Bill Lacey responds to Robert Sharples editorial: Bob.. (can I call you Bob???), what a crock of horsesh*t you serve.

It seems there is no end in sight to the line of individuals prepared to take a free swing at the current situation surrounding our New Bedford Public School system. Such incredible sport has it become that we have expanded the league to include our surrounding towns. Today’s Standard-Times (4/6/12) has included the predo-intellectual musings of Dartmouth resident, Robert Sharples. Bob.. (can I call you Bob???), what a crock of horsesh*t you serve. Forgive me, but you’ve really got my dander up, and so you’ll excuse me while I rip your opinion piece, and you, a new one…

Like others before you, you’ve taken on a subject while admitting no content knowledge of it. You cite, “New Bedford's superintendent of schools is unknown to this contributor”. That’s always a firm foundation to build an opinion upon… “I’ve never been in a nuclear reactor before, but I read all about Three Mile Island, so I feel competent to advise you on its operation.” or, “Well, it’s ONLY heart by-pass, how difficult can THAT be???”. You’re right, Bob, we need to listen to you, you’ve obviously spent a great deal of time researching this subject…

Now, I’ve got to admit, someone, somewhere did good by Bob. He’s got a great five-by-five going in nearly every paragraph he writes. He uses fabulous expository language like: “This contributor” and “this writer” to create the effect of authority. Generating even the slimmest belief that Bob’s “got it going on”, places him squarely in my literary crosshairs tonight. Relax, Bob, I said literary, not literal. You’re safe. Turn the house lights on again and take off the Kevlar…

Let’s get started on the dissection…

Bob reflects upon The Peter Principle, a concept I’m all too well aware of. “The Peter Principle” was a study written back in 1969 (forgive me, GREAT YEAR!!! Man on the Moon, The Jets!!!, Woodstock, the Chicago Eight and, finally, the debut of The Brady Bunch.). It expounded on the consideration that everyone, eventually, rises to the level of their incompetence. Guess no one told Steve Jobs, Martin Luther King and Walt Disney, who, to be fair, either was, or wasn’t cryogenically frozen by that time. Mr. Sharples uses The Peter Principle to illuminate his line of thinking that somehow indemnifies school superintendent relative to his conviction that she has “bit off more than she can chew”. He writes that, “She should feel no shame or sense of failure. Widespread and unreasonable expectations were not fulfilled because, as often happens, factors surfaced that were beyond her control.” Guess you’ve been drinking the same Kool-Aid that Tom Davis, Michael Blais and a host of other external talking heads have been swigging. I say that because, though Bob hasn’t the foggiest knowledge of Dr. Francis, it seems he’s peeked at her contract. Evidently, Bob KNOWS exactly what she agreed to. How else could he possibly know what she has and hasn’t fulfilled? Okay, we know better. Bob hasn’t peeked at anything, save perhaps, his thesaurus. Bob is using an age-old device of intimating knowledge while never citing his source. Shame, Bob, shame…

Simultaneous with Bob’s prosecution, he allows that, “She is a talented individual.”. Damn big of ya, Bob. Which is it? Is she a talented individual or, as you assert in a previous paragraph, (not)” academically or professionally experienced or prepared to assume that very responsible position”? C’mon Bob, one side of the fence or the other… You’re simply making this too easy for me.
Mr. Sharples is guilty. Guilty of not having thought out his arguments and, therefore, is incapable of sustaining any of them. Guilty of not having collected authoritative information and using deceitful and inaccurate propaganda to fill his column inches. Mr. Sharples goes so far as to hold up past superintendents Paul Rodrigues and Charles Nanopoulos as examples of excellent administrators, but lacking in the areas of leadership. Somehow, I believe, Mr. Sharples is encouraging us to accept that Dr. Francis too, is a fine administrator but a poor leader. Well, I’ve got a problem with that too, Bob…

Immediately upon the retirement of one of the superintendents listed above, his successor was found to have a 1.5 million dollar shortfall. Little matter that the foundation of the shortfall had been laid in previous fiscal years and hidden in stacks of inaccurate books, the trap was set. Heads rolled and a new instrument was immediately put into place: the superintendent search committee, funded by a $75,000 payroll. Those of you who are “lifers” like myself recall the outcome…

Relative to our present “situation”, we’ve made nothing but positive strides. Our overall attendance is rising. Our MCAS scores have improved and there is a renewed sense of optimism throughout many of our schools. There is no “status quo” as you infer. True, there are gaps. We acknowledge them and warmly invite you to consider helping fill them. Might I suggest you become involved as a classroom reader or volunteer as a mentor for one of our schools? With such a strong, heartfelt desire to improve our overall capacity to serve our city, I can well imagine that you might only need an invitation. Consider yourself invited.

But then again, I can’t help but feel that you are simply writing for the purposes of seeing your name in print. Call me a skeptic, Bob, but I feel you have only one objective today. The question is: who’s holding your hand?


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