School Board Chairman Faces Assault Charge

Westborough School Committee Chairman Ilyse Levine-Kanji will be charged with assault and battery stemming from a June 20 incident at Westborough's community pool.

The decision to charge Levine-Kanji resulted from a show cause hearing before the Westborough District Court clerk magistrate on Tuesday. Such hearings are private, according to the magistrate's office.

Levine-Kanji, 47, of 11 Rocklawn Road, faces a Sept. 18 arraignment in the Westborough court.

Levine-Kanji said Friday that "my attorney has advised me not to comment, but I regret what happened, and  I look forward to telling the whole story in court, if it comes to that."

According to the police report, the alleged victim, a 42-year-old Rocklawn Road resident, came to the Westborough Police Station at 7:30 p.m. June 20 and said that at around 4 p.m., "she was hosting a pool party for her daughter" at the pool, off Hundreds Road.

The alleged victim "had hired a babysitter to supervise the party for her," the report states.

Levine-Kanji was there, "but not a part of the party," the report states.

Levine-Kanji was "upset" that the alleged victim "had not followed proper protocol while planning and hosting the party," the report states.

The alleged victim "asked Levine-Kanji to calm down," the report states.

"At that moment, Levine-Kanji got up from the chair she was sitting in and punched (the alleged victim) in the face under the left eye," the report states.

"Levine-Kanji then threw at least two more punches," striking the alleged victim "in the front of the left shoulder," the report states.

Police Chief Alan Gordon has said that "the investigation by Off. Dean Paine resulted in two witnesses being interviewed. They corroborated the victim's story."