Well DEBATE #2 is over and in the can so to speak. EVERYBODY did well. I even thought PATTI had a couple of good things to say. I mean GALLO did go on and on but hey he's a lawyer, you know OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD.
Things were going pretty well until the END when......
INCUMBENT JOHN FORD took what I perceived to be pot shots against......
okay maybe not directly at me, maybe it was implied.....
but he called out pretty much directly those incumbents who did not blindly vote to renew the SUPERINTENDENT'S contract. He felt SCHOOL COMMITTEE member's main task is to support the SUPERINTENDENT.
We have a difference of opinion. You see I think a SCHOOL COMMITTEE member's main loyalties should be to the STUDENT and seeing that he gets a quality EDUCATION.
I GUESS WE JUST DIFFER.
Hey, just like Charlie loves to repeat the same ridiculous phrase (over and over and over again) about Lynn being "at or near the top of the urban districts", John loves to repeat his belief that his role as school committee member is to support the superintendent and that he is mandated by law to do this. Of course the school committee should work with the superintendent in their efforts to better our schools and student performance. However, this doesn't mean the school committee should or must always agree with and support the superintendent's ideas, actions, recommendations, etc. That said, I did like and agree with some of John Ford's responses last night. I thought he did a good job answering the question I directed to him, Charlie and Lorraine. I was really impressed by some of Patti's responses too. Particularly, her responses involving setting and having goals and everyone working together to achieve these goals. I thought she nailed it!! The school IS mandated by state law to do this:
ReplyDelete"The school committee establishes educational goals and policies for the schools in the district, consistent with the requirements of law and the statewide goals and standards established by the Board of Education. (G.L. c. 71,[[section]] 37)"
How can a school committee operate and make decisions without having any goals? Just what are they trying to accomplish each year? Goals are essential and should be the first things discussed, modified and created at the beginning of every school year.
How come CHARLIE never takes credit for our ranking among other URBAN schools actually DECLINING during his tenure? We used to be AR the TOP of the URBAN schools.
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