PARENTS, DON’T COMPLAIN!

On February 2, 2010, the Springfield School Committee’s Budget & Finance Committee held a public hearing for parents and students to voice their opinions and thoughts regarding budget priorities for the upcoming school budget. And guess what? Only one parent showed up.  Parents cannot complain or voice disagreement with how the district prioritizes its budget items if they don’t get involved and attend important meetings when given a chance.  Get involved and have a voice!

PERHAPS THE SAME SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBER WHO SAID . . .

“We tend to forget what we’re here for sometimes . . .” at a recent school committee meeting might want to reconsider her resignation from all of the standing subcommittees she was appointed to except the two that she chairs as a reaction to not being elected vice chair. Certainly we adults don’t want to send the message to our students that it’s okay to take our marbles and go home when we don’t get our way.

HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE AND WHAT MESSAGE DOES IT SEND?!

Not one of the 28 teachers selected from the Springfield Public Schools to receive the 2010 “Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Awards” was African American? Not one! Twenty-three were white. Four were Hispanic. One was “Other.” Not one was Black. How is this possible and what message does it send?!

LET’S NOT GET ROOKED!

Make no bones about it; the best location for the new Springfield School Department is on Main Street in the vacant, former federal building, City Councilor Timothy Rooke’s suspect admonitions notwithstanding. 

BEWARE OF INCUMBENTS BEARING GIFTS!

To incumbent City Councilor James Ferrera, who seems to be trying to make himself the standard bearer for those who want a stronger police community review board long after the issue has been so successfully trumpeted by so many others, “Where were you when we needed you?” And, of course, more importantly, “Why are you here, now?”

THEY CALL ME MR. TWIGGS!

In an emotionally charged meeting of the City Council’s Civil Rights and Race Relations sub-committee held after the Mayor’s announcement of his executive order establishing the Community Police Hearing Board, newly-elected City Councilor Henry Twiggs, the sub-committee chairman, exercised absolute control over the proceedings. His no-nonsense approach ensured a civil debate and a valuable exchange of ideas. n