily those hired. Former East Providence High School principal Arthur Elmasian also noted a good local candidate shouldn’t be weeded out by their application because they are residents.

“They should get a courtesy interview,” a frustrated Elmasian said after the committee did not take any vote to change the district’s hiring process.

As his voice rose, he continued, “I was the principal for 18 years and we would tell them, “Remember your alma mater and have Townie Pride. I’m proud of the kids who graduate from EP High. There’s no Townie Pride [anymore], its townie demise now. Any resident should get an interview and then you can play any games afterward.”

apina@projo.com