Wednesday, September 17, 2014

How involved should the New Bedford City Council be regarding school issues? ... New Bedford Guide

The school board is asking them to back off ...

While saying they "appreciate" the City Council's concern, School Committee members Monday night asked councilors to leave school business to school officials.

Mayor Jon Mitchell said City Councilors had asked the committee to explain in writing or in person "the department's policies and practices concerning school busing, school building alarm systems, and enrollment figures."

Councilors have criticized school officials for their handling of those matters.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

If School Committee would respond to citizens questions, it would be wonderful...BUT THEY DON"T. You are lucky if you get a response. Concerned citizens NEED ANSWERS and NOT COVER UPS!!

Anonymous said...

The city council has asked those questions of the school committee because parents cannot get answers from central administration OR from the school committee. Why does the school committee and the NBPS department think they are exempt from answering questions? As taxpayers, parents, teachers,or school department employees we have a right to some answers. Why is everything involving the school system kept secret?

Anonymous said...

can we assign the school committee to a broom closet at the high school instead of a teacher with 30 kids?

Anonymous said...

Let's see. When the School Department needed money because they (SC) didn't have enough in their budget about two years ago, they (SC) went and pleaded their case before the City Council and got the funds. City Council was good enough for that purpose.

When there was the big budget deficit, the SC once again went to the City Council for money to shore-up the short fall. City Council came to the rescue once again.

When the City Council cut the School Department's budget, the School Committee begged to have the money restored. The City Council answered their request and was given permission to have a representative sit in or be given information on financial issues.

When the School Department submitted their FY15 budget which was about $7 million more than the last FY budget and Dr. Durkin stated why the School Department needed such an increase, the City Council passed the $118 million budget.

Now the Mayor and School Committee are telling the City Council to "back off and mind your own business" when they are receiving many calls from angry parents who are not getting answers from the administration or SC. Shame on them (SC) as the City Council has been there for them on many occasions.

Thank you City Councillors for speaking up and demanding answers.

Anonymous said...

the school committee isn't doing their job, so someone has to step in and find out what is going on. Durkin and her cronies are sneaky and under handed crooks. Teachers are stuck with huge classes, easily work 12 hour days while administration rakes in the big bucks and do what? Durkin has all kinds of overpaid help in duplicate, so why can't each classroom have a para? Degrade and destroy!

Anonymous said...

The SC must be hiding something that the CC will uncover. We need transparency with this committee especially with this huge budget increase and all the changes related to schedules and busing.

Anonymous said...

So true!

Anonymous said...

No teamwork , no money!

Anonymous said...

City Council, don't back off we need your support!

Anonymous said...

Somebody needs to look into what is going on. All that money on a new reading program and no one knows how to use it. Kindergarten kids being asked to write a letter a day and dictate at the beginning of the school year with no preschool. Most kindergartens have aids and are expected to safely manage class sizes and keep them on task. One person with 20 to 30 5 year olds is not right.

Anonymous said...

Get the principals in those classrooms to help the teachers instead of being on Facebook all day long or planning their next facial....

Anonymous said...

They should be very involved seeing that the school department is always crying to them to bail them out,or begging for money to pay the high salaries of the new administrators who aren't even needed it's all nonsense.

Anonymous said...

come see the classes at the high school that have no teachers still.... subs sitting there reading a book while kids hang out. Or how about the fact that some rooms have no blackboards, white boards or ever an overhead projector. Taping white lined paper to the wall to teach a lesson to the class. Guess all that money went to hire administrators who hide in their offices and sing kumbaya with each other while the building is exploding around them. WORSE than last year!

Anonymous said...

Still not attending to discipline aspects of our school. Kids can do anything they want. The new administrative team will walk them to class.

Pollock Watch said...

Did anyone else notice that Marlene Pollock's son got a teaching job at NBHS? I'm sure that was after a worldwide search. SC members should be barred from having family members that work for the NBPS.

Anonymous said...

We'll of course he got someone's job that they got rid of,that was probably in the deals made.

Anonymous said...

This is a state takover of the New Bedford schools. The school committee has been told as much and they know that they and the people of New Bedford no longer have a say in the education of their own children. It was easy for the SC to give up their responsibility they haven't shown much lately anyway. Now its just a charade for them so they can't let anyone too close who could expose what is going on (city council). Chester and his sidekick Durkin have dismantled everything at NBHS brick by brick and are attempting to rebuild on a foundation of shifting sand. They are following a foolish philosophy that claims all students will excel if they are placed in level classes. The only way to conduct such a class so that all have a chance at success is to dumb it down. The students who want to and should be pushed to do more are being sacrificed to the god of MCAS. They claim to be bringing back NBHS to its glory days of world class status while ingnoring the fact that there were five levels of learning at that time. The one great strength of NBHS, that children with the will to excel could do so here and compete with anyone else,has been dismantled for the sake of creating statistics that might make this regime look sucessful.There are no Honors level classes, class sizes are at 30 students, AP courses have had learning time reduced by 30%, students trying to learn are in classes with obnoxous disruptors and teachers, who were told last week that the presure will continue to be placed upon them, are expected to say a few abra cadabra words and make it all work. God help the City of New Bedford.

Anonymous said...

Welcome to New Bedford! The newbies, Good luck! I hope to god the parents that care about their children read this blog to find out what is really happening!

Anonymous said...

I heard they haven't even given teachers and administrators keys to their classrooms. And they had ro pay for a bathroom key again. Sad

Anonymous said...

I don't understand why the school committee needs to constantly change the curriculum in hopes of improving test scores. It is also baffling that the teachers get blamed for poor test scores, or a child's in ability effectively learn material. The SC needs to realize that proper education takes place at home, where the material they learn at school is reinforced. It is like taking a golf lesson, but never practicing aside from that. The children of NB will never excel if they don't practice what they learn. If the CC gets involved maybe they can shed some light on the SC's wayward agenda, and put hold the parents a little more accountable.