This week, commenting on Dr Durkin's plans for New Bedford High school, the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education Diane Ravitch has endorsed exactly what Scott Lang has said.
Despite these clear arguments and authoritative voices, the editor of the Standard Times has written that Scott Lang is not being "helpful" by commenting on education in New Bedford.
Will the Times allow any other voices to discuss education in New Bedford?
29 comments:
Bob Unger is the man who gave us Portia Bonner and now blames Lang and the school Committee for hiring her.
Fortunately very few people read the Unger times so his comments mean next to nothing.
While I agree with most of his opinion regarding education and education in New Bedford in particular his actions during his tenure as mayor do not reflect his recent comments. For someone who's so connected to Deval Patrick and Washington insiders to have failed the students of New Bedford so miserably while mayor shows he spews nothing but hot air when he speaks.
If the NBEA and MTA want real change then please do not endorse the Democratic party for they are equally responsible as the Republicans for the destruction of public education in this country!
Unlike Jon Mitchell who takes his orders from Bob Unger, Scott Lang is his own man. Lang couldn't care less about Mayor Unger's mandates?
^ interesting that the real mayor of New Bedford lives in Fairhaven.
People shouldn't be so concerned with the s-t. They are on life support.
Scott Lang is a voice of reason, so it only makes sense that the standard times would not understand his wisdom.
Lang speaks the truth and that scares Jon Mitchell and his boss.
Isnt Scott Lang one of the reasons we are in this mess? Hindsight is always 20/20, right Mayor Lang?
There was an excellent article in the Boston Globe today entitled: "Staff exodus from two schools likely". I mention this article for two reasons. 1: it was presented in a non-bias manner (which is refreshingly different from local reporting) and 2: it specifically mentions that the two Dorchester elementary schools considered for a "turn around model", similar to the one chosen for NBHS, both underwent a huge staff turnover approximately three years ago. The article went on to state that teachers in those schools "should be of high quality as they were hand picked by their respective principals". The article did not mention whether these "new" teachers were given the resources (aka $$$) and support systems (counseling, special education, parental collaboration)needed to make them successful. It only mentioned the staff changes and the fact that these schools remain under performing. So what do we glean from this non-bias journalism? Two things come to mind: 1. We, as readers, are capable of understanding articles written at a tenth grade level and are very much able to formulate our own opinions based on unbiased reporting. (which is generally discouraged by our local newspaper)and 2. There are many factors that contribute to the success or failure of a school and in this case it was not the "handpicked" teachers .... Sadly, nobody seems to put two and two together....
Mess started way before Lang. Go back to the Kalisz administration when there was $6 million missing....
The ignorance here is approaching Facebook status. The school department budget is year to year. The deficit under Lamarche has nothing to do with the recent misspending. Every fiscal year must end balanced! So Lang bonded the Whales tooth parking lot and Sea Lab which were paid for and what did he do with that money? Where is the $600k he appropriated for the roof repairs at Hannigan school? These are facts! Not some random comments about $6 million from 10 years ago.
In today’s editorial, one name was missing from the article, Interim Supt. Mike Shea. Remember Shea was interim supt. for 14 months. When he took over the high school was a Level 3 and Parker a Level 4. Unfortunately when he left, we know what happened with the level of the high school and Parker. How often did we hear from the Education Mayor that the schools were now headed in the right direction with Shea.
Well Mr. Education Mayor under your administration and chair of the School Committee, your school district now has a Level 4 high school, a Level 5 elementary school, and a new charter school opening in September.
It is time to look above the mayor and superintendent. It's time to call upon state leaders. We should have done that as soon as this plan was the chosen model. The governor should be involved. Lame duck or not. The DESE needs to be reigned in. They are not serving the needs of students.
Every time I read another negative editorial or article about teachers - it makes me want to stop buying the poor excuse for a newspaper that the Standard-Times is. The S-T would write negative remarks about the Pope if he voiced his support for teachers. Scott Lang has the right to make his opinion known. He does not owe Jon Mitchell his support nor a school administration or school committee whose only intention is to get rid of teachers. MCAS and other high stakes tests are the worst thing that ever happened to education. All teachers do now is teach for that test. My granddaughter is a sophomore in high school and I cannot believe the assignments she has had to complete....all based on educational standards. The last English project she did had 18 parts and had to follow a RUBRIC - who even knows what a rubric is - just another ridiculous buzz word. Creativity and making learning an interesting and meaningful experience has disappeared. I wonder how many supporters of MCAS would pass the test!
Oh...and by the way....the City Council doesn't support Mayor Mitchell - why should Scott Lang support him?
In Master Unger's world everyone is entitled to an opinion as long as it doesn't go against his.
Shea may appear to be a nice guy, but he has his own relationship with Mitchell and Durkin.
Just wondering if Mayor McCheese is ready to unleash the Gang Task Force? I also want him to know that I gave my heart and soul to my district and I got kicked in the teeth. He is not interested in highly-qualified and dedicated teachers. This is about $$$ and dirty politics. He better be ready for loss of revenue spent in his city if he continues on this path. I am very conscious to spend my money in surrounding communities vs. New Bedford. It is his turn to feel the impact of his BAD decisions. If his head wasn't buried, he'd have addressed the needs of NBHS long ago. He, along with the other top-level administrators (and a few lower ones, too) should have to face the guillotine; not innocent teachers!
Am I the only person who KNOWS that a child's first teacher is their family? The families which populate this city are largely English as a second language families, they are largely government supported, they are largely minority and single parent homes. New Bedford has an incredibly high active drug rate. Our city presents problems of homelessness and high rates of transient families.
Children enter Kidnergarten without knowledge go their numbers or the English alphabet. They come from homes that do not value reading and writing. They enter our public schools looking for safe haven. They need nutrition of their body and mind.
Teachers work hard, they work trying their best to teach basic educational standards while balancing language barriers, children born to addicted parents, domestic violence, issues of self pride and cleanliness.
Schools provide part-time nurses, part -time councelors, minimal exposure to arts.
Today's education is far beyond test scores! I pray that New Bedford's leaders look at things with fresh eyes before an act of violence within our own system causes them to.
I think it is clear that the Standard Times is a Mitchell supporter. And I believe that they are the ones who have "drawn the line in the sand." Anyone who reads that paper knows that they believe teachers SHOULD be stripped of their collective bargaining rights and have no say in their own future and the future of education in this city. I have never seen the Standard Times report that police, firefighters, or other city workers should NOT have the right to belong to and be represented by a union. WHY is it that they only attack teachers?
Mitchell and Durkin do not care about students with limited English or impoverished students. If they did, their model would be different. The thing is, so many of us have invested so much to help these students succeed, but our services are not valued. I am so sick of the abuse of their self-serving power. Thank God we know the truth and that there are great districts out there when the time comes. We'll shine elsewhere.
Unger is the same person who crowned Craig Dutra man of the year.
That would be the same Craig Dutra that was involved in a drunkin joy ride which resulted in his wife being arrested.
Why wasn't Dutra arrested?
^ he wasn't driving. The police had to drive him home.
And Unger made that guy man of the year? Incredible!
Obviously the man of the year award has no value.
Why is it that the S-T is so willing to support individuals who knock down and criticize teachers and the union? How many times has the S-T quoted former Mayor John Bullard and member of the Education Roundtable with his negative comments towards teachers? On the other hand, as was in yesterday’s editorial, the S-T was critical of Scott Lang for speaking and addressing the issues with the schools and for supporting the teachers of NB.
Former Mayor Lang is a citizen of NB, property owner, and sent his children to New Bedford High School. Former Mayor Bullard moved out of New Bedford and never sent his children to the NBPS.
It seems like the S-T is calling the shots as far as what they want for the school system. If you are in their ball court, you are golden; however, if you go against their grain, you are a “backseat driver.”
Town of Westport wouldn't vote for Dutra as man of the year. He ignores his own town in favor of cocktail parties in NB
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