Wednesday, November 27, 2013

I am disappointed in Mayor Jon Mitchell ... Submitted by a member

Dear Lou St. John,

I am writing to express my disappointment with the mayor’s reaction to the recent motion filed by Henry Bousquet, addressing the number of assaults and fights in the district. His assertion that it was made because of inflated numbers gave the impression that you were the one inflating them. The toxic atmosphere in our district should be acknowledged by the mayor. He keeps saying he is not worried, and that he has full confidence in our superintendent. If so, he should not be trying to squash a request for clearer reporting and more accurate data.

I believe that you have been an ally to the staff and students trying to function in this dysfunctional system. Asking the right questions should never be considered “grandstanding” when confronting violence in our schools. 

Furthermore, it is not the responsibility of our union president to discipline children, or develop a plan for curbing the violence in our schools, as suggested by Mr. Paleologos. His job requires him to protect the teachers from harm so that they may continue to educate and inspire students. 

I believe you are doing what needs to be done. Now, the city council would like this administration to do what needs to be done. They do have the right to ask questions. They are citizens, they represent citizens, and the students are citizens of this city. What more authority is needed? 

Sincerely yours,


NBEA Member/Citizen of New Bedford

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

Phil Paleologis did a great job of sucking up to Mitchell once again.

Anonymous said...

I used to listen to Ken Pittman every day but I can't listen to Phil. He's the most disingenuous talk show host on the planet. Maybe that's why all of his previous shows have been canceled.

Anonymous said...

Lousy talk show - greasy spoon diner.

Anonymous said...

If Mayor Mitchell is so sure everything is under control at NBHS and is so confident Dr. Durkin is reporting the actual number of assaults, then why did he not take any calls on the radio tonight? Guess he couldn't take the "heat" and got out of the kitchen.

Anonymous said...

I thought that is why we are paying Pia a ridiculous amount of money-it is HER job to keep the students safe! I am a parent-I have no faith in her or her abuse of our teachers. As for Mr. Paleologis-I got food poisoning from eating at his dump! Most people are happy that he is closing that poison trap! To our teachers-please don't listen to the voices of the ignorant-the mayor, your super and the suck ups on the air.

Anonymous said...

Who is Mitchell to say that the City Councilors shouldn't ask for a report from Durkin on the number of teacher assaults at the high school? As parents, taxpayers and public servants they have EVERY right to know what is going on in the public schools of this city. More people should be asking what is going on. Shame on the school committee for believing Durkin's lies that the high school is "safe". One assault is TOO many!

Anonymous said...

WBSM was a joke tonight. How can the radio station employ Phil who is an incompetent, washed up phony. Keep covering for the mayor, Phil.

Anonymous said...

Mitchell is getting scared. The public isn't believing his lies anymore and Pia is yanking his chain.

Anonymous said...

It's time to boycott the Shawmut Diner. I pledge never to eat there again.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Phil needs to be reminded his radio program is "Open Line". Those lines weren't "open" tonight! He needs to improve his talk show by 40%. Who is evaluating him? Unsatisfactory in my book.

Anonymous said...

^
You couldn't pay me to eat there!

Anonymous said...

I applaud the City Council for doing what the School Committee should already have done. They are elected officials to govern the schools. Teachers are stating the facts. Students and teachers are being assaulted at an alarming rate. Dr. Finnerty was once a school department employeee. Does he not think there is violence in the school system? We are turning a blind eye to a growing problem that may have dire consequences. We are at risk (students, teachers, support staff) and it is about time the situation is aired for parents and the general public is fully aware of the potential dangers in our school system. The CC has listened to the teachers and hopefully will help us rectify the mess that our current school administration has gotten our district into. Please remember one school committee member (Finnerty) was a long time administrator who contributed to this problem. Funny how he has forgotten his role in the mess.

Anonymous said...

The students are definitely running the show and they know it. They can tell teachers to "shut up", "F off", "mind your business" and there are NO consequences. Kudos to the CC for demanding proper behavior in our schools. Maybe common sense will prevail.

Anonymous said...

There was no rigor in Phil's program today. There was tons of BS, though.

Anonymous said...

Phil and Jon are delusional fools.

Anonymous said...

If radio hugs Phil is going to attack teachers then let's not eat at his dump.

Anonymous said...

^i take the pledge not to eat at the Shawmut Diner.

Anonymous said...

Phil shouldn't be attacking teachers.

Anonymous said...

Saw a 10-second blurb on the Channel 6 (Providence) News last night referring to the City Council looking into the assaults now taking place at NBHS. It concluded by saying that there were 23 assaults last year.

Anonymous said...

I think we all need to remember something very important. If everything was being reported accurately, if everything was going well and the fear of violence was just over reaction on the part of teachers, then the mayor would have no reason to try and downplay and cover up the facts. Logic tells us that because he is avoiding questions, downplaying the truth and trying to redirect to place blame on people who are just trying to get the facts that he knows there is a problem, that he has something to hide and he is insulting the people of New Bedford by assuming they are not intelligent enough to question those facts that do not make sense. If everything was above board and going as well as he has implied then he would be open and willing to share facts and would be investigating any discrepancies, perceived or real. He knows there are problems and is just trying to cover up. People of New Bedford, please keep questioning until he discloses undisputable facts.

Anonymous said...

And now the children at NBHS are scared. How do I know this? I have a class of some of the tougher students at NBHS. They are not strangers to violence, fighting, group homes, foster homes or suspensions. On Wednesday we were reviewing and I heard some yelling coming from down the hall. I asked my students to be silent so I could hear what was being said - they surprisingly complied immediately. One young lady in my class asked me if I could go make sure everything was alright. I replied to the class that usually if there is a fight most students run to spectate and I couldn't take a chance of that happening. I have no teachers near my classroom, actually there are only two other teachers on the entire floor so I couldn't ask anyone to watch my class. I was going to call the office but I could see the anxiety in my student's faces and two others begged me to go look. I took a chance because I could see the fear in their faces, something in all my years of teaching I had never seen in class of students who are not strangers to violence. I told them I was going into the hall to make sure everyone was alright and they weren't to move from their seats. I wasn't sure they would comply. Not one student moved out of their seats while I ran two classrooms down and checked. When I got back to the room (less than 20 seconds later) I was bombarded with questions asking if everyone was alright. The fear was tangible. I'm glad to report that there was a skit being performed, not an incident but more importantly I saw real fear in the faces of my students. I didn't put it there, I was going to calmly call the office and ask someone to check on the situation but the anxiety level was so high the students couldn't have waited. Students have witnessed teachers being beaten, seen teachers with bleeding head wounds, and have heard about teachers with broken ribs and other various injuries. In my opinion, the violence that is being directed at teachers is something so unfamiliar to these students that they no longer feel safe. So if there is any doubt about whether or not there is a problem with violence directed at adults at NBHS, I challenge you to talk to a student who attends classes there and get their perspective. I can guarantee that you will be as heartbroken as I am to hear the fear in the students voices when they discuss what is really going on.

Anonymous said...

Mitchell's coverup is harming our schools. Durkin has to go.

Anonymous said...

No confidence in Durkin or Mitchell

Anonymous said...

I have listened to the Mayor, the Superintendent, the Assistant Superintendent, and a myriad of others at the administrative level and I find that the word "realistic" is missing in thought or the spoken word. The 40% discussion is so unrealistic, that to call it "setting the goal high" is embarrassing and a total lack of understanding of what teachers do on a daily basis. It's like teachers never have set the goals high, ever. Setting goals that are unattainable is self-defeating, and irresponsible.

Until the people in charge "get real" with the deal, failure this year will be epic, and it will not be from teachers not caring, or not teaching to the common core, or not from lack of effort.

Discipline, books, materials, rigor, data, this document, those documents, your boards, the wording...I can go on and on.

It's going to be epic, unfortunately, and again not from lack of teacher effort.

Anonymous said...

Open line is openingly laughable. Really! I'd rather listen to a paid advertisement for typewriters. Less frustrating and more relevant.

Anonymous said...

You're right! Since we don't have computers for each student in our oversized classes, we would be better off with typewriters!

Anonymous said...

We could do wonders with no technology at all if we had students who valued education. We certainly do have some and they would learn with or with technology. Of course this value had to be instilled in them by caring parents. Without that we could have all the bells and whistles, and stand our heads and still see no improvement. Starts at home!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Lou,
You were an ally when the system failed me. It was one of the most difficult experiences I ever had to endure, and it nearly destroyed me. You advocated on my behalf and when it was time to grieve before the mayor and School Committee, it was denied. We know this was just one of many incidences in which the mayor refused to validate a genuine concern that placed the well being and safety of the teachers in this district in jeopardy. You are a man of integrity, and your genuine efforts are greatly appreciated. This cannot be disputed. The mayor could not walk a mile in your shoes, nor is he man enough to aspire to that caliber. Shame on him for all that he has allowed to transpire.

Anonymous said...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/28/student-sets-teacher-on-fire_n_4356616.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592


In today's the news...teacher set on fire by student...was she too rash?

Anonymous said...

Those of you that voted for Mitchell now deal with him. !!!!!

Anonymous said...

Pia acts like we are all a bunch of idiots, that we didn't know what to do until she got here. I have news for her and the Mayor let us do our job, We know how to do it !!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I can't believe what I am reading. Teachers being assaulted, that is unreal !!!!!! These teachers should not have to put up with that. If one of those teachers were out in public and was assaulted he or she would call the police right away. So what makes the Mayor and Pia think this is acceptable ?? Being beaten. I would love to see if one of them got assaulted, they wouldn't report it?? This is no joke but it sure sounds like it is. Those teachers need to call the police!!!!!!! The hell with what Pia thinks!!!!!! No one should have to deal with that level of violence !!!!!!

Anonymous said...

There is no respect for the teaching profession by anyone in the public. No one even bats an eyelash when a teacher is shot and killed. If a cop or fireman is killed on the job there is media coverage galore and people are appalled. Our profession and lives are just as important. If not for teachers there would be no other professions.

Anonymous said...

Court dockets don't lie