Lou St. John's comments to the membership regarding Innovation Schools

Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for taking the time from your busy day to be here to learn about the two proposed Innovation Schools in New Bedford and the impact they will have on our children, educators, and schools across the district if they are approved.

Prior to being called Innovation Schools, these schools were called Readiness Schools. However, that title didn't give these schools much traction.  Apparently, Readiness wasn't attractive or catchy enough so the name was changed to Innovation Schools. After all, who could possibly be against innovation?

To truly understand the proposals for these schools, one must take into consideration the motives of those pushing the agenda and the money trail that connects all the dots.

The Players:

The first major player pushing these schools is the poorly named New Bedford Education Roundtable, a group whose sole purpose (from day one) was to use public opinion to pressure the school committee and the mayor to strip our teachers of many of their contractually bargained rights. Their criticisms and attacks against our teachers have been relentless.

It should not surprise you that the most vocal proponents of these schools are affiliated with the Education Roundtable. Tom Davis, Craig Dutra, Bruce Rose, and Kate Fentress, are just a few who have written letters to the paper in support of these schools. Justin Braga, another member of the Roundtable, has been on the radio and given numerous speeches in support of these schools.

Another player is United Interfaith Political Action Group. School Committee member Jack Livramento was the president of the UIA when the proposal was submitted the to the school committee. UIA is also a member of the Roundtable. It’s not uncommon for Mr. Livramento to give long, pro-innovation school speeches during school committee meetings. School committee member Marlene Pollock also gives frequent speeches on the subject.

Even our local charter schools are in on the action. Tom Davis from Global Learning Charter School and Will Gardner from Alma Del Mar are listed on the Esperanza Innovation School Plan.

The connections don’t stop. There are also several other Roundtable members listed on the design team’s prospectuses.

The Voice:

The Design Teams claim that they want to give educators a voice.  Really? Ask the educators of Gomes and Roosevelt if they have been given a voice. They have not.

In fact, by claiming that these schools are new schools and not conversion schools – which is what they are – the proponents have denied educators a say.

The Stacking of the Deck:

These teams have stacked the planning committees with people who blindly support innovation schools -- people associated with the Education Roundtable and the UIA. Have you wondered why the principal of the Gomes School is not on the planning committee of the Renaissance School being proposed at Gomes? Why there are no Gomes teachers on the committee except for the one appointed by the New Bedford Educators Association? 

The Money:

So where is the money for these schools coming from? They say these are cost-neutral, that the money follows the child. The Global Learning Charter School makes the same claim. Yet, Global Learning Charter School is costing our district $6 million this year alone. Multiply that by 7 years and that school will cost our district $42 million.

Both Renaissance and Esperanza claim to be cost-neutral but that claim is based on faith not fact. How can they hire all the staff they want and lower class size and still be cost-neutral?

We don’t know.

They have yet to create a budget or an impact statement, both required by law for “new” schools. Are we just supposed to take them at their word?

We’ve calculated that these two schools, which will gobble up half of Gomes and Roosevelt, will cost the district $42.6 million over 7 years. Again, where will the money come from? If you guessed from the school where you work, you are correct.

Where will the educators from Gomes and Roosevelt go to make room for Esperanza and Renaissance? Will our newest educators be squeezed out of a job?

Where Will It Stop?

Originally UIA wanted six innovation schools with all the autonomies. The school committee said they would entertain two. However, School Committee member Marlene Pollock has said on numerous occasions that they will expand to other schools in the district. In the meantime, these innovation schools will share their “best practices” with other schools in the district. Didn’t charter schools also claim the same thing?

Which schools will they take over next?

Clarity:

We need to be clear! We are not against innovation. We are not against new ideas. However, just because something is new does not mean that it is good. New ideas must be encouraged but scrutinized. We have all witnessed new-fangled ideas that have been complete failures.

What we don’t support:

We do not support schools that will segregate our children.

We do not support siphoning money from our district schools to support two Innovation Schools that are asking for the same services we’ve been asking for all of our children and educators but the district said it can’t afford.

We don’t believe in a system of “haves and have-nots” and that is what these schools will create.

What we want:

We want equity for all children and educators!

We want the mayor and the school committee to work to improve and support all of our schools, not just a few!

We want the mayor and the school committee to properly fund our schools so that they will get the same supports and services the Innovation Schools are requesting!

We want the mayor and the school committee to stop listening to self-appointed educational experts and start listening to New Bedford educators!

Thank you

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