Friday, January 3, 2014

Letter from the Standard Times to Lou St. John

Regarding: union support
January 3, 2014 at 1:08 PM

Mr. St. John:

I noticed the various statements of support from other unions posted on the NBEA web page. I'd like to know if this support was solicited or received spontaneously. Also, the posting of support from the Steelworkers union does not include a link leading to authenticity, as do the postings of the other teachers unions. Is there a way to verify the steelworkers' support?

Has there been any progress on the professional development grievances?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

steve


-- 

Steve DeCosta
The Standard-Times/SouthCoasttoday.com
508-979-4503
sdecosta@s-t.com


24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Support is support...solicitef otr unsolicited... The AT is just upset that it was FREE NO FULL PAGE AD NEEDED!

Anonymous said...

Do you believe it, now the Sub-Standard Times through Mr. DaCosta wants the NBEA to do their job for them. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

Anonymous said...

They are scared!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I meant ST...but the A might be OK.

Anonymous said...

Am I reading this wrong or is the ST questioning outside support for our Union and teachers? Hope I'm wrong in my interpretation, for it would be another new low for them :/

Anonymous said...

So anything Unger's pals say is printed as truth at face value, but the idea that one working person supports another needs to be investigated?

It's as if the paper is being run by former Pravda employees.

Anonymous said...

What a jerk!

Anonymous said...

I wonder if the same letter was sent to everyone who "signed" support to Pia Durkin.

Anonymous said...

Right. Did she solicit? Wow. They really cannot pretend to be fair and balanced. Everything I learned in journalism 101 was apparently a joke.

Anonymous said...

Wait, isn't the job of a reporter to "investigate?" Shouldn't he be calling the organizations himself and asking if the support was solicited or offered? Two possibilities here. He is too lazy to actually make the calls, which is a distinct possibility because the Standard Times is the result of some very lazy reporters, or, and I think this is the more feasible reason, is this an excuse to harrass Lou, because if he answers they will probably not print it unless it is exactly what they want, or, if he doesn't answer they can take his silence and turn it against the teachers. And since when is it a crime to ask for help, if in fact help was solicited? No one forced these organizations to help, they could have said no. Way to focus on anything but the issues once again Standard Times

Anonymous said...

Flabbergasted!!! Bias raises its ugly head again! Thankful that integrity still exists... Not in local media outlets, but it DOES EXIST!

Anonymous said...

Let us hope that the planned replacements for our professional educators do not come from the same "pool" as the Sub-Standard Times reporters come from! Perhaps I should be asking Mr. DaCosta to write my weekly plans for me. I don't know whether to laugh or be disgusted by this letter to Lou.

Anonymous said...

What a joke. New all time low for Sub Standard Times. A proud city like New Bedford deserves a proud newspaper. Wouldn't line my cats litter box with this one. Rise up people...put these clowns out of business!!!!!

Anonymous said...

So is it official policy of organizations listed in the recent "support" ad or merely the opinion of the named individuals, and has Goblin man investigated?
In short: is it only union claims that get investigated?

Remember:

"We must not look at goblin men,
We must not buy their fruits:
Who knows upon what soil they fed
Their hungry thirsty roots?”

Anonymous said...

Why doesn't the Standard Times spend a day at the high school interviewing students and how they feel about their teachers. I'm sure the sentiments would mirror those of "the gift" previously posted by a teacher. Instead, they choose to bash the teachers in their headlines any chance they get. It must be a slow day in the news room because now they're visiting our blog trying to stir the pot and harass Lou. Mr. DeCosta seems to be looking for a story to report. Why doesn't he report on the years of mismanagement of funds and poor decisions made by the school committee that has lead us to this current fiasco.

Anonymous said...

^ oops........meant led not lead. :)

Anonymous said...

I have an idea Steven DaCosta. Why don't you try to find the missing 6+ million dollars "lost" by the administration? That should keep you busy on this snowy day. I guess the ST is slow on news today. The union and this battle with the Mayor and Durkin is your way of creating some readership. How is the ST doing anyway? I heard that your subscriptions are down 67% Hell, that is not good. Maybe you should look into it.

Anonymous said...

I canceled my subscription and have encouraged my family, friends, and neighbors to do so as well. It felt good! If you haven't done so already you should try it!

Anonymous said...

I would hope that every single Teacher in NBPS would have already cancelled their subscription to the Sub-Standard Times. We can find some other way to get our news. This rag despises Teachers. I will never buy another copy as long as I live. Hope we all feel the same.

Anonymous said...

Steve, it would be refreshing for you to spend a day at NBHS to get a feel for the environment in the building as well as learn student's reactions to what is going on around them. The pi**ing contest between the S-T and the teachers is unproductive and antiquated. Let's cooperatively move forward in a way that actually benefits NB's kids. Extend the olive branch by doing some first hand investigative reporting instead of relying on the blog for information and then questioning its sources. Don't wait for a reputable news source to beat you to it....

Anonymous said...

Very good point with the post above. It would be wonderful Steve if you would spend a day at each level of school in New Bedford. See what Teachers do for a living. Hard to believe someone from the S-T hasn't done this already.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Wizard recommends getting all ST reporters that cover any educational news into a room, to hold hands and repeat; "Drizzle, Drazzle, Drozzle, Dwone, time for these reporters to come on home. Be just what you is, not what you is not. folks that is what there is, is the happiest lot."

The moral of this story is...At least Tooter Turtle travels to the source and investigates the problem first hand.

Anonymous said...

Why is he worrying about our grievances? tell him to call Pia. She has all the answers.

Anonymous said...

As posted on another part of the blog - I think it's time to get some reporting from a REAL newspaper. Or a network news station.