►
From YouTube: Committee on Education on December 11, 2018
Description
Docket #0169 - Hearing regarding the governance structure of the Boston School Committee
A
Like
that
everyone
right
Ren
attention,
we
said
earlier.
We
start
there
alright
done
good
evening,
everyone,
my
name
is
Denise
rossabi,
George,
I'm,
a
boston
city,
councilor
at-large
and
chair
of
the
Education
Committee
I
am
joined
this
evening
by
councillor
McCarthy
and
expect
some
of
my
other
colleagues
may
make
their
way
in
over
the
course
of
the
evening.
This
hearing
for
docket
zero
one
six,
nine.
A
In
order
for
a
hearing
regarding
the
governance
structure
of
the
Boston
School
Committee
I'd
like
to
remind
everyone
that
this
is
a
public
hearing
being
recorded
and
will
be
rebroadcast
on
Comcast
8r
s,
CN
80,
to
Verizon
one
nine,
six,
four
and
online
I:
ask
that
you
please
silence
your
cell
phones
and
any
other
devices.
We
will
also
take
public
testimony
and
would
appreciate
it
if
you
would
sign
in
and
indicate
that
you
wish
to
testify.
A
I
will
ask
that
you,
please
state
your
name
and
affiliation
or
residence,
and
that
you
limit
your
comments
to
three
minutes
or
less
to
ensure
that
all
comments
and
concerns
are
heard.
I
anticipate
that
this
hearing
may
get
a
little
long,
so
I
will
be
calling
a
couple
of
people
between
panels
to
give
testimony
I'd
like
to
thank
you
all
for
being
here
today
and
want
to
thank
all
of
my
panelists
for
their
for
their
participation.
A
I
know
that
this
can
be
a
contentious
topic,
but
most
conversations
that
are
important
are
the
focus
of
this
hearing
is
to
explore
all
governance,
to
explore
all
possible
governance
structures
and
to
highlight
how
families
can
best
engage
and
work
together
with
those
who
make
education
policy
decisions
for
their
children.
The
school
committee
plays
a
big
role
in
our
student
achievement
and
our
success
of
our
schools.
Their
responsibilities,
rage
range
from
monitoring
the
annual
operating
budget
to
manager
managing
the
superintendent
in
reviewing
district
policies.
A
It
is
crucial
that
we
are
able
to
have
public
conversations
about
this
body.
This
is
an
opportunity
to
have
a
public,
a
productive
conversation
on
what
is
best
for
our
children.
I
do
want
to
share
publicly
that,
while
I
have
I
have
not
taken
a
position
on
this
matter,
I
would
strongly
like
to
make
the
process
more
transparent
and
public
I
look
forward
to
listening
to
the
various
points
of
view
and
opinions
on
this
topic.
I
will
now
introduce
my
colleagues
in
an
order
of
arrival
to
give
any
opening
comments.
Councillor
McCarthy
thank.
B
You
very
much
madam
chair
I'll
be
short
and
sweet.
You
know
you
mentioned
the
word
contentious
and
I
just
want
to
say
you
know
if
you're
in
this
hearing
today,
if
you're,
if
you've
taken
the
time
to
come
downtown.
Clearly
you
care
about
bps
and
you
clearly
care
about
the
students
and
the
families
that
bps
that
bps
works
for
really
I.
Have
my
own
opinion
on
this
I
worked
on
that
campaign
in
1984
95,
but
I'm
here
to
listen
and
to
continue
to
learn,
and
certainly
I,
certainly
understand
that
people
have
different
opinions.
B
C
You,
madam
chair,
and
thank
you
for
your
leadership
on
this
and
so
many
school
issues
great
to
be
with
you
and
my
dear
friend,
the
district
council
from
readville
I
will
be
brief
as
well.
In
my
opening
remarks,
I
know
we're
gonna
hear
from
a
number
of
folks
and
stakeholders.
I.
Think,
though
this
is
very
interesting
to
me
when
I
chaired
the
government
operations
committee
back
in
2011
or
2012,
there
was
a
similar
initiative
put
forth
by
one
of
our
colleagues
that
was
look
at
establish
a
hybrid
model.
C
That
means
having
certain
members
that
were
appointed
other
members
that
were
elected.
It's
something
that
some
other
cities
have
done.
I
actually
think
there's
a
lot
of
merit
to
that
model,
and
it's
something
that
we
ought
to
be
exploring
here
in
Boston.
But
clearly
there
are
a
number
of
things
we
can
do
to
make
sure
that
parents
feel
as
though
their
school
committee
is
truly
listening
to
them
and
reflecting
a
lot
of
the
concerns
that
we've
heard.
A
You
thank
you
very
much.
Councillor
O'malley
I,
also
like
to
note
that
we
have
regrets
that
have
been
sent
to
us
by
councillor
Jani
and
a
councilor
Pressley
I'll
save
those
for
submission
into
the
record.
I
also
want
to
note
that
we've
been
joined
by
a
councillor
Frank
Baker
councillor.
We
just
did
opening
statements
I'm,
not
sure
if
you've
got
one
to
give.
A
You
thank
you
Thank
You,
councillor,
Baker,
and
for
for
prior
to
the
start
of
our
panel,
we
do
have
a
few
members
of
the
public
who
I'd
like
to
invite
up
just
for
some
quick
testimony.
It's
been
the
thing
that
we've
tried
this
year
to
get
some
public
testimony
in
prior
to
the
first
panel,
so
I'd
like
to
invite
up
we've
been
joined
by
the
president
CEO
of
ABCD
mr.
John
Drewe.
Who
has
some
comments
that
he'd
like
to
share
while
mr.
E
Thank
you
very
much
for
be
invited
hearing
for
background
I'm,
president
CEO
ABCD.
We
have
50,000
families
that
we
serve
in
Boston.
Low-Income
I
have
been
doing
this
for
50
years.
My
headstock
parent
from
1966
67
68
I
have
been
dealing
with
the
school
apartment
and
we
had
why
we're
in
a
type
of
occasion
where
they
had
to
try
to
give
people
opportunity
and
unfortunately,
for
what
he
is
school
apartment
has
been
uneven.
E
Just
put
it
that
way,
I
come
tonight
to
say
that
I
fully
support
and
have
been
a
year
ago,
having
a
public
hearing
a
formal
representation
through
elected
process
of
members
of
the
public
to
a
Boston,
School
Committee,
which
was
dismantled
27
years
ago
or
as
governor
weld
said
at
the
time,
disenfranchise
the
people
in
Boston.
There
are
450
cities
and
towns
lost
count
Massachusetts,
they
all
have
elected
school
committees
and
I
have
to
wonder
why,
frankly,
why
folks
believe
that
people
in
Boston
Bostonians
are
not
worthy
of
having
their
own
elected
school
committee?
E
It
baffles
me
I,
believe
it
makes
us
all
stronger
if
we
have
a
public
school
system
with
all
hands
on
deck,
and
we
have
too
many
of
our
youngsters
have
not
been
able
to
get
through
to
where
their
life
can
be
better.
I
don't
want
to
go
through
all
and
watch
it
over
the
years,
but
thousands
of
kids
are
working.
Some
have
to
high
schools
with
the
public
school
system.
One
is
a
recovery.
E
High
school
students
have
totally
lost
and
back
the
other
is
high
school,
where
youngsters
are
over
aged
and
almost
pushed
out
the
system,
but
we
recovered
them
back
the
school
department.
To
me,
the
bps
to
me,
I
was
born.
A
child
staff
is
the
gutter
it
should
be
the
jewel
in
the
crown
should
be
where
we
taking
our
youngsters
to
the
next
generation,
where
they
will
be
in
the
next
generation
where
they
will
have
opportunities.
E
E
E
Everything
we
doing
this
that
requires
parental
involvement,
because
that
is
a
month
that
really
does
work
I,
believe
community
involvement
also
works
tremendously
and
has
for
decades,
as
we
worked
through
the
city
as
we
have
brought
people
through
forward,
we
created
institutions
that
were
there
before
we
had.
The
first
planning
grant
came
from
a
bee
city
to
the
Boston
Public
Schools
in
60s.
So
we
have
a
great
great
investment
and
what's
cool
about
them
and
I'm
only
here
to
say
a
few
words
about.
E
The
fact
that
maybe
haven't
lived
through
all
this
myself-
maybe
it
was
messy
at
times-
maybe
it
wasn't
messy
at
times
by
the
way
City
Council
was
messy.
At
times
too,
we
didn't
throw
you
out.
I
work
for
a
mayor
was
in
jail,
Greg
guy
didn't
throw
Tamara,
so
we've
had
some
messy
times
and
present
busing
times
we've
had
other
times,
but
the
solution
in
1992
to
throw
out
the
elected
school
party
I
believe,
was
totally
wrong.
E
We
do
it
with
the
disinfecting
of
transparency,
I
believe
strongly.
That
will
be
much
better
off
as
a
community.
If,
in
fact,
we
do
just
that,
however,
you
do
it.
However,
this
comes
out
I'm,
glad
that,
after
a
year
of
talking
about
it,
we're
having
this
council
hearing
I
had
the
great
honor
of
having
my
name
in
the
editorial
part
of
the
glove
The
Herald.
E
We
can
do
to
make
our
system
of
education
in
the
city
better,
more
transparent,
more
involved
by
parents,
more
knowledge
and
behind
for
the
parents
in
the
community,
but
what's
going
on
will
be
better
off
and
the
only
way
I
can
see
that
happen
is
to
have
people
select
representatives
to
sit
on
a
school
board.
You
can
always
talk
about
how
it
would
work.
I
know
if
people
are
gonna
talk
about
how
they
must
manage
money,
didn't
manage
money,
didn't
have
any
money
to
mismanage
what
they
did
was
work
on
a
budget.
E
A
Thank
you
very
much
and
thank
you
for
on
the
work
that
you
continue
to
do
over
at
ABCD
with
a
really
great
team.
Thank
you.
Thank
you.
So
we're
gonna
thank
you.
You
can
head
back
and
hang
out
with
Josh
as
long
as
you
can
stay
with
us
this
evening.
We
also
have
four
testimony
generally
Herlihy.
You
are
next.
If
you
could
come
to
this
back
microphone
with
the
laptop.
That
would
be
great.
F
F
That
perhaps
part
of
the
problem
here
is
that
they
serve
at
the
behest
of
the
mayor,
which
was
a
term
that
my
family
laughed
at,
because
it's
a
big
word,
but
it's
a
true
word
they're
appointed
and
that's
their
job
is
somehow
related
to
the
mayor
and
so
I.
Don't
know,
I
think
there's
two
problems
with
that.
F
One
I
think
that
the
ability
to
advocate
as
a
school
committee
member
might
be
compromised
because
they
know
that
they
are
appointed
by
the
mayor
and
if
such
mayor's
example,
for
example,
is
what
parents
or
residents
or
taxpayers,
feel
more
money
should
be
going
to
certain
projects
or
schools.
Perhaps
they
feel
that
if
the
mayor's
agenda
is
different,
that
they
feel
perhaps
they're
not
going
to
be
heard
by
this
school
committee,
the
other
issue,
I
think,
is
when
there's
a
disconnect
with
central
office
or
the
transportation
department
or
someone
else.
F
It
might
appear
to
a
parent
who's
there
to
advocate
that.
Also,
if
these
people
are
hired
by
the
mayor
or
under
his
control,
that
they
may
not
get
the
same
interest
or
change
that
they
would.
If
the
school
committee
was
not
so
tied
to
the
mayor,
so
I
stand
here
before
you
asking
that
I
think
something
has
to
change
and
I
guess
being
a
bps
ambassador,
which
I
was
anointed
in
onine
I.
F
Think
anyone
that
showed
up
at
the
meeting
became
one
and
an
advocate
as
a
parent
who
sits
and
goes
to
the
school
committee
but
doesn't
feel
they
get
change
when
there
are
very
few
other
parents
on
the
school
committee.
My
suggestion
would
be
that
it
is
done
by
neighborhood
an
appointment
each.
If
you
don't
like
that,
then
certainly,
why
can't
we
follow
the
City
Council
model?
F
F
Sometimes,
when
I
go
there
or
I,
don't
feel
that
I'm
getting
the
same
interest
level
from
the
school
committee
members
that
they
might
if
they
were
a
parent
with
a
kid
in
Charlestown
who
has
to
get
on
the
bus
or
take
the
tea
at
5:00
in
the
morning
to
make
a
7:10
bell
and
so
having
a
subset
of
that
community
there
to
talk
and
understand,
that's
what
I
think
a
school
committee
would
be
should
be
I
didn't
know
that
450
communities
outside
of
us
do
it.
This
way.
F
I
certainly
know
it
to
be
normal
and
I.
Don't
understand
why
it's
any
other
way.
Certainly
I
guess
the
question
would
be.
Why
is
it
that
the
mayor
appoints
anyone?
What
is
the
benefit
to
the
school
community
parents
and
taxpayers
so
I
appreciate
the
dialogue.
I
certainly
think
something
has
to
be
done.
If
you
don't
like
my
neighborhood
suggestion,
I'm
willing
to
listen
and
I
certainly
won't
be
contentious,
but
I
think
when
the
taxpaying
parents
are
the
ones
that
don't
see
anything
getting
done,
even
if
that's
just
a
misperception,
it
certainly
would
help
your
constituents.
G
Good
evening
my
name
is
Michael
Kincaid,
more
affectionately
known
as
Willie
Kincaid's
father.
My
son
Willie
is
a
well
he's
a
student
at
urban
Science
Academy
in
West
Roxbury
part
of
the
West
Roxbury
Education
complex
or
more
affectionately
known
as
the
wreck.
But
my
testimony
here
tonight
is
not
about
the
wreck,
because
that's
not
what
we're
here
to
talk
about
councilman.
You
mentioned
that
you
worked
on
the
94
campaign
referendum
campaign
I'm
a
graduate
of
Roxbury
high
school
class
of
1976.
G
Any
of
us
who
are
old
enough
to
remember
the
old
Boston
School
Committee
loves
the
irony
that
rape,
mayor
ray
Flynn,
basically
abolished
it,
and
he
made
his
career
out
of
the
situation.
That
I
was
a
victim
of
in
the
70s,
so
I
understand
why
it
was
necessary
to
have
a
selected
school
committee,
because
the
School
Committee
back
in
the
day
basically
catered
to
those
people
who
showed
up
to
vote
period.
And
if
you
lived
in
Roxbury
where
I
lived
and
grew
up.
G
Well,
you
got
what
you
got
I'm,
not
blaming
my
mom
and
my
dad
and
my
neighbors
for
not
showing
up
for
voting.
But
we
just
didn't
back
in
the
day
and
that's
kind
of
why
we
got
what
we
got,
but
those
days
are
gone
brief.
Mayor,
ray
Flynn
is
no
longer
Mayor.
Thomas
Menino
is
no
longer
mayor
and
folks
in
Roxbury
show
up
to
vote
folks
in
High,
Park
show
up
to
vote,
Dorchester
matter,
parent
and
so
forth
show
up
to
vote.
We
deserve
an
opportunity
and
I'm
a
homeowner
in
the
city
of
Boston.
G
We
deserve
the
opportunity
to
have
our
votes
counted.
We
deserve
the
opportunity
that,
if
we're
not
happy
with
a
particular
employee,
we
can
fire
them.
That's
what
elections
are
about
now.
I
understand
the
mayor
is
responsible
for
the
total
outcome
of
the
Boston
School
Department,
but,
on
the
other
hand,
am
I
the
only
one.
That's
ever
noticed
that
when
things
go
amazingly
well,
like
it
urban
science,
we've
got
an
amazing
program
for
special
needs.
Students,
like
my
son,
who's
autistic
when
things
go
well,
the
mayor
has
no
problem
standing
in
front
of
cameras.
G
Talking
about
judge
me
on
my
job
that
I
do
regarding
the
school
system,
but
when
things
go
bad,
suddenly
our
superintendents
leave
to
spend
more
time
with
their
families
and
take
the
bullet
for
what's
wrong.
Well
personally-
and
this
is
a
really
bad
analogy,
but
if
the
manager
of
a
McDonald's
only
wants
to
make
sure
that
his
cashiers
get
as
many
people
through
as
possible
and
doesn't
give
a
damn
about
how
hot
the
fries
are,
am
I
gonna
keep
going
in
at
McDonald's,
no
I
want
to
go
somewhere
where
I
get
customer
service.
G
G
The
sense
that
the
crazy
thing
about
it,
his
mother
and
I-
we
consider
ourselves
lucky
because
in
16
years
we've
had
amazing
teachers
and
we've
been
in
amazing
schools,
and
my
son
has
got
amazing
service,
but
part
of
that
is
because
we
show
up
so
I'm
here
on
a
Friday
night
on
a
cold
Tuesday
night,
because
we
show
up
so
all
I'm.
Simply
asking
of
you
is
to
give
us
what
is
our
do.
G
Give
us
the
opportunity
to
fail,
give
us
the
opportunity
not
to
show
up
and
vote
for
our
elected
school
committee
and
let
those
neighborhoods
that
do
show
up.
If
it
happens,
it
happens.
We
got
nobody
to
blame,
but
ourselves,
but
at
least
give
us
the
opportunity
and
the
idea
of
a
hybrid
come
on
now.
That's
not
even
fair.
So
thank
you
for
letting
me
have
my
testimony
and
Councilwoman
I
got
a.
You
were
at
last
week's
school
committee
meeting
I'm.
G
H
Good
evening,
president
campbell,
in
abstentions,
who
madam
chair
and
sabe
Jorge
and
honorable
city
councilors,
please
forgive
a
mite
Onis
I
promise.
Whoever
comes
next
I
use
hand
sanitizer.
So
hopefully
you
won't
catch
my
cold
and
my
casualty
I
needed
layers
to
make
it
out
on
this
cold
evening.
As
you
know,
my
name
is
Brandi
fluke
or
Oakley's
the
pleasure
to
testify
you
two
I
testified
before
you
twice
in
an
8
day
period
and
I'm,
the
executive
director
of
educators
for
excellence,
a
teacher
led
nonprofit
that
works
to
elevate
educator
voice
in
the
policy-making
process.
H
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
allow
me
to
speak
on
this
important
issue
this
evening.
After
hearing
from
our
members
this
fall.
It
is
clear
that
this
issue
is
less
about
how
the
committee
is
structured
and
more
about
accountability
and
community
input
into
the
process
before
sharing
their
viewpoints.
H
I'd
like
to
remind
us
all
that
the
reason
we
moved
from
elected
to
appoint
it
is
because
of
racial
unrest,
post
desegregation
and
busing
as
a
Bostonian
native
as
a
graduate
of
Boston
Public
Schools,
as
the
daughter
of
a
father
who
went
through
the
busting
in
desegregation
period.
I
am
acutely
aware
and
have
heard
the
stories
of
what
those
times
were
like
at
that
time.
Boston
Public
Schools
was
largely
black
and
white
and
dramatic
measures
were
taken.
H
The
eradication
of
an
elected
School
Committee,
however,
our
city
demographics
have
changed
and
we
are
finally
seeing
Boston
starting
to
grapple
in
earnest
with
some
of
the
racist
foundations
that
have
undergirded
many
of
our
city's
institutions.
We
must
ask
ourselves
if
the
status
quo
decision
made
post
busing
for
school
committee.
Governance
is
still
necessary.
Today,
since
August,
we
have
surveyed
more
than
500
educators
on
the
topics
of
current
policy
in
Boston,
Public
Schools
and
in
the
past
two
months
alone,
200,
educators,
weighed
in
on
the
issue
of
school
governance.
H
What
every
is
hearing
from
our
members
is
that
the
real
governance
problem
is
not
how
the
School
Committee
members
are
selected,
whether
appoints
it
elected
or
some
hybrid
or
alternative
approach.
The
real
issue
is
whether
or
not
the
school
committee
is
truly
accountable
to
the
needs
of
Boston
families
stood
and
educators.
How
will
a
new
method
of
school
committee
member
selection
ensure
there
is
authentic
community
input
and
feedback
on
the
policies?
H
Bps
is
creating
and
there
I
even
say
a
method
for
authentic
community
input
and
engagement
to
actually
create
an
ID
8
on
policies
within
bps.
The
real
question
of
Boston
teachers,
collective
minds,
is
all
about
accountability
of
the
members
that
we
surveyed
only
3
percent
of
our
members
identified
appointment
as
their
preferred
method
of
selecting
members
for
the
Boston
School
Committee.
H
The
remaining
97%
surveyed
said
they
were
just
satisfied
with
the
status
quo
and
selected
either
elected
or
a
hybrid
method,
particularly
55%
choose
and
fully
elected
and
42
percent
choosing
a
hybrid,
specifically
Michelle
Knope,
or
a
teacher
at
the
Holmes
innovation
school
shared.
The
Boston
School
Committee
should
be
structured
to
include
elected
positions,
as
opposed
to
appointments
by
the
mayor
to
allow
for
teacher
family
and
community
input
in
the
district's
decision
making
process
pertaining
to
evaluation
and
management
of
the
superintendent
and
the
establishment
of
district
level
policies.
H
School
committee
elections
can
foster
community
investment
in
the
district
by
allowing
for
increased
community
voice
in
the
selection
of
the
governing
body.
As
you
can
see,
while
teachers
are
split
on
what
the
structure
should
be,
there
is
agreement
that
changes
necessary
and
that
stems
from
a
need
for
accountability.
The
school
committee
is
tasked
with
holding
Boston
Public
Schools
accountable,
but
who
holds
them
accountable.
Some
would
say
the
mayor.
However,
we
recognize
that
Boston
is
the
city
heralded
for
a
de
facto
tradition
of
electing
generational
mayors
who
remain
in
office
for
years
decades.
H
Even
thus,
if
the
only
option
is
voting
in
a
new
mayor,
then
the
community
would
really
have
no
option
at
all
in
ensuring
accountability.
It's
not
feasible
to
tell
students,
teachers
or
the
community
to
vote
out
the
mayor.
If
you
want
to
meaningfully
engage
as
presidents
in
the
process
of
changing
policy.
For
our
public
schools,
every
voice
has
to
matter,
and
there
must
be
multiple
avenues
for
engagement.
H
What
is
clear
is
this,
even
if
the
structure
stay
the
same,
the
district
needs
to
continue
to
find
better
ways
to
thought
partner
and
collaborate
with
teachers,
family
members,
businesses,
clergy,
beef,
yes,
alumni
and
other
citizens
and
stakeholders
throughout
all
of
Boston
to
ensure
students
get
the
best
education
possible.
What
cannot
continue
our
closed-door
processes
and
backdoor
deals?
Our
members
want
leaders
whether
elected
or
appointed,
who
get
at
root
causes
and
help
to
grow
solutions
by
including
those
who
are
most
impacted
in
the
decision
making
process.
H
H
A
Beautiful,
thank
you
very
much
brandy
and
thank
you
few,
our
regular
testimony,
both
yours
and
of
the
teachers
that
you
work
with.
Thank
you
so
we're
going
to
shift
gears
to
our
first
panel.
I
do
have
a
few
slides
and
I
think
Sam
might
reference
the
some
things
that
the
slides
may
pertain
to
that
I
have
something
to
save
them
for
now,
but
Sam
and
councillor
dakara.
Thank
you
both
for
being
here
I'll.
Let
you
introduce
yourself
know
what
former
counselor
go
first
and
we'll
get
to
it.
Thank
you
sure,
for.
I
What
I
will
focus
on
in
my
testimony
is
what
happened
to
the
School
Committee
after
I
did
that
research
in
1970
and
71
I
also
do
so
as
a
graduate
of
the
Boston
Public
K
through
12,
and
maybe
just
as
importantly,
my
mother
was
a
Boston
schoolteacher
for
34
years.
So
I
learned
plenty
around
the
kitchen
table.
The
70s
were
not
a
good
decade
for
the
Boston
School
Committee
and
I
served
on
the
council
for
most
of
that
decade.
Two
members
of
the
school
committee
went
to
jail,
others
were
indicted,
but
not
convicted.
I
The
school
committee
positioned
themselves
so
as
to
bring
about
a
court
order
which
brought
about
the
desegregation
of
our
schools.
They
violated
the
law,
plain
and
simple,
didn't
have
to
be
a
constitutional
scholar.
He
just
had
to
be
able
to
read
and
the
enactment
of
a
desegregation
plan
which
arguably
has
left
the
poorest
of
our
children,
not
much
better
off
than
they
were
50
years
ago.
That's
a
debate
for
another
day.
I
I
spent
much
of
my
time
sitting
over
on
that
side
because
we
do
it
alphabetically,
so
the
bees
and
the
Seas
and
the
DS
always
sit
over
there,
arguing
that
the
council
and
the
School
Committee
as
they
then
existed.
All
elected
at-large
were
not
representative
bodies,
either
with
respect
to
race
or
gender
or
geography.
I
One
ninth
in
the
city
each
would
encourage
parents
and
others
who
were
legitimately
concerned
about
education
rather
than
obsessed
about
politics
to
run
for
those
seats.
There
were
some
decent
people
who
served
on
those
committees,
many
of
whom
were
friends
to
this
day,
but
there
were
many
who
ran
only
because
there
was
an
available
office
and
was
interested
in
education
was
de
minimis.
I
There's
no
doubt
in
my
mind
that
bud
Spillane
would
have
been
a
long
term
superintendent,
as
was
Tom
Faison
in
the
90s,
but
for
the
pestering
by
members
of
the
School
Committee.
With
respect
to
patronage
and
other
matters,
he
went
on
to
run
one
of
the
nation's
largest
and
most
successful
school
systems
in
Fairfax,
County
Virginia.
I
Furthermore,
each
member
of
the
school
committee
insisted
upon
having
a
staff
and
office
health
insurance.
It
was
a
very
expensive
proposition.
One
member
who
I
will
not
name
even
suggested
to
me
that
she
had
a
gentleman
on
her
staff
whose
job
it
was
to
taste
her
food.
Therefore,
I
was
one
of
many
people
who
care
about
the
city
and
worked
very
hard
to
bring
about
the
appointed
committee
in
the
early
90s
and
then
worked
hard
to
be
sure.
I
It
was
supported
by
the
voters
on
two
occasions
once
when
Ray
Flynn
was
mayor
and
again
when
Tom
Menino
was
mayor
and
I,
think
it
was
about
70/30
and
I
think
that
it
prevailed
in
16,
17
or
18
of
the
22
Ward's
20
of
the
22
okay.
He
got
me
in
a
political
fact.
I
hope
that's
stricken
from
the
rock
of
the
day.
Okay,
I'll
talk
to
you
later
to
the
wonderful
thing
about
the
appointed
committee
is
that
they
do
not
interfere
in
the
day-to-day
operation
of
the
school
system.
I
They
do
no
I
view
their
job
as
being
one
of
providing
employment
of
which
we
currently
have
9,500
employees
more
or
less
for
a
school
system
of
approximately
57,000
students.
I
believe,
as
do
many
others,
that
for
us
to
return
to
placing
names
on
the
ballot
for
election
to
the
school
committee
would
result
in
extraordinary
divisive.
'no
stand,
that's
super
intendent
sand.
The
pissant
mold
would
stay
in
Boston.
Thank
you
happy
to
respond.
Thank.
I
J
Got
spoiled
in
terms
of
our
office
being
a
block
away
from
26th
Court
Street,
so
it's
a
whole
nother
matter
now.
So,
madam
chair
and
members
for
the
record,
my
name
is
Sam
Tyler
I'm,
the
president
of
the
Boston
municipal,
Research,
Bureau
and
I,
guess,
influenced
by
John
Drewe
I'm,
going
to
tell
you
that
I
have
been
observing
and
writing
about
the
Boston
School
Committee
since
1972
so
I've
seen
firsthand.
J
You
know
the
Boston
Public
Schools,
with
the
worst
and
some
better
five-member
school
committees
and
from
1982
to
1991,
the
dysfunction
of
the
13
member
elected
School,
Committee
and
since
1992
of
the
7
member
appointed
committee
from
and
I
think
from
these
years
of
experience,
I
can
unequivocally
state
that
the
appointed
school
committee
structure
affords
Boston
the
best
chance
to
improve
school
performance
in
all
areas.
Academic,
operational,
fiscal
manager,
managerial
now,
I
think
we
all
agree
that
no
board
structure
by
itself
is
going
to
be
a
solution
to
the
challenges
facing
the
Boston
Public
Schools.
J
However,
governance
structure
can
facilitate
the
support
for
effective
implementation
of
policies
to
improve
teaching
student
achievement
in
operations.
I
also
want
to
say
at
the
beginning
that,
while
school
governance
has
been
an
issue
that
comes
and
goes,
there
are
more
important
issues
that
we
should
be
devoting
our
attention
to
in
our
energy
too.
That
would
have
far
more
benefit
to
the
parents
and
students
of
the
Boston
Public
Schools.
J
J
J
Boston's
moved
to
the
appointed
school
committee
structure
actually
evolved
over
a
decade
of
attempts
to
make
the
elected
process
work.
In
fact,
the
change
came
only
after
a
series
of
efforts
to
improve
governance
of
schools
within
the
existing
elected
structure.
In
four
separate
occasions
from
1978
to
1987,
legislation
was
enacted
which
focused
on
strengthening
the
role
of
the
superintendent
and
limiting
the
school
committee's
role
to
more
of
a
policy
body
and
not
which,
which
was
eventually
felt
that
wasn't
enough.
J
The
primary
benefit
of
the
appointed
committee
is
that
it
holds
one
person
accountable
for
Boston
school
performance.
The
mayor,
the
fundamental
flaw
of
the
elected
committee,
was
that
it
did
not
ensure
direct
accountability
in
any
one
person
or
board.
The
mayor
was
required
to
raise
the
funds
to
support
the
system,
but
the
school
committee
decided
how
the
money
would
be
spent.
The
division
of
duties
contributed
to
a
culture
of
mistrust
and
finger-pointing,
rather
than
improved
collaboration
that
exists
today.
This
direct
accountability
must
be
maintained.
J
It
would
be
weakened,
I
believe
through
an
elected
or
hybrid
structure.
The
appointed
committee
has
proven
to
be
far
more
successful
in
creating
real
stability
in
the
superintendent's
position
and
continuity
of
educational
programs,
in
stark
contrast
to
the
continual
turnover
of
10
superintendents
in
a
24
year
period
under
the
elected
committee.
As
has
already
been
mentioned,
Tom
pays
on
served
11
years.
J
Superintendent,
Carol
Johnson
served
six
years
and
that's
stability,
particularly
with
Tom,
pays
on
its
time
made
a
big
difference
which
academic
studies
have
shown
in
terms
of
student
performance.
In
addition
to
being
a
cohesive
additional
policy
body,
the
School
Committee
has
ability
to
act
as
the
duty
to
exercise
its
fiduciary
responsibilities.
Since
the
school
department
is
the
largest
city
department
and
its
employees
represent
one-half
of
the
city's
total
workforce
of
18,000
employees.
J
The
elected
structure
included
no
incentive
for
the
school
committee
to
control
spending
or
any
penalty.
If
it
did
not.
Every
year
since
1992
under
the
appointed
School
Committee,
the
commit
the
school
department
has
ended
a
fiscal
year
with
an
operating
surplus.
As
an
elected
body,
the
school
committee
incurred
operating
deficits
in
11
out
of
14
years
prior
to
1992,
there's
also
financial
benefits
for
having
the
mayor's
direct
accountability
for
the
public
schools.
J
During
this
time,
state
school
charter
tuition
assessment
increased
by
a
hundred
and
eighteen
million
dollars,
or
two
hundred
and
thirteen
percent
and
the
bps
was
held
harmless
as
the
city
of
Boston
absorbed
those
expenses,
not
the
school
department.
That's
not
the
case
in
other
school
districts
in
this
state
that
have
charter
schools
and,
as
you
know,
the
charter
school
tuition
assessment
represents
the
chapter
70
education
aid
that
follows
the
student
that
live
in
in
Boston,
but
go
to
charter
schools.
J
Also,
in
the
current
fiscal
five
year,
capital
bond
plan
total
bond
funding
for
schools
represents
28%
of
the
total
coming.
Second,
these
public
works,
which
represent
18
percent,
so
not
only
in
the
operating
budget,
but
in
the
capital
budget.
The
fact
that
the
mayor
has
direct
responsibility
for
school
performance
does
make
a
difference
in
the
financial
benefit
of
the
school
department.
J
Also
by
making
the
mayor
fully
accountable
for
educational
performance,
a
larger
number
of
voters
are
better
positioned
to
influence
school
improvement
than
a
smaller
number
of
voters
who
would
divide
their
mandate.
Among
elected
committee
members,
more
voters
in
Boston
go
to
the
polls
to
vote
for
mayor
than
any
other
elected
position.
So
far,
more
voters
hold
the
BPS
accountable
by
voting
for
the
mayor
than
those
who
would
vote
for
school
committee,
races
that
and
then
prior
prior
to
1992
school
committee,
races
lacked
competition
as
well
as
votes
in
1989,
the
last
elected
race,
I'm.
J
J
Parents
have
a
role
not
only
as
voters,
but
also
they
can
serve
on
the
school
site
councils
and
have
more
say
in
terms
of
the
operation
of
their
children
schools,
as
well
as
selecting
the
teachers
to
to
work
in
those
schools.
So
that's
how
really
parents
that
could
be
involved
in
in
terms
of
what's
important
to
them.
J
As
you
know,
the
legislation
and
creating
the
appointee
board
required
five
years
afterwards
in
1996,
for
a
binding
question
to
ask
whether
voters
wanted
to
stay
with
the
current
13
member
structure
or
go
back
or
stay
or
I'm.
Sorry
stay
with
the
appointee
board.
We'll
go
back
to
the
13
member
elected
structure
and,
as
Larry
mentioned,
it
was
a
70/30
margin
to
retain
the
current
seven
member
appointed
structure
rather
than
the
return.
J
Actually
that
that
vote,
the
yes
was
won
by
a
plurality
of
the
polarity
of
about
59
thousand
votes.
The
stability
and
steady
progress
in
Boston
under
the
appointed
board
has
given
national
and
local
foundations
and
businesses,
confidence
in
financially
supporting
a
variety
of
Education
and
Esch
initiatives,
and
in
2006
the
Boston
Public
Schools
Department
was
awarded
the
broad
prize
for
being
the
nation's
most
improved
urban
school
system,
and
the
school
department
was
a
vilest
for
this
award
for
the
three
previous
years.
J
The
hybrid
structure
has
been
introduced,
as
was
noted
recently
by
councillor
Baker.
It
was
also
part
of
a
commission
recommendation
and
at
night
I
guess
in
1989,
which
was
there
were
two
two
commission
studies
back
then
one
was
chaired
by
Jones
that
Commission
made
a
recommendation
of
moving
from
the
elected
to
a
reporting
structure.
A
second
one
was
suggested
by
the
City
Council
appointed
by
the
mayor
that
Commission
came
back
and
suggested
partly
all
appointed
or
a
hybrid
system
of
partly
elected,
partly
appointed.
J
The
that
that
in
1989,
the
hybrid
structure
was
quickly
dismissed
as
being
divisive
and
incompatible
with
the
need
for
real
accountability
and
a
career,
clear
line
of
authority
in
1990
the
research
period.
We
should
report
on
the
hybrid
structure
and
opposed
to
feeling
that
it
would
hit
the
communities
have
failed
to
function
or
the
committees
available
to
function
as
a
policy
body.
J
So
no
board
structure
by
itself
is
the
solution
to
the
challenges
facing
the
Boston
Public
Schools.
However,
existing
appointed
board
structure
is
the
best
chance
to
ensure
that
the
mayor
remains
fully
accountable
for
public
education,
that
school
committee
members
have
the
mix
of
experiences
and
skills
to
be
cohesive,
educational
body
and
that
the
School
Committee
were
responsible
exercises.
J
Its
fiduciary
responsibility,
I
think
both
Larry
and
I
have
you
know
seeing
the
situation
where
the
mayor
raises
the
money
but
doesn't
have
you
know
any
kind
of
a
role
in
the
operation
even
from
a
distance
and
I
think
there's
been
a
marked
difference
in
terms
of
the
collaboration
between
City,
Hall
and
now
2300
Washington
Street,
and
there
has
been
ever
with
the
elected
committee.
It
just
want
to
raise
one
last
issue,
just
in
terms
of
the
nominating
process
that
you
know
the
mayor
is
that
mayor
doesn't
have
carte
blanche
on
cherry
they're.
J
The
nominating
process
created
with
the
establishment
of
the
appointed
board
was
intended
to
create
a
level
of
Independence,
so
there
are
13
members
on
the
panel.
The
mayor
only
appoints
for
the
panel
makes
recommendations
for
each
open
position,
though
no
less
than
three
nominees,
no
more
than
five
and
the
mayor
must
appoint
one
of
those
individuals.
So
it
is
an
independent
process
and
it's
a
process.
That's
an
open
process,
the
meetings
of
the
panel
or
public.
Even
the
interviews,
are
public.
J
It's
only
in
when
there's
discussion,
in
terms
of
which
of
the
nominees
to
select
that
they
go
into
executive
session,
and
I
also
would
note
that,
yes,
Boston
is
the
only
city
in
the
state
that
has
an
appointed
board,
but
for
good
reason,
but
that
started
a
process
that
now,
throughout
the
country,
some
major
cities.
There
are
over
20
cities
where
there
is
an
appointed
board
by
the
mayor
and
I.
J
Think
it's
because
the
mayor's
realize
that
public
education
is
critical
to
the
vitality
of
the
city
and
they
need
to
play
a
role
and
ensure
that
it's
it's
protected,
that
it's
well
supported
and
it
serves
the
interest
of
the
students
and
the
parents.
And
that's
the
point
of
the
appointed
board
here.
Right.
A
J
A
C
Thank
you,
madam
chair
ditto
appreciate
Larry
sim,
both
you're
long
and
loyal
service
to
our
great
city.
I
just
wanted
to
push
back
on
something
you
said
no
remarks.
Sam.
You
said
there
are
more
important
issues
that
we
should
be
focused
on,
we
being
the
City,
Council
and
I
actually
been
the
city
FairPoint,
whatever
I
think
that
that
sort
of
does
a
disservice
to
what
we're
trying
to
do
here,
because
we
are
a
capable
of
focusing
on
more
than
one
issue
at
a
time
as
it
relates
to
build
VPS
or
equity.
C
Mean
we're
working
on
all
of
these
issues
and
I
think
the
fact
that,
despite
that
many
people
in
this
room
many
parents,
many
teachers,
many
activists
are
at
this
meeting
tonight,
where
another
meeting
two
nights
ago
at
another
meet,
it
will
be
at
another
meeting.
Two
nights
from
now
shows
a
real
desire
for
involvement
in
having
teacher
voices
having
parent
voices
having
student
voices.
Most
importantly
in
my,
in
my
estimation,
so
I
just
I
always
think.
That's
an
intellectually
lazy
argument
to
make
that.
C
C
So
you
know
I
know
there
are
plenty
of
good
people
who
can
disagree
on
how
we
get
there.
But
I
do
there's
an
enormous
benefit
to
having
this
hearing
and
continuing
this
conversation,
exploring
what
some
other
options
are.
So
I
guess.
My
question
is:
if
we
now
are
20
plus
years
or
so
give
or
I
guess
closer
to
30
years
of
having
this
current
model?
Why
haven't
in
either
of
your
opinions?
Why
haven't
any
other
cities
or
towns
in
Massachusetts
followed
suit,
particularly
the
Worcester
Springfield
sort
of
larger
cities?
Why
have
anothers
followed
suit?
I
I
The
the
Commonwealth
has
a
history
going
back
to
the
founding
of
the
Boston
Latin
School
in
1635
of
having
school
committees,
they've
had
all
sorts
of
shapes
and
sizes
and
they've
had
varying
intents
if
one
goes
back
far
enough.
That
basically
was
the
intent
of
the
Protestant
majority
to
Americanize
Catholics
by
insisting
upon
the
reading
of
the
King
James
Version
of
the
Bible
of
you
things
like
that.
I
That's
really
the
legacy
of
Horace
Mann
and
in
the
research
that
I
did
for
the
councillor,
asabi
George,
there's
a
very
interesting
decade,
or
so
when
women
could
vote
for
school
committee,
but
could
not
vote
for
anything
else.
I
think
was
the
1880s
Wow
I
don't
have
Total
Recall,
and
neither
of
us
was
there.
I
Although
it's
closed
and
then
the
Catholic
Church
decided
that
a
woman's
place
was
in
the
kitchen
and
not
voting
so
a
whole
bunch
of
Protestants
been
elected,
the
School
Committee
and
then
almost
by
divine
intervention,
somebody
decided
that
maybe
women
could
vote
and
there
was
Catholic
women's
side
of
the
vote.
And
then
you
had
a
balance
of
people
on
the
school
committee
in
the
1890s
or
whatever
was
so.
These
issues
have
been
back
and
forth
for
a
long
long
time
and
why
other
cities
in
the
commonwealth
of
not
I
do
I,
don't
know.
I
I
do
know
this.
That
Chicago
has
had
an
important
school
board
for
a
long
long
time.
My
old
friend
Sargent
Shriver
chaired
that
board
for
Mayor
Daley,
the
Father,
the
first
of
many
Mayor
Daley's
in
Chicago
in
the
1950s,
and
that
New
York
has
had
an
appointed
board
as
far
back
as
one
can
remember,
and
Robert
Wagner
as
I
recall,
it's
against
my
house
once
for
a
cocktail
party.
He
was
chairman
of
that
School
Board,
like
a
generation
after
his
father
was
mayor.
J
I
J
Let
me
if
I
may
answer
that
question
as
well.
I
mean
I
I
think
it
was
because
of
how
dysfunctional
the
13
member
committee
was.
It
was
untenable.
It
couldn't
continue
and
I
repeat
that
there
were
four
different
attempts.
Well,
not
attempts.
There
were
four
pieces
of
legislation
passed
trying
to
make
the
elected
structure
work.
J
It's
to
the
point
where
the
superintendent
in
Boston
is
probably
the
most
powerful
superintendent
in
the
country
as
the
as
these
efforts
were
try
to
define
the
superintendent's
authority
piece
of
e,
the
School
Committee
and
make
sure
the
School
Committee
was
out
of
the
day-to-day
action
and
just
focusing
on
educational
policy,
but
even
with
that,
it
wasn't
enough,
which
is
what
led
mayor
Flynn,
to
create
the
committee
chaired
by
Hubie
Jones.
To
take
a
look
at
that
I
took.
C
Completely
get
that
same,
but
my
question
is:
why
haven't
if
what
we've,
if
the
Boston
model
would
proffer
better
educational
outcomes,
why
haven't
the
350
other
cities
and
towns
in
the
Commonwealth
adopted
this
Larry's
point
is
well,
we
are
more,
could
I
will
happily
concede
the
fact
we
are
a
lot
more
complicated
larger
by
far
than
any
other
district.
Yet
there
are
some,
certainly
some
large
districts
there.
C
There
are
certainly
some
challenges
there,
particularly
as
I'm
thinking
some
of
the
gateway
cities,
and
yet
the
trade-off
seems
to
be
in
many
of
these
cities
or
towns
that,
having
that
sort
of
direct
representative
outweighs
the
fact
that
there
still
may
be
some
issues,
and
it's
not
perfect,
so
I
guess
it's.
This
is
really
more
of
sort
of
a
an
information
gathering
process.
C
C
Point
I'd
be
interested,
then,
to
see
the
sort
of
the
mid
600
to
700
even
to
eight
hundred
thousand
population
cities
and
what
they
have
because
New
York
has
12
million
Chicago
has
three
and
a
half
four
million,
maybe
more
than
that
I,
don't
know
what
the
LA
model
is,
but
we're
talking
about
sort
of
the
mega
cities
in
in
the
country
compared
to
Boston.
So
that's
all
for
now
other
than
I
would
just
say
you
know.
I
will
leave
it
at
that
and
let
my
let
my
colleagues
go.
Thank
you.
Thank
you,
madam
chair.
A
J
J
Regina
Robinson
and
Gerry
Robinson's
terms
were
going
to
expire
at
the
end
of
this
year,
and
so
there
was
an
effort
to
try
to
encourage
people
to
apply
I
mean
they're
both
incumbents,
so
that
probably
stopped
some
people
from
applying
but
other
than
their
own
applications.
For
two
open
seats.
There
were
only
seven
other
nominations.
J
D
E
J
But
soon
after
Boston,
Providence
Rhode
Island
also
moved
to
an
appointed
board.
Philadelphia
actually
had
an
appointed
board
before
Boston,
and
that
was
originally
the
model,
but
the
nominating
process
was
changed
because
the
Philadelphia
motto
would
allow
the
mayor
to
reject
until
he
got
somebody
that
he
wanted
and
that's
why
the
nominating
process
is
structured.
The
way
it
is
here
to
provide
independence
between
the
panel
and
the
mayor.
D
J
D
So
when
he
said
that,
so
he
thought
was
a
good
question:
how,
if
maybe
going
to
an
elected
or
a
hybrid,
isn't
isn't
the
right
model?
What
else
can
we
do
within
this
within
the
structure
here?
Can
we
add
seeds
to
it?
Could
we
add
a
teacher?
Could
we
add
a
student?
Could
we
add
a
parent,
so
it
would
it
would
it
would
go
up
three
seats.
Could
we
do
things
like
that?
Well,.
J
I
mean
members
of
the
of
the
Boston
School
Committee
have
to
be
Boston
residents,
so
anybody
who's
a
resident
can
can
submit
a
application
to
a
to
be
so.
You
know
considered
for
the
position.
You
know
a
teacher,
you
know
being
on
the
committee
making
policy
decisions
affecting
his
his
or
her
own
position.
It's
not
the.
I
It's
it
that
could
be
a
268,
a
problem.
I
just
actually
I
represent
a
different
municipality,
and
we
actually
had
a
discussion
about
that
today,
where,
in
this
case
the
person
would
have
to
recuse
themselves
each
time
there
would
be
something
that
would
be
germane,
so
that
would
be
a
real
problem
because,
arguably
most
every
vote
they
take.
Certainly
budgetary
matters
would
impact
somebody
who's,
a
teacher.
You
could
have
a
retired
teacher
I'd,
probably
so.
K
I
D
I
I
That
the
people
who
were
elected
were
more
interested
in
politics
and
they
were
in
education
with
a
few
exceptions,
yeah
and
with
all
due
respect.
You
know
people
who
were
funeral
directors
and
folks
like
that.
These
are
not
folks
who
necessarily
interests
in
education,
they're
interested
in
politics
and
the
committee
as
a
body
was
brutal
and
Sam
attended.
Far
more
meetings
than
I
did.
J
Council,
the
13
member
committee
for
an
educational
policy
body
was
totally
unwieldy.
It
didn't
work
and
they
didn't
have
the
right
people.
Frankly,
that's
one
of
the
reasons
that
the
Research
Bureau
opposed
the
13
members
structure
for
the
school
committee.
It
made
a
lot
of
sense
for
the
City
Council,
because
in
it
be
prior
to
that
there
were
whole
areas
of
the
city
were
not
represented
so
that
the
the
the
district
structure
ensure
that
every
neighborhood
would
be
represented
and
then
with
four
at-large
members.
But
it's
that's
that's.
Unfortunately,
it
was
two
hits
together.
J
M
I'm
glad
you
brought
up
countability
and
I
apologize
for
missing.
So
much
of
the
hearing
and
I've
been
listening
to
it
on
online
between
meetings,
but
I
did
want
to
get
back
to
accountability,
to
chew
the
public.
I
think
one
of
the
biggest
issues
has
been
that
people
feel
that
they
can
be
seen,
can
speak
at
length
and
that
there
could
be
no
repercussions
for
being
totally
ignored
by
the
school
committee
and
and
in
many
cases,
an
election
or
a
process
in
which
you
must
come
before
the
public
and
present
yourself.
M
M
I
The
school
committee
that
just
didn't
seem
to
happen
for
reasons
that,
as
I
said
in
my
testimony,
I
believe
deep
in
my
heart
that,
in
addition
to
making
the
school
committee
more
representative,
geographically
and
race,
gender
everything
else
that,
in
fact,
you
would
have
people
who
this
is
what
they
cared
about
as
opposed
to
running
for
the
council
or
for
clerk
of
courts
or
for
sheriff
or
whatever
the
case
might
be.
Which
is
what
people
in
the
school
committee
had
done
for
decades.
And
that
did
not
change
with
the
13
member
committee.
But.
M
I
guess
the
backwards
would
be
then
a
person
not
taking
bold
moves
or
being
able
to
be
out
front
or
progressive
to
protect
their
position
as
an
appointee
on
the
school
committee
is
also
a
risk
that
we're
taking
by
assuring
that
the
mayor
is
the
only
one
that
can
appoint
them
right.
So
you
point
out
the
fact
that
people
use
it
as
a
political
stepping
stone
to
get
on
to
something
else
and
as
a
result,
they
really
won't
care
about
education.
They
really
won't
care
about
how
our
schools
are
impacted
or
the
equity
I.
M
I
would
argue
that
we
have
the
same
issue,
then
they
don't
have
to
care
either
either
way
if
they're
appointed
and
they
do
the
bidding
of
the
mayor
and
do
exactly
what
he
says.
Regardless
of
the
results,
regardless
of
the
anger,
regardless
of
the
angst
of
parents
as
well,
so
there's
a
there's,
a
balancing
act
in
both
ways,
I
suppose.
I
A
You
Thank
You
councillor,
Edwards
I.
Thank
you
again
to
the
two
of
you
for
being
here
for
the
history
lesson
both
this
evening
and
leading
up
to
tonight.
Thank
you.
So,
at
this
point
just
before
the
second
panel
comes
down,
I'd
like
to
give
an
opportunity,
three
more
folks
for
public
testimony,
Damon
Magnitsky.
N
Thank
you
for
having
me
today.
My
name
is
Dan
meg,
dusky
and
I
have
a
daughter
at
the
Lauren
Prescott
I
personally,
don't
want
to
vote
for
a
school
committee.
Is
it
just
adds
people
to
an
already
crowded
ballot
and
I
feel
like
I?
Do
not
have
the
time
to
properly
research.
The
people
I
have
to
vote
for
today.
I
prefer
to
have
the
mayor
responsible
as
a
single
point
of
contact
for
complaints
or
praise,
and
is
one
name
after
remember
it
at
election
time.
N
However,
the
school
committee
is
formed,
I
want
them
to
focus
on
education
of
children
and
the
most
continuous
way
possible.
Every
transition
to
a
new
school
is
disruptive
for
both
the
student
and
the
parent
for
the
student.
It
resets
long
relationships
and
likely
increases
bullying
for
the
parents.
Every
lottery
round
is
extremely
stressful.
Every
school
has
a
different
cost-benefit
analysis
because
they
have
different
starting
and
ending
times,
commutes
and
number
of
grades.
N
Some
families
such
as
ours,
have
two
earners
and
we
cannot
accommodate
the
hours
of
certain
schools
if
our
children
have
to
go
to
different
schools
or
if
our
commutes
must
change
or
the
hours
of
the
schools
change.
We
have
to
move
out
of
Boston
personally,
but
changes
coming
to
the
warren
prescott.
We
feel
got
a
raw
deal
out
of
the
lottery.
N
O
I
visited
other
schools,
and
they
have
told
me
that
this
experience
is
a
mirroring
experience
for
them,
not
just
for
our
special
needs.
Students
are
suffering
for
4000
homeless.
Students
across
the
city
of
Boston
have
seemingly
been
overlooked.
We
haven't
even
began
to
address
the
social
and
emotional
traumas.
Many
students
are
dealing
with
at
such
a
young
age.
If
it
would
please,
the
council
I'd
like
to
share
a
story.
I
meet
new
students
every
day
who
have
seen
me
around
the
building,
giving
high-fives,
sharing
encouragement
and
sharing
small
laughs
before
going
back
to
our
classrooms.
O
One
morning
as
I
stood
in
the
school
calf,
a
friend
walked
over
to
me,
he'd
introduced
himself,
and
we
spoke
and
I
commented
on
his
sweater.
He
mentioned
how
it
was
given
to
him
by
his
dad.
He
mentioned
how
he
had
missed
his
father,
who
was
quote
up
there,
because
he
had
succumbed
to
the
balance
in
his
neighborhood
I.
Didn't
ask
for
this
information.
My
new
friend
felt
compelled
to
share
what
was
going
on
in
his
life.
He
and
I
share
moment,
as
I
too
have
lost
my
father
at
a
very
young
age.
O
He
continued
on
and
mentioned
his
mother
being
too
broke
for
Christmas.
It
was
disheartening
to
hear
such
as
such
a
young
age.
The
emotional
trauma
he
had
already
endured,
what
upset
me
more
is
that
the
only
thing
I
could
do
was
to
advise
him
to
rise
above
his
situation.
There
are
children
like
this
across
the
city
of
Boston,
my
friend
and
the
other
57,000
children
deserve
representation
that
understands
them
understands
the
challenges
our
educators
face
and
to
teach,
but
not
just
to
teach,
but
to
inspire.
O
The
old
way
of
an
appointed
school
committee
does
not
work
for
every
student
and/or,
their
families,
their
voices
and
their
stories
are
not
often
hurt
and
I
urge
the
council
to
empower
accountable
representative
leadership
for
our
schools,
not
just
because
student,
not
just
because
of
our
students,
but
because
families
deserve
more
than
just
business
as
usual.
Thank
you.
Thank.
P
Thank
you.
My
name
is
Monty
Neill
I'm,
a
member
of
the
Boston
educational
justice,
Alliance
and
the
board
of
citizens
for
public
schools
and
I
live
in
Jamaica
Plain.
Thank
you
for
holding
this
hearing
on
what
is
clearly
a
very
important
matter.
Boston
needs
to
return
to
a
democratically
elected
School
Committee.
This
is
a
discussion
fraught
with
the
weight
of
generations
of
struggle
over
race
and
class
and
with
the
complex
difficulties
facing
Boston.
P
As
all
other
urban
school
systems,
I
wrote,
my
doctoral
dissertation
titled,
the
struggles
of
Boston's
black
community
for
quality
inequality
in
Boston's,
public
schools,
1956
to
1987
Jim
Maguire
was
one
of
my
key
reference
in
it.
I
explored
the
terrible
history
of
deep
racism
in
the
schools
how
the
black
community
struggled
to
end
segregated
schooling
and
transform
teaching
and
learning,
and
why
these
struggles
had
only
limited
success.
The
short
answer
was
the
continued
victory
of
racism
at
times
in
a
softer
form
over
the
needs
of
public
education.
P
Indeed,
Boston
does
fit
with
a
national
pattern,
but
as
one
in
which
corporate
interests
backed
by
think
tanks
and
foundations,
oppose
Democratic
participation
in
governing
to
urban
school
systems
and
favor
appointed
boards,
they
are
better
able
to
control
and
manipulate
it.
I've
studied
education
across
the
country
in
my
work
as
as
former
director
of
fair
test
and
I
can
tell
you
that
that
kind
of
terrible
appointed
committee
has
certainly
been
true
in
New
York
City
in
Chicago
because
of
changed
demographics
in
the
quarter
century.
P
Since
the
start
of
the
appointed
committee,
including
the
huge
growth
in
Latin,
X
and
other
immigrant
groups,
the
student
and
parent
and
electoral
landscape
of
this
city
has
changed.
I
believe
that
frequently
this
City
Council,
in
both
its
composition
and
its
voting
comes
closer
to
representing
this
new
Boston
and
I
believe
that
an
elected
School
Committee
will
now
do
the
same.
In
addition,
the
Boston
School
Committee
needs
a
voting
student
representation.
P
It
will
be
far
more
responsive
to
the
needs
of
the
people
whom
the
school
system
is
intended
to
serve.
It
will
not
be
a
panacea,
but
it
will
provide
the
space
and
opportunity
for
active
community
engagement
and
for
Educational
Progress
that
the
appointed
committee
has
not
done
and
shows
no
signs.
It
will
do.
It
is
time
for
a
change.
It
is
time
to
strengthen
and
expand
democracy,
and
it
is
time
for
the
City
of
Boston
to
have
an
elected
school
committee.
Thank.
A
A
Q
Evening,
Thank
You
counselor
sabe
Jorge
for
this
opportunity
to
speak
with
the
Education
Committee
of
the
City
Council
this
evening.
I
will
not
be
giving
the
opening
testimony
on
behalf
of
the
branch
that
will
be
done
by
Jose
Lopez,
but
I
am
Tanisha
Sullivan
resident
of
Hyde
Park
and
current
president
of
the
n-double
a-c-p
Boston
branch.
Thank.
L
Evening
my
name
is
Jose
Lopez
I'm,
a
resident
of
Roxbury
and
homeowner
there
and
the
chair
of
the
Education
Committee
of
the
basta
branch
of
the
n-double
a-c-p.
Thank
you,
madam
chair,
for
having
us
tonight,
Thank
You,
City
counselors,
for
hearing
us
and
thank
you
to
everyone.
Who's
here
in
attendance,
I
see
a
lot
of
Education
civil
rights
folk
here.
I
just
want
to
thank
all
of
you
for
the
work
that
you've
done
up
until
this
moment.
L
I
know
it's
long
work
but
know
that
we're
gonna
continue
this
fight
and
Thank
You
Lydia
Edwards
counselors
for
raising
such
poignant
points.
I
appreciate
your
analysis
and
questions
always
I'm.
Sorry
Larry's,
not
here
I,
do
think.
I
want
to
clarify
the
record
historically
on
a
couple
of
things.
I
think
it's
important
to
note
that
the
first
referendum
that
actually
changed
the
School
Committee
only
passed
by
a
fifty-one
percent
margin
and
there
were
20,000
ballots
cast
that
were
left
blank
on
the
question.
L
There
was
an
uprise
at
the
next
election
where
it
was
split
69
to
31,
but
that
was
after
the
legislature
had
already
legislated
on
that
question
and
so
I
think
it's
important
that
we're
dealing
with
those
numbers
we
look
at
what
they
were
in
some
of
the
context
around
those
the
first
time
the
city
was
dealing
with
the
issue.
It
wasn't
so
clear-cut.
L
You
know,
51%
margin
isn't
much,
especially
when
you
have
20%
of
the
folk
undecided
on
the
issue.
In
addition
to
that,
I
do
want
to
speak
on
the
question
of
accountability
completely
rested
on
the
mayor.
I
think
we
also
have
to
be
mindful
that
26%
of
our
children
in
Boston
do
not
attend
Boston,
Public,
Schools
and
so
for
all
of
those
families
who
are
voting.
The
governance
of
Boston
Public
Schools
is
not
their
main
issue.
L
L
The
participation
of
our
parents
and
community
stakeholders
in
the
decision-making
process
really
is
limited
to
two
official
avenues:
the
first
being
participation
in
school
committee
meetings,
the
second
by
a
vote
for
the
mayor,
who
appoints
these
members
in
trying
to
understand
and
contextualize
how
much
power
and
choice
really
exists.
There
I'm
offer
you
three
vignettes.
L
There
are
three
instances
where
I
wonder
if
school
committee
members
might
have
conducted
themselves
differently
if
they
were
held
accountable
by
local
elections,
the
first
on
October
23rd
2015,
the
School
Committee,
signed
an
agreement
to
offer
severance
packages
to
teachers
who
were
occupying
suitable
professional
capacity
positions
of
those
over
200
teachers.
Most
were
characterized
as
teachers
of
color
black
and
of
having
been
evaluated
as
proficient
or
exemplary.
L
At
the
same
time,
bps
was
in
non-compliance
with
a
federal
court
order
requiring
that
25%
of
the
teaching
faculty
be
black.
That
time
we
were
at
less
than
21%,
notwithstanding
the
need
to
diversify,
necessitating
the
hiring
of
more
teachers
of
color.
The
School
Committee
required
that
in
a
severance
package
offers
to
these
teachers
in
exchange
for
their
right
to
a
position
that
they
never
apply
for
a
position
within
bps
in
their
lives,
except
as
a
substitute.
L
These
were
well
seasoned
educators
with
years
of
experience,
who
had
been
evaluated
at
a
minimum
as
proficient,
and
we
require
that
they
leave
the
system
never
able
to
apply.
This
document
was
signed
by
our
school
committee.
Second,
we
remembered
on
December
15th
2010,
a
school
committee
member
incited
by
racial
animus.
L
The
third
example
was
the
surprising
and
avoidable
error
and
how
school
assignment
excuse
me
how
the
school
assignment
system
was
implemented
for
sixth
grade
families
were
supposed
to
have
access
to
the
closest
to
tier
1
schools
for
children,
a
sixth
grade,
but
the
algorithm
was
set
to
determine
school
quality
based
on
the
closest
tier
1,
kindergarden
schools.
As
a
result,
schools
that
didn't
offer
sick
grade
were
removed
from
the
list
of
schools
that
parents
could
choose.
L
Consequently,
this
meant
that
no
tier
when
schools
remain
for
these
families,
who
were
ultimately
over-represented
by
black
and
brown
children.
That
algorithm
was
required
to
be
audited
every
year
and
had
not
been
audited
for
for
causing
arguably
irreparable
harm
to
these
families.
That
was
a
school
committee
responsibility.
L
These
three
examples
provide
instances
were
conduct
by
school
committee.
Members
were
the
proximate
cause
of
poor
representation
of
the
values
of
our
school
system
and
policies,
then
not
only
potentially
cause.
The
excuse
me
irreversible
harm
to
our
children,
but
made
it
more
difficult
for
the
school
department
to
meet
its
obligation
to
diversify
as
ordered
and
achieve
its
mission.
This
consequently
leaves
many
to
wonder
if
an
elected
body
would
yield
different
results.
L
Different
decisions
made
on
these
policies
could
residents
more
easily
remove
a
school
committee,
member
motivated
by
ratio
and
economic
bias.
Could
parents
find
more
dignity
as
far
as
we're
concerned?
Accountability
in
the
decision-making
process
and
the
equitable
outcomes
for
children
is
what
is
most
important
in
this
process.
We
are
willing
to
support
the
governing
structure
that
most
efficiently
equitably
and
with
greatest
deference
to
the
well-being
of
our
children
and
the
relationships
with
their
parents
achieves
the
goals
and
mission
of
the
Boston
Public
Schools.
L
In
addition,
historically
and
franchise,
ment
has
never
rested
on
someone's
ability
to
pass
a
test
or
someone's
ability
to
pay
a
tax
or
of
their
demonstration
of
their
ability
to
make
a
good
choice
or
how
rouille
the
field
of
candidates
might
be
or
how
contentious
the
decision
would
be.
The
expected
outcome
of
voter
participation.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
these
were
often
the
pretexts
to
ensure
disenfranchisement
of
marginalized
people.
L
The
parade
of
horribles
offer
tonight
could
possibly
be
dealt
with
by
being
careful
in
the
legislation
and
the
ways
in
which
we
move
forward.
As
always,
the
Boston
branch
of
the
n-double
a-c-p
stands
by
its
mission
to
make
sure
that
equity
for
all
children
is
achieved,
especially
along
the
contours
of
race
and
economic
status.
Thank
you
so
much
thank.
R
You
for
hosting
this
hearing,
my
name
is
Ruby
Reyes
I'm,
the
director
of
the
Boston
education,
justice,
Alliance
coalition
of
parents,
students
and
teachers
working
to
support
public
education
in
Boston.
Every
single
city
in
town
in
our
state
has
a
school
committee
elected
by
the
residents
who
live
there.
So
why
not
Boston
and
along
the
same
lines,
I'd
like
to
offer
a
vignette
that
happened
last
week
on
Wednesday
December
5th
I
was
at
the
bowling
building
until
midnight,
I
was
listening
to
the
back
and
forth
of
school
committee.
R
Members
talk
about
the
difficulty
of
making
the
decision
to
close
West
Roxbury
educational
complex.
They
have
decided
they
have
to
decide
the
fate
of
690
students
on
December
19th.
They
asked
bps
administration
questions
wanting
more
information,
data
and
options.
Currently,
our
appointed
school
committee
is
made
up
of
seven
voting
members,
dr.
Mita
and
Odie
Arthur,
who
just
stepped
down
from
her
post
Alex
Oliver
Davila,
dr.
Hardin,
Coleman,
Regina,
Robinson,
Jerry,
Robinson,
Michael,
Alonso
and
Michael
O'neill
Evelyn
Reyes
is
the
Boston
Student
Advisory
Council
representative,
but
she
has
no
voting
privilege
in
its
essence.
R
These
seven
now
six
people
are
given
the
task
of
shutting
down
a
school
and
dispersing
students
to
wherever
there
is
space.
The
seven
members
have
pushed
brainstormed
and
try
to
make
sense
of
the
mass
in
order
to
make
the
best
decision.
They
have
shared
how
they
have
stayed
awake
thinking
about
what
they
should
do.
They've
listened
to
parents,
students,
teachers
and
so
many
community
voices
unanimously
and
resounding
ly
demand
not
to
harm
our
children,
our
public
education
and
for
school
communities
to
stay
together.
R
However,
just
thirty
five
percent
of
students
who
eventually
transfer
to
another
high
school
graduated
in
four
years,
school
committee,
members
and
patek
Lee
understand
that
they
will
be
directly
responsible
for
the
dropout
of
over
two
hundred
and
eighty-seven
students
with
this
one
decision,
and
that
does
not
include
the
generations
of
young
people
who
will
follow
their
parents
lead
in
dropping
out.
However,
on
December
19th,
they
will
vote
most
likely
to
close
West
Roxbury
and
despair
students.
Wherever
bps
says
they
have
first
choice
when
their
first
choice
is
to
remain
together.
Why?
R
Because
they
almost
always
vote
to
unanimously
pass
whatever
is
put
before
them.
That,
in
essence,
is
what
is
flawed
about
an
appointed
School
Committee.
You
have
a
group
of
seven
longtime
residents
professionals,
people
dedicated
to
education,
trying
to
do
what's
best
for
Boston's
children,
teachers
and
parents,
but
consistently
vote
what
they
have
been
appointed
to
vote.
We
know
that
mayor
Walsh
ultimately
selects
school
committee
members.
We
know
that,
like
the
appointment
of
interim
superintendent,
Laura
Parral
and
the
choice
of
Tommy
Chang,
the
mayor
pushes
in
a
particular
direction
and
the
School
Committee
responds
accordingly.
R
Boston
is
a
city
with
tight
mayoral
control,
and
that
is
centered
on
one
person.
It
is
heart-wrenching
because
it's
not
democratic
Boston
serves
the
largest
number
of
students
of
color
across
Massachusetts,
and
it
is
the
only
appointed
school
committee
while
bps
is
the
largest
slice
of
the
city's
financial
pie
and
many
voters
certainly
care
about
education.
The
fact
is
that
the
mayor's
commitment
to
public
education
is
only
a
piece
of
his
campaign,
one
piece
of
his
administration's
priorities
and
one
piece
of
why
people
did
or
did
not
vote
for
him.
R
Our
current
system
does
not
allow
for
those
generations
of
Bostonians,
most
directly
impacted
by
BPS
to
vote
the
young
people
whose
fate
is
being
decided
through
this
appointed
group
have
no
say-so
on
what
happens
to
them.
The
representative
has
no
voting
power.
All
our
communities
do
is
provide
testimony
meet
with
elected
officials
who
have
no
direct
say
over
the
schools
hope
that
an
undemocratically
selected
committee
listens
to
those
who
should
be
it's
real
constituents
and
hope
that
a
decision
by
an
appointed
group
represents
their
best
interests.
R
An
elected
School
Committee
creates
space
for
a
democratic
process
to
hold
accountability
for
people
responsible
for
the
best
part
of
our
city,
our
children,
the
fear
of
an
elected
School
Committee,
is
rooted
in
a
very
present
history
of
race
in
Boston,
but
the
demographics
and
voting
patterns
of
Boston
have
changed
since
the
start
of
the
appointed
committee.
The
election
of
six
women
of
color,
the
City
Council,
including
three
elected
citywide,
as
well
as
Ayanna
Presley's
election
to
Congress,
shows
that
at
least
when
it
comes
to
voting.
R
Boston
is
outgrowing
its
past
history
of
race
riots
and
segregation.
However,
our
neighborhoods
continue
to
be
divided
by
race
and
class.
According
to
the
Boston
Planning
and
Development
Agency
in
2015,
the
median
family
income
in
Roxbury
was
26
K,
while
the
median
family
income
in
the
newly
invested
and
developing
Seaport
area
was
111
K.
R
The
ghastly
statistics
from
the
2015
color
of
wealth
report
by
the
Federal
Reserve
Bank
of
Boston
only
highlighted
there
were
disturbing
racial
implications
with
black
Bostonians
have
a
meeting
net
worth
of
$8
in
comparison
to
the
median
net
worth
of
white
Bostonians.
At
two
hundred
and
forty
seven
thousand
five
hundred
dollars,
so
we
know
that
race
is
a
factor
in
how
the
city
is
divided.
I
raised
this
point
because
community
parent
and
civil
rights
groups
who
most
represent
these
communities
are
in
favor
of
an
elected
school
committee.
R
It
is
the
corporate
elite
who
most
benefit
from
the
harsh
inequity
in
Boston
that,
according
to
Boston,
today's
Boston
Globe
most
supports
an
unelected,
undemocratic,
School
Committee.
We
propose
an
elected
school
committee,
have
a
structure
similar
to
similar
to
that
of
the
City
Council,
which
there
are
several
citywide
seats,
as
well
as
a
neighborhood
specific.
In
addition,
we
support
adding
much-needed
voting
youth
representatives.
R
S
Thank
you,
madam
chair
good
evening
and
honorable
city
councillors.
My
name
is
Edith
Brazil
and
I
am
a
graduate
of
the
Boston
Public
Schools
I
also
served
14
years
as
a
teacher
and
18
years
as
a
district,
wide
administrator
I'm
here
to
present
as
president
of
Boston
educators,
alliance
of
Massachusetts,
our
statement
and
I.
Thank
you
for
this
opportunity
to
share
beam's
position
on
this
very
important
issue.
We
believe
that
the
governance
of
Boston
Public
Schools
is
broken.
The
mayoral
appointed
Boston
School
Committee
has
failed
to
deliver
equitable
quality
education
to
all
Boston
students.
S
It
is
time
to
restore
an
elected
school
committee
to
Boston,
as
in
every
other
city
in
town
in
Massachusetts,
I'm
sure
we
can
all
agree
that
the
most
important
charge
for
any
school
committee,
as
has
been
stated,
is
to
ensure
that
the
schools
they
govern
provide
quality
education
for
all
students.
However,
despite
the
promises
of
an
appointed
school
committee
that
education
would
improve
for
all
students
in
Boston
bps
remains
among
the
lowest
ranks
of
school
districts
in
Massachusetts.
S
S
Unlike
school
committee's
in
every
other
town
in
Massachusetts,
the
Boston
School
Committee
takes
its
direction
from
the
mayor,
not
from
the
parents
or
other
citizens.
The
mayor
appoints
school
committee
members
and
they
respond
primarily
to
the
mayor
on
major
issues
that
drive
quality
of
education,
such
as
budget
and
facilities.
The
mayor
makes
the
decisions
in
the
school
committee
dutifully
follows
them.
S
Despite
the
expressed
wishes
of
parents,
students,
other
citizens
and
often
the
school
committee
members
themselves,
we
know
that
recently,
parents,
students,
bps
staff
by
the
hundreds,
have
protested
to
the
school
committee
over
budget
cuts
to
schools,
school
closures
and
other
issues.
As
my
colleagues
have
stated,
the
School
Committee
has
listened
to
these
protests
in
hearings
and
foreign
forums,
but
has
largely
ignored
them
as
they
have
voted.
The
mayor's
wishes.
The
Boston
School
Committee
can
disregard
the
voices
of
Boston
citizens
because
it
is
directly
accountable
to
the
mayor
and
not
the
voters
again.
S
Unlike
school
committees
in
every
other
city
in
town,
in
Massachusetts,
Boston
citizens
no
longer
elect
members
of
the
school
committee.
Voters
in
Boston
cannot
directly
elect
to
their
school
committee.
People
who
represent
their
educational
priorities
and
concerns.
Voters
also
cannot
remove
school
committee
members
who
take
actions
contrary
to
the
interests
of
the
voters.
Why
should
Boston
a
large
urban
city
with
a
majority
population
of
people
of
color
be
the
only
city
totally
disenfranchised
from
this
democratic
process?
S
Since
1991
Boston
has
had
school
committees
appointed
by
mayors
of
the
city,
nearly
three
decades
is
sufficient
time
for
the
appointed
school
committees
to
have
demonstrated
that
they
could
deliver
quality
education
to
all
Boston
residents.
They
have
not.
It
is
time
to
restore
to
Boston
citizens
the
right
enjoyed
by
citizens
of
all
other
Massachusetts
cities
and
towns.
If
Boston
citizens
are
competent
to
elect
a
mayor,
a
city
council
and
a
host
of
other
state
and
federal
officials,
surely
they
are
competent
to
elect
members
of
the
school
committee.
T
Thank
you
for
holding
this
hearing
and
for
your
advocacy
on
behalf
of
Boston
Public
Schools,
we're
here,
because
we
currently
don't
have
a
chance
to
elect
our
school
committee.
But
you,
as
our
city
councillors,
have
frequently
raised
your
voices
to
advocate
for
our
students
and
Families
I
and
other
parents
deeply
appreciate
the
listening
tours.
T
I
also
appreciate
the
public
statement,
such
as
the
one
read
at
last
week,
school
committee
on
the
build
BPS
plan,
but
that
indirect
influence,
important
as
it
is
mitigating
factor,
does
not
change
the
fact
that
an
entirely
appointed
School
Committee
disenfranchises
parents
and
gives
too
much
power
to
the
mayor,
City,
Hall
and
bps
make
decisions
without
any
prior
notice,
much
less
community
engagement.
Three
recent
examples
of
this
are
the
forced
departure
of
dr.
T
Chang,
the
attempt
to
institute
a
unified
charter
district
enrollment
lottery
and
the
lack
of
oversight
of
the
home-based
student
assignment
problem,
a
system
with
the
problems
highlighted
by
by
mr.
Lopez.
As
a
result,
parents
are
blindsided
and
come
to
distrust.
The
district
family
engagement
comes
to
mean
PR
messaging
to
get
parents
on
board
with
an
already
determined
plan,
rather
than
a
genuine
shared
decision-making
process.
Thus,
an
appointed
School
Committee
has
a
demonstrably
negative
impact
on
family
and
community
engagement.
T
It's
at
odds
with
democracy
and,
given
that
86%
of
Boston
Public
School
students
are
black
Asian
or
Latino,
it
is
at
odds
with
racial
equity.
It
fundamentally
clashes
with
the
tenant
expressed
by
your
colleague
and
congresswoman,
elect
Ayanna
Presley,
that
quote,
the
people
closest
to
the
pain,
should
be
closest
to
the
power
driving
and
informing
our
policy
making.
T
For
a
long
time,
I
have
been
on
the
fence.
Inquest
itself
had
not
taken
a
position
on
the
bps
governance
structure.
However,
after
so
many
years,
I've
seen
the
people
closest
to
the
pain
shut
out
of
any
decisions
affecting
our
children
of
watching
helplessly
as
Boston
School
Committee
makes
choices
that
go
against
the
clearly
expressed
wishes
and
best
interests
of
family
and
students.
T
That's
gotten
me
off
the
fence
I'm
firmly
in
favor
of
Boston
joining
the
98
to
99%
of
the
rest
of
the
country
and
allowing
our
community
to
to
elect
the
people
who
take
care
of
our
schools
and,
through
them
our
children,
the
voices
of
people
closest
to
the
pain,
not
business.
Our
political
leaders
who
sit
above
it
should
elect
our
city
school
leaders.
T
Most
recently,
as
you
have
heard,
the
voices
closest
to
the
pain
have
been
the
parents,
teachers
and
students
of
the
mccormick
middle
school
and
west
rocks
very
education,
complex
listening
to
them,
speaking
in
Spanish
or
Haitian
Creole,
or
in
the
halting
eloquent
tones
of
a
student
on
the
autism
spectrum.
I
am
struck
both
by
the
power
of
those
testimony
and
by
our
powerlessness.
T
We
lack
the
power
to
do
what
state
representative,
Charles
E
anello
did
back
in
1953
not
to
be
confused
with
Chris
email.
After
who,
these
chambers
in
1950
1951
sorry,
then
superintendent,
Isadora,
munch,
shake
proposed
closing
20
schools
as
a
cost-saving
measure
representative
E&L,
along
with
parents,
students
and
alums
from
affected
schools
such
as
Boston
clerical,
torture,
high
school
Dorchester,
high
school
for
girls
in
the
Oliver
Wendell
Holmes
petition
the
school
committee.
T
Not
only
do
we
lack
any
real
mechanism
to
hold
City,
Hall
and
bps
accountable
for
critical
decisions
such
as
school
closings,
but
school
committee
members
themselves
may
be
hobbled
from
doing
what
they
think
is
right.
The
appointed
system
makes
them
and
the
nonprofit
or
other
organizations
they
often
represent
dependent
upon
the
mayor.
Politics
remains
very
much
at
play,
but
it's
politics
in
the
negative
sense
of
influence
and
patriotism
and
patron
operator
image,
as
opposed
to
the
positive
potential
of
electoral
politics,
a
potential
seen
in
so
many
local
and
national
races.
T
This
fall
I
am
so
proud
that
that
that
former
school
elected
school
committee
member
and
my
co-director
gene
McGuire
is
here
and
I
asked
her
permission.
I
actually
have
a
quote
from
her
in
here.
She
said
this
in
1996
during
the
the
referendum
battle
over
the
elected
school
committee.
It
really
concerns
me
that
we
would
give
up
in
Boston
what
we
dumped
tea
in
Boston
Harbor
for
and
then
she
added-
and
this
is
referred
to-
the
Bill
Clinton
campaign
slogan.
T
It's
democracy,
stupid
I
was
asked
to
speak
as
a
parent
and
a
member
of
quests,
but
I'm.
Also,
a
history
professor
for
many
years,
at
Wheelock,
College
and
now
at
Boston,
University
and
at
some
point
I
would
be
happy
to
speak
about
the
19th
century
history.
That
counsellor,
like
dick
Eric,
gave
because
I
have
a
different
take
on
it.
But
but
before
writing
these
comments,
I
do
what
I
always
do
in
seeking
to
understand
an
issue:
I,
listen
to
parents
and
community
members
and
I
research.
T
The
history,
the
dominant
narrative
of
a
dysfunctional
School
Committee
in
the
70s
and
80s
is
not
entirely
false,
but
nor
is
it
the
whole
story,
particularly
it's
important
to
acknowledge
that
black
elected
officials
and
communities
of
color
largely
opposed
an
appointed
School
Committee
in
1989.
The
City
Council
voted
10
to
2
for
an
appointed
board.
T
The
two
no
votes
were
the
two
african-american
councilors
Charles
Yancey
and
Bruce
falling
after
whom,
ironically,
in
the
context
of
that
vote,
the
School
Committee
headquarters
are
named
Hattie
McGinnis,
a
black
parent
leader
in
that
time,
head
of
the
citywide
Parent
Council
voted
also
advocated
voting
against
an
appointed
board,
because
quote
it
gives
complete
control
to
the
mayor
for
whatever
he
wants
to
do,
and
the
state
legislature.
Many
black
and
Hispanic
representatives
voted
against
the
petition
for
an
appointed
board
and
just
a
mr.
Tyler
spoke
about
the
election
results
and
also
often
with
aggregate
figures.
T
You
miss
what's
really
happening
at
a
more
deep
level.
In
fact,
a
study
of
the
city,
referendums
and
both
1991
and
1996
show
it
would
show
you
that
race
was
a
strongest
predictor
of
support
for
an
elected
School
Committee
with
voters
and
predominantly
black
Ward's,
far
more
likely
to
favor
and
an
elected
committee.
I.
Think
don't
quote
me
on
this,
because
I
didn't
come.
Thank
you,
but
I
think
it
was
64
percent
of
the
the
dominantly
black
wards
in
1991
voted
to
keep
an
elected
Board
and
it
was
57
percent
in
1996.
T
T
A
lot
can
go
wrong,
but
that
doesn't
mean
we
should
do
wrong
in
return
disenfranchising,
some
of
Boston's,
most
marginalised
citizens,
disenfranchising
parents
from
voting
on
representatives
for
people
who
will
who
will
control
the
schools,
their
children,
intend
disenfranchising
people
disallowing
us
from
having
a
say
and
who
determines
the
policies
for
our
schools
and
our
children's
lives
is
wrong.
I.
Thank
you
for
holding
this
hearing
and
I
look
forward
to
further
conversations
about
how
we
can
make
it
right.
C
C
Q
Councilor
Mellie
I
actually
want
to
be
very
clear
as
a
relates
to
the
underlay
CP
Boston
branch
position.
At
this
point
in
time,
we
have
not
formally
come
out
in
support
of
any
particular
governance
structure,
but
where
we
are
firmly
positioned
is
in
a
belief
that
when
it
comes
to
the
relinquishment
of
the
right
to
vote
for
school
committee,
representation
in
the
city
of
Boston,
that
it
is
high
time
for
us
to
revisit
that
decision,
any
time
we
either
relinquish
voluntarily
or
we
are
stripped
of
our
right
to
vote
in
this
country.
Q
It
should
only
be
in
extreme
circumstances
when
there
is
no
other
alternative,
and
so
while
there
may
have
been
conditions
in
1989
and
1996
that
led
the
city
to
believe
that
we
had
no
other
alternative,
but
to
go
forward
with
an
elected
and
appointed
school
committee.
Our
position
is
that
the
time
is
now
for
us
to
have
an
open,
transparent
conversation
as
a
city
about
what
is
the
best
governance
structure
for
our
school
committee.
That
will
lead
to
the
academic
outcomes
that
we
all
want
to
see
for
our
children.
Q
And
so,
while
the
conversation
is
starting
here-
and
we
appreciate
it
or
continuing
here-
and
we
appreciate
it,
it's
our
position
that
we
need
to
as
a
city
over
the
next
couple
of
months
really
engage
in
deep
conversation
and
examination
of
the
conditions
that
led
to
the
decision
to
move
toward
an
appointed
School
Committee,
specifically.
What
we
believe
we
need
to
have
a
better
understanding
of
is
whether
an
appointed
school
committee
has
actually
done
the
job
it
was
set
out
that
we
believed
it
was
going
to
do.
Q
Q
The
School
Committee
is
the
body
that
makes
the
decisions
related
to
all
of
those
issues,
and
so
our
again,
our
position
at
this
point
in
time
is
that
we
need
to
have
a
conversation,
not
about
kind
of
whether
we
should
continue
to
have
an
appointed
School,
Committee
or
not,
but
really
about.
How
do
we
get
us
back
to
an
elected
School
Committee
that
enables
the
people
and
the
families
in
the
city
of
Boston
to
be
empowered
once
again
when
it
comes
to
decisions
that
are
made
in
this
district?
Thank.
C
S
Want
to
echo
what
Tanisha
said,
however,
we
believe
that,
in
order
to
have
true
input
and
an
inclusive
and
transparent
process,
and
also
engender
trust
in
parents,
that
they,
there
must
be
a
balance
of
power
and
voice
in
the
decision-making
process.
Right
now,
bps
continues
to
struggle
with
family
and
community
engagement.
That's
always
been
an
issue
and
one
of
the
things
is
building
trust
and
parents
being
involved
in
having
the
power
of
their
voices
heard
and
being
part
of
the
decisions
that
are
being
made
and
not
being
made
shrouded
in
secrecy.
S
So
from
the
position
of
black
educators
alliance
of
Massachusetts,
we
strongly
believe
that
we
need
to
go
back
to
an
elected
school
committee
so
that
we
can
have
clear
representation
and
parents
have
a
voice.
They
have
an
opportunity
to
speak
to
representatives
who
have
their
priorities
and
interests
in
mind
and
they
can
connect
and
and
and
speak
with
them,
in
an
open
and
transparent
way.
So
we
definitely
are
for
an
elected
School
Committee.
Thank.
K
R
The
mayoral
control
is
the
real
situation
that
hinders
the
democratic
process,
and
so
with
a
hybrid
model,
you
still
have
mayoral
control
in
appointments
and
in
decisions
currently
with
the
West
Roxbury
complex
decision.
That's
gonna
be
happening
next
week
on
December,
19th
I
hope
you
all
are
able
to
make
it
and
support
those
children
and
families
that
are
fighting
so
hard
to
keep
their
school
open
and
keep
their
education
they've.
R
You
know
the
School
Committee
has
asked
really
hard
questions
to
bps
and
they've
made
comments
about
how
some
of
the
information
that
they've
given
them
doesn't
feel
right
and
how
they've
been
in.
You
know
these
their
educational
professionals
and
some
of
the
numbers
don't
add
up,
so
they
themselves
have
distrust
of
bps,
and
so
but
again
you
know
they're
making
decisions
that
they're
appointed
to
and
so
I
think.
The
real
crux
of
the
situation
is
the
lack
of
democracy
and
elected
members
representing
these
communities
and
councillor.
R
K
M
So
much
for
your
testimony,
I
I
really
think
they
historical
context
and
getting
into
the
details
about
the
history,
the
racialized
history,
which
was
used
to
justify
an
appointed
school
committee.
It
really
helps
to
understand
that
in
reality,
there
are
many
many
many
levels
to
this
conversation
and
that
the
fact
that
some
of
the
the
ardent
supporters
of
an
elected
school
committee
have
been
African
Americans
throughout
the
entire
discourse
is
extremely
important.
I,
really
appreciate
and,
and
want
to
thank
you
for
highlighting
that
I.
M
So
so
some
of
the
issues
I'm
really
concerned
about
is
how
do
you
account
for
with
democracy
and
money
and
charter
schools
or
entities
and
professionals
coming
in
and
being
able
to
influence
by
an
election
put
out
literature,
be
able
to
promote
the
person's
name?
You
know
money
does
make
a
difference.
It
doesn't
make
the
difference.
As
we've
seen
in
recent
elections,
there
been
people
been
way
outraged.
I
myself
was
and
still
be
able
to
win,
but
man
does
it.
Does
it
change
things
how
money
can
influence?
M
R
Know
being
a
part
of
this
I
think
it's
part
of
the
electoral
process.
I
mean
I
feel
like
there's
a
political
system
that
we
deal
with
currently,
where
you
know
when
you're
raising
funds
for
political
campaigns,
you're
taking
money
from
harder
investors
as
well
as
non-charter
investors,
so
I
think
that
it
happens
across
the
board
right
and
so
in
that,
in
its
essence,
that's
part
of
what
makes
the
process
messy,
but
it's
also
it
affects
your
positions
right,
and
so
you
know
those
things
are
I
think
part
of
the
political
process.
R
But
you
know
maximizing
a
certain
amount
for
campaigns.
I
would
love
to
see
that
not
just
in
an
elected
School
Committee
but
for
City
Council
positions,
for
you
know
legislators
for
mayors.
You
know
that
that
cap,
you
can
only
spend
so
much
and
you
know
and
there's
always
ugly
ways
around
it
and
there
are
invest.
We've
seen
huge
corporate
investments
in
charters,
we've
seen
huge
I
mean
most
recently
in
today's
Boston
Globe.
You
know
it.
R
There
was
actually
Paul
Grogan
from
the
Boston
foundation
wrote
an
editorial
to
the
Boston
Globe
and
then
was
quoted
in
today's
Boston
Globe
around
the
possibility
of
increasing
the
number
of
charters
and
while
on
most
things,
public
education,
wise
I,
don't
agree
with
Paul
Grogan.
He
did
say
that
there
was
mayoral
control
and
in
his
editorial,
so
I
think
you
know
in
in
democracy.
That
is
part
of
what
makes
it
ugly.
Q
With
Ruby
I
mean
the
money
is
going
to
be
a
factor,
but
what
I
appreciate
most
about
the
question
is
the
question
because
I
think
it's
the
right
path
right
in
terms
of
again
I
think
the
focus
for
this
body
and
for
us
as
a
city
is
about
trying
to
figure
out.
How
do
what
structures
do
we
need
to
put
in
place
to
have
the
best
system?
That's
most
representative
of
the
people
and
the
will
of
the
people,
and
so
whether
we
talk
about
you
know,
is
it
13
people
or
seven
people?
Q
Is
it
hybrid
or
is
it
fully
elected
to
me?
You
know
the
you
know
the
the
Devils
in
the
details
so
to
speak,
but
I
think
if
we
all
fundamentally
believe-
and
this
is
the
theme
that
you
heard
consistently
up
here-
if
we
all
fundamentally
believe
in
democracy
like
really
believe
in
it,
really
believe
that
the
people
in
this
city
have
the
right
to
choose
who
represents
us.
Q
When
it
comes
to
governance,
then
we
can
be
as
disruptive
and
as
creative
as
we
want
to
be
when
it
comes
to
kind
of
how
we
structure
this
thing.
But
I
think
what's
what's
troubling
to
me
most
is
that
in
2018.
Somehow
democracy
is
like
this
radical
idea
right,
like
we're
fighting
for
our
right
to
vote
for
our
representation
and
to
me
that's
crazy
and
deeply
disheartening,
and
so
again,
I
appreciate
the
question,
because
it's
the
right
path
and
and
so
I'm
hopeful
that
again
we
can.
Q
We
can,
whether
it's
pulling
together
yet
another
Commission
to
figure
out.
How
do
we
do
this?
How
do
we
move
forward
in
a
way?
That's
not
divisive,
because
the
last
thing
we
need
is
another
divisive
issue
in
the
city
that
pulls
us
further
apart.
But
how
do
we
come
together
to
figure
out
how
we
are
going
to,
as
professor
batten
field
said,
restore
power
to
the
people?
How
do
we
do
that?
So
again,
I
appreciate
the
question.
S
To
have
trust
in
the
public
to
make
these
decisions
because
they
haven't
had
the
opportunity.
What
we
do
right
now
know
is
that
there's
a
lack
of
equity.
We
know
that
our
neighborhoods
in
our
schools
in
Dorchester
parts
of
Dorchester
Roxbury
Mattapan,
are
disproportionately
affected
by
decisions
that
are
made
and
there's
no
representation.
Q
Think
it
it
it
bears,
underscoring
race
was
absolutely
a
factor
in
kind
of
our
decision
as
a
city
to
move
toward
move
to
an
appointed
School
Committee,
but
class
was
as
well
class
was
very
much
so
at
play,
and
so
in
the
other
actually
area
of
this
neighborhood
in
the
city.
Professor
batten
felt
that
voted
in
opposition
to
an
appointed
school
committee,
initially
with
South
Boston,
so
South
Boston,
Charlestown,
East,
II
and
Ward's
in
Roxbury.
Q
So
this
is
as
much
about
class
as
it
was
about
race
and
when
we
look
at
some
of
the
decisions
that
are
being
made
by-
and
it's
not
just
the
current
School
Committee
by
the
School
Committee
over
the
past
15
to
20
years.
Not
only
are
we
seeing
an
underlying
theme
of
race,
racial
inequity,
but
we're
also
seeing
class
disenfranchisement
and
so
again,
rethinking
how
we
are
governing
our
schools
will
not
only
help
with
respect
to
racial
equity,
but
also
in
helping
to
close
the
class
divide.
The.
T
Only
other
thing,
I
would
add,
is
that
money
in
campaigns
maybe
have
gotten
worse
with
dark
money
and
things,
but
it
has
always
been
an
issue.
In
fact,
in
the
1996
referendum,
the
I
think
the
those
in
favor
of
an
elected
committee
spent
I
had
about
five
thousand
dollars.
Those
to
keep
the
appointed
was
about
six
hundred
thousand
dollars,
so
they
were
hugely
outspent
and
I
used.
T
M
Don't
know
in
your
analysis,
if
it
does
make
us
more
democratic
or
not,
what
makes
someone
qualified
to
run
for
school
committee
should
it
be,
as
someone
eloquently
quoted
by
a
colleague
closest
to
the
pain,
should
be
closest
to
the
power,
so
should
only
bps
parents
be
running
for
school
committee
with
children
currently
in
the
system
so
that
the
their
direct
decisions
are
going
to
directly
impact.
Not
you
know
not
just
tens
of
thousands
of
children
but
their
own.
Maybe
it
shouldn't.
Maybe
they
would
be
too
biased
or
the
schools
that
their
kids
go
to.
M
I,
don't
know
looking
at
Boston
residency
as
a
requirement,
yes
or
no.
It's
up
to
you.
Looking
at
who
can
vote
for
school
committee,
we've
had
an
analysis
about
voting.
Expanding
voting
rights.
I
do
know
that
and
I
think
it's
worth
considering.
Children,
children,
young
adults,
I,
would
say
I
like
the
children,
whether
seniors
in
high
school.
Who
can
pre-register
to
vote
at
sixteen
should
be
able
to
vote
and
be
part
of
this
process.
The
step-up
analysis
that
I
think
mr.
dakara
brought
up
that
you
know.
M
People
would
only
use
this
as
a
stepping
stone
to
get
into
politics.
I
would
argue
that
people
could
use
this
as
a
stepping
stone
to
get
into
politics.
So,
as
a
lot
of
women
have
done
this,
a
lot
of
women
of
color
have
done
this.
So
is
that
always
a
bad
thing
that
this
is
a
training
ground
for
some
of
the
most
actively
involved?
Individuals,
I'll
say
this:
there's
there's
still
gender
equity
issue,
and
so
I'll
just
put
that
out
there
and
then
finally
participatory
budgeting
and
how
maybe
that
could
be
a
counter
to
that.
M
So
direct
direct,
whether
we
have
this
elected
school
committee
or
not,
but
whether
there
should
be
a
direct
vote
on
the
budget
by
folks
or
components
of
the
school
budget
by
Bostonians
and
then
finally,
I
mean
I
certainly
wondered.
Would
it
make
more
sense
if
you
were
to
consider
way
the
elected
School
Committee
versus
an
outright
just
election
for
superintendent?
M
A
Thank
You
councillor
Edwards.
Thank
you
all
again.
I
do
have
you
know
one
question,
because
time
is
a
significant
barrier
to
changing
the
governance
structure
of
the
School
Committee.
It
will
take
a
very
long
time
to
get
to
that
point.
We
think
about
charter
reform.
We
think
about
the
process
that
we
need
to
follow.
A
I,
think
the
needs
of
our
parents
I,
think
about
myself
as
a
bps
parent
changes
that
need
to
happen
and
the
changes
that
many
parents
are
calling
for,
especially
those
that
are
testifying
on
a
regular
basis
before
school
committee
are
looking
for
a
much
more
immediate
change,
so
like
I
posed
to
Sam
and
Larry
earlier.
What
are
some
of
the
opportunities
that
you
might
see
is
ways
to
improve
the
current
structure.
The
current
body,
as
it
sits
right
now,
as
an
appointed
body,
will
start
to
change
one
up
there.
Q
I
think
there
are
a
couple
of
things:
I
mean
one:
the
citizens
nominating
panel
I
think
that's
certainly
over
the
past,
probably
six
weeks
or
so
I
have
become
increasingly
more
concerned
about
that
particular
panel.
As
someone
who
probably
follows,
education
in
the
city
of
Boston,
more
than
most
I,
struggled
to
even
name
five
members
of
that
nominating
panel
and
that's
disturbing,
especially
given
how
much
responsibility
they
have
for
identifying.
Currently
nominees
for
the
committee.
So
I
do
think.
Looking
at
the
structure
of
that
particular
panel.
R
That's
one
easy
way
that
already
has
a
selected
person
representing
young
people,
currently
there's
also
a
superintendent
search
that
many
of
us
contributed
to
a
statement
where
we
asked
for
an
educational
leader
and-
and
we
want
that
to
be
the
focus
of
the
search,
someone
who's,
a
visionary,
someone
who
believes
in
public
education
a
champion
of
public
education.
We
don't
want
a
manager,
we
don't
want
a
fiscal
manager.
We
don't
want
someone
who
is
digitally
literate.
R
We
want
an
educational
powerhouse
and
then
I
think
the
other
two
issues
are
housing
and
gentrification,
and
this
is
more
along
the
lines
of
the
City
Council's
work
as
well
is
just
thinking
about
the
overdevelopment
in
this
city
and
how
many
many
many
families
are
being
pushed
out
because
of
rental
costs
and
the
inability
to
pay
for
those
skyrocketing
rental
costs
because
of
the
over
development
in
the
city
and
then
budgeting
at
the
City
Council
level
as
well.
We
haven't
even
gotten
into
school
budget
season
where
you
know
there.
R
Every
school
committee,
since
the
announcing
of
the
school
closings,
has
been
pretty
full.
The
school
committee
has
been
staying
there
till
midnight,
because
they've
been
listening
to
all
these
families.
Talk
about
the
impact
of
these
school
closings
and
then
that'll
happen
with
the
second
wave
of
the
budget.
Cuts
that
they'll
be
announcing
and
I
know
that
you
all
vote
on
a
budget
that
isn't
necessarily
line-item
based,
but
really
thinking
about
your
budgetary
votes
and
in
your
in
your
stances
and
your
priorities
in
the
budgeting
season.
As
it
quickly
approaches.
S
We
believe
that
the
School
Committee
needs
to
have
a
moratorium
on
the
school
closings
until
they
have
a
clear
plan
of
what
is
going
to
happen
with
those
students
that
is
clearly
laid
out
to
the
parents.
We
also
believe
that
the
input
from
the
community
is
not
being
listened
to
by
the
school
committee.
For
example,
they
voted
on
a
Job
Description.
That
does
not
have
the
three
top
priorities
that
the
community
provided
and
they
continue
to
have
listening
sessions
and
they're,
not
folding
in
the
recommendations
of
the
community.
S
So
we
believe
that,
yes,
the
school
committee
members
need
to
do
their
job.
They
need
to
listen
to
the
community
and
they
need
to
take
the
input
and
clearly
listen
to
it
and
integrate
that
input
and
provide
the
parents
with
some
real
answers,
but
more
than
that,
they
need
to
have
a
dialogue
about
what's
happening
in
the
schools,
because
parents
are
not
clear
and
there's
not
a
clearly
laid
out
plan
in
terms
of
what
are
the
next
steps
on
the
heels
of
school
closures,
the
superintendent
search,
the
Job
Description.
S
A
T
Only
thing
I
would
add,
is
a
specific
suggestion
to
do
for
them
to
do
what
you
have
done,
in
other
words,
have
us
all
come
up
here
and
speak
as
an
official
panel
instead
of
Ruby
and
I
literally,
it
was
after
midnight
when
we
testified
on
Wednesday
night
and
then
you
don't
get
any
feedback
given
take
you.
You
know,
you
read
your
statement,
they
cut
you
off
you're
gone
where
and
I.
S
L
I'm
not
sure
what
we
could
ask
the
School
Committee
to
do
now,
and
that's
because
they
it's
such
a
strict
body
and
and
to
try
to
transform
that
right
now
would
be
would
be
very
difficult.
I
do
think
in
thinking
about
how
to
change
that
I
mean
I,
don't
know
what
we
could
do
now.
That
would
change
the
fact
that,
with
the
current
configuration,
we've
had
to
Department
of
Justice
investigations
into
beabea
bps
with
serious
findings
about
our
non-compliance
with
providing
children
with
their
federally
mandated
minutes.
L
Regarding
ESL
instruction
to
then
only
have
the
Department
of
Justice
return
and
find
that
there
was
non-compliance
in
that
I.
Don't
know
what
right
now
we
could
do
to
make
the
school
any
more
accountable
to
that
right
or
the
fact
that
before
our
last
mayor
election,
one
of
our
children
in
East
Boston
was
pulled
out
of
school
and
set
for
deportation
for
an
argument
in
a
school
cafeteria
and
I
didn't
expect
for
a
city
to
decide
that
that
was
just
the
mayor's
fault
and
hold
him
accountable
for
that.
L
But
nevertheless
there
was
really
no
one
held
accountable
for
that
right.
That
policy
decision
a
decision
that
came
from
a
policy
deciding
to
share
right
information
with
federal
agents
about
you
know,
incidents
that
might
happen
in
school,
so
I
don't
know
what
right
now
the
current
structure
would
really
allow
for.
However,
if
I
could
make
recommendation
about
the
City
Council,
it
may
be
how
the
City
Council
could
be
more
helpful
in
this
endeavor
as
we
as
we
try
to
get
to
a
more
equitable
education
for
our
children.
L
I
also
think,
there's
a
missed
opportunity
for
proactively
deciding
how
we
would
like,
as
a
city,
our
community,
based
credits
to
be
spent
by
our
nonprofit
partners
around
the
city
will
get
tens
of
millions
of
dollars
in
CBC's
and
are
allowed
to
spend
those
without
any
direction,
I
think
really
from
citizens
on
how
they
should
be
spent.
So
I
think
that
might
be
an
interesting
way
to
say
you
know:
could
we
do
more
with
what
we're
getting
if
we're
gonna
allow?
You
know
college
to
claim
three
million
dollars
of
community
based
credits.
L
Then
maybe
you
know
we
want
a
million
dollars
of
that
to
go
to
after-school
tutoring
right
or
whatever
it
is
kind
of
set
set.
Those
guidelines
I
think
the
the
courage,
quite
frankly
that
you're
exhibiting
now
and
this
body's
exhibiting
now
and
engaging
this
dialogue
I
mean
that's
all.
We
need
to
get
this
conversation
started
and
to
continue
doing
what
we're
doing
here
today
and
to
have
these
wonderful
people
continue
to
show
up
and
lend
their
expertise
to
you.
L
So
I
know
that
they're
trying
to
do
what
they
can.
This
might
be
an
opportunity
to
liberate
them
from
some
of
the
stress
and
pressure
that
they
might
that
they
might
be
under,
but
at
a
minimum.
I
do
want
to
make
sure
that
for
those
members
who
do
show
up
and
show
up
from
the
heart
and
do
the
work
from
the
heart
that
we
also
let
them
know
that
we
see
them
and
we're
also
here
to
support
them
as
well.
Take.
A
We
do
have
still
a
few
more
folks
for
public
testimony,
but
I
do
appreciate
you
saying
that
about
the
school
committee
members.
This
is
not
a
judgement
about
them
as
individuals,
I
know,
all
of
them
to
varying
degrees
and
individually.
They
are
very
good
people
that
are
sort
of
functioning
under
the
constraints
of
the
structure
of
that
school
committee.
I
also
will
say
at
this
point.
Some
of
you
referenced
my
earlier
panel.
They
were
both
invited
guests
of
mine.
A
Residency
is
a
really
important
thing
to
me
personally,
something
that
I
work
on
both
as
a
member
of
the
residency
Commission,
but
also
we
talk
about
our
students
in
the
Boston
Public
Schools,
being
residents
of
the
city
of
Boston,
so
I
do
want
to
say
for
the
record
as
an
invited
guest
of
my
panel,
it's
not
about
where
an
individual
lives
when
their
uninvited
guest
on
the
panel.
It's
about
the
information
that
they
are
able
to
share
so
I
want
to
make
that
clear
and
any
additional
questions.
A
So,
while
you
are
clearing
out,
thank
you
thank
you
very
much
and
where
we
will
not
be
here
as
late
as
school
committee
is
often
I
joke
that
I
can
go
from
school
committee
meetings
and
testifying
early
on
which
I
have
the
great
liberty
to
do
then
going
to
another
community
meeting
or
event
and
then
going
home
and
watch
the
end
of
the
meeting,
while
folding
laundry
so
I
know.
Dr.
Jeanne
McGuire
is
with
us
who
would
like
to
testify,
and
that's
all
I
have
left
for
signing
up
for
public
testimony.
A
A
U
U
Just
hope
that
all
of
us
have
the
sense
in
the
humility
to
trust
that
as
citizens
know
what's
best
for
their
students,
it
seems
that
in
much
of
the
discourse
people
discount
the
fact
that
the
citizens
of
Boston's,
whose
children
attend
the
school's
one
of
theirs,
the
wooden
availa
they're
legal
citizens,
the
residents,
let
me
clarify
that
the
residents
of
Boston
who
attend,
who
who
support
and
who,
as
I
am
concerned,
always
should
have
the
voice
of
the
vote.
I
do
not
understand
anywhere
in
the
country.
Even
where
they've
had
appointed
school
committees.
U
You
see
a
different
structure,
most
most
of
New
England
and
most
of
the
East
Coast's.
To
my
knowledge,
all
have
elected
school
committees.
In
the
years
I've
dealt
with
metropolitan
Boston
I
have
never
seen
an
appointed
school
committee.
I've
voted
against
it
when
I
was
on
the
five-member
elected
school
committee
and
then
the
one
that
added
and
made
it
at-large
both
on
the
City
Council
and
on
the
School
Committee.
U
We
have
a
right
under
the
Constitution
when,
in
the
course
of
human
events,
we
the
people,
forget
all
those
categories
we
the
people
who
live
here
on
this
continent,
this
sweet
country
with
two
oceans
and
in
many
seas
and
deserts
and
mountains
and
prairies
and
cities
and
small
Hamlet's.
We,
the
people,
have
and
should
always
have
and
never
give
up
the
right
to
our
voice
and
the
vote
upon
this,
the
United
States
is
based.
U
I
cannot,
for
the
life
of
me,
understand
how
we
can
have
a
serious
constitutional
crisis
pending
when
we
talk
about
giving
up
the
right
to
our
voice,
the
Four
Freedoms,
the
freedom
of
speech,
the
freedom
of
voice,
the
freedom
of
a
vote
to
freedom
to
live.
Where
we
want
watch
these
restrictions,
they
are
dangerous,
very
dangerous
and
there's
only
one
child
in
the
world
and
that
child
is
all.
Children
doesn't
matter
that
color
that
size
their
gender.
U
Is
our
tax
money
and
we
should
keep
that
in
mind,
because
one
of
the
reasons
we
want
to
educate
people
is
to
help
them
to
be
prepared
to
defend
and
maintain
democratic
structures
in
the
world.
If
other
countries
aren't
democratic,
we
are
in
trouble
we're
not
on
an
island
by
ourselves.
We
have
to
work
with
compete
with
exchange
goods
and
services
with
countries
and
nations
all
over
the
world
and
we're
beginning
to
have
all
these
these
restrictions
and
devices
and
words
that
I
never
remember.
U
Hearing
and
I
noticed
when
they
first
started:
closing
schools,
the
black
educators
alliance,
which
was
then
the
Massachusetts
Negro,
educators,
Alliance
and
members
of
the
btu.
We
found
that
the
33
first
schools
that
were
closed
were
closed
in
Roxbury,
so
our
kids
had
to
get
onto
the
bus.
Now
many
of
us
on
the
last
elected
five-member
school
committee
at
large,
which
was
how
I
got
elected,
are
still
around
I,
talked
to
Dan
Burke,
who
was
adamantly
applau
opposed
to
school
transportation
for
any
reasons.
Until.
U
What
was
Roxbury,
what
was
girls
Latin
school,
where
a
mass
college
of
art
is
now
was
changed,
I
think
to
Dorchester
to
cogman
Square
and
the
children
from
South
Boston
were
told
they
had
to
get
the
tea
to
get
to
school.
So
we
sat
there
in
the
school
committee
and
Dan
decided
wait
a
minute.
I've
got
about
20
parents
from
Southie
here
who
want
their
kids
to
have
a
bus
to
school,
and
he
had
voted
in
hims
transportation.
U
He
later
became
a
principal
and
superintendent
in
medical
towns
and
was
an
atom
and
supporter
of
adequate
and
safe
transportation
for
children
to
get
to
school.
Not
many
children
live
where
they
go
to
school.
Latin
School
is
not
in
anybody's
neighborhood
I
went
to
girls
Latin
on
on
the
Fenway.
We
took
the
bus
to
train.
We
took
the
trolley
from
Park
Square
the
whole
idea
of
the
word.
Neighborhood
schools
never
came
up
when
I
was
in
school.
U
It
was
assumed
that
the
schools
were
for
everybody,
so
we
need
to
watch
about
these
restrictions
in
these
categories.
In
these
layers,
against
which
we
are
categorizing,
our
children
and
their
parents,
parents
have
good
sense.
It
doesn't
matter
whether
they're
a
legal
citizen
or
if
they
live
here,
they
pay
taxes
here
because
they
pay
rent.
So
we
need
to
make
certain
that
the
voice
of
the
people
is
always
heard
that
the
voice
always
has
the
right
to
vote.
U
Always
the
wind
chills
the
right
to
vote
once
you
lose
your
voice,
you
lose
democracy,
and
this
is
a.
This
is
a
sweet
country.
It's
got
two
oceans,
it's
got
seeds,
it's
got
mountains,
it
has
prairies
at
his
small
towns
has
big
towns.
It
has
people
from
all
over
where
the
four
winds
blow
all
of
the
world.
U
They
live
here
in
America
and
we
can
get
along
together
and
we
can
love
and
care
for
our
children
and
give
them
the
very
best
that
will
prepare
them
to
be
citizens
who
run
the
world,
not
just
the
United
States,
but
everyone
that
we
have
to
communicate
with
and
sell
goods
to
and
often
agree
to
protect
them,
and
there
was
I
hope
that
it
is
clear
that
I
am
adamantly
for
elected
officials.
Do
we
want
to
appoint
the
governor?
U
Do
we
want
to
point
our
state
senators
who's
going
to
do
the
pointing
and
upon
what
terms
do
we
want
to
point
the
City,
Council
I?
Don't
think
so,
I
think
the
people
when
they're,
given
clear
issues
and
clear
knowledge
of
what's
at
stake,
they
will
want
to
have
a
voice.
In
the
day
we
give
up
the
boat,
we're
not
a
democracy.
U
I
can't
I'm
raised
in
Boston
I
went
to
schools
in
Boston,
for
most
of
my
life,
I
went
to
what
was
girls
Latin
school,
the
Dearborn,
yes,
I
love
the
Dearborn,
the
David,
a
Ellis,
the
Higginson
I
went
to
all
I
live
around
the
corner
from
the
Higginson
now
and
I
believe
in
public
education,
but
in
my
work,
I've
also
dealt
with
131,
suburban
schools,
31
communities
and
their
school
committees
and
I
might
say
in
most
elected
bodies.
Nobody
goes
home
until
all
the
business
is
over.
Tell
that
to
your
City
Council
from
Jean.
U
You
don't
go
home
until
all
the
public
goes
home.
That's
if
you
want
to
get
elected
again.
They
want
to
see
that
you
want
to
hear
their
voice,
no
I'm
serious
about
that.
It
means
you
have
to
plan
and
offer
many
of
us
have
children
and
jobs.
Maybe
what
we
have
to
leave
and
you
let
people
know
I,
can't
stay
and
reason
why
otherwise
people
think
you're
not
interested
so
I,
I'm,
sorry,
you're,
the
lone
person
sitting
up
here
and
you're.
A
U
Why
we
invented
my
collar
yeah,
but
when
you
run
for
office
you
take
that
into
the
count,
because
you
now
you
are
running
to
represent
the
voice
of
those
people
where
you
live.
So
you
have
to
make
a
sacrifice
of
all
of
us.
Have
children-
and
you
know,
dinners
and
washing
machines
and
all
that
stuff
to
do
in
the
dogs
to
let
out
and
it's.
U
You,
but
please
elected
at
all
times
forever.
We,
the
people,
went
in
the
course
of
human
events.
Those
events
haven't
ended,
so
I
and
I
know
I
speak
for
the
5
members
of
the
elected
school
committee
that
I
first
joined
and
then
the
late
of
the
change
school
committee.
We
were
always
supportive
of
the
voice
of
the
people
we
were
always
supportive
of
elected
and
when
the
Home
Rule
petition
came
up
again,
my
student,
who
ran
for
mayor,
made
his
partner
Tito
made
as
a
part
of
his
candidacy,
an
elected
School,
Committee
The
Voice.
U
U
He
was
a
person
who
helped
to
bring
Turkey
into
modern
times,
but
he's
one
of
the
world's
great
poets.
His
name
is
Nazim
hikmet
and
he
has
some
words
which
I
think
all
of
us
in
elected
office
and
all
of
us
who
vote
for
people
in
elected
office
and
all
of
us
who
love
our
children
gonna
take
over
for
us
and
Bey
the
bills.
U
Don't
live
in
this
world
as
if
you
are
renting,
or
here
only
for
the
summer
or
act.
If
it's
act
as
if
it's
your
father's
house
believe
in
sieves
and
earth
and
the
sea,
but
people
above
all,
love
clouds,
machines
and
books,
but
people,
above
all
grieve
for
the
withering
branch
and
the
dying
star
and
the
hurt
animal
but
feel
for
the
people.
Above
all,
rejoice
in
all
our
things,
darkness
and
light.
The
four
seasons,
but
people
above
all,
for
this
is
one
sweet
country.
A
V
Hi,
my
name
is
Christine
Lang
hi
from
a
Dorchester
resident.
My
involvement
with
the
Boston
Public
Schools
stretches
back
60
years
to
1958
when
I
started,
kindergarten
at
the
PJ
Kennedy
School
in
East,
Boston
I,
attended
school
under
an
elected
school
committee
and
also
began
my
career
in
bps
under
an
elected
school
committee,
my
own
three
kids
attended
bps
when
it
was
an
appointed
school
committee
and
when
I
retired
after
36
years,
it
was
still
under
the
appointed
school
committee
I'm
here
today
to
speak
in
favor
of
an
elected
school
committee.
V
One
objection
many
make
to
an
elected
board,
as
that
will
become
political
I,
would
submit
that
the
board
is
already
political.
It's
just
that
the
politics
represented
are
those
of
one
sole
person
in
a
democracy.
The
voice
of
those
who
pay
taxes
must
be
represented.
It
doesn't
work
that
way
currently
on
demand.
Many
know
the
School
Committee
voted
with
his
priorities.
98
percent
of
the
time
and
DeMaio
Walsh
we've
recently
seen
one
superintendent
summarily
dismissed
in
another
hired
without
even
the
pretext
of
the
school
committee
vote.
V
Another
common
objection
is
that
the
last
elected
School
Committee
we
had
was
a
disaster.
We've
run
the
risk
in
a
democracy
that
sometimes
voters
will
make
bad
choices
as
we
can
see
if
we
look
towards
the
national
stage,
but
the
answer
to
bad
decision-making
in
a
democracy
isn't
less
participation.
It's
more
also.
The
appointed
School
Committee
hasn't
exactly
always
inspired
confidence
at
English,
High
School
in
December
of
2010.
Again,
during
a
round
of
recommended
school
closures,
one
member
named
redacted
began
to
berate
a
parent
in
the
audience.
V
Perhaps
this
member
would
have
been
more
restrained
in
his
remarks.
Had
he
known
he
was
going
to
have
to
stand
for
reelection.
More
recently,
there
was
an
October
school
committee
meeting
with
some.
Fifty
eight
individuals
gave
emotional
testimony
against
the
closing
of
the
West
Roxbury
complex
in
the
mccormick
school,
while
parents,
teachers
and
students
sought
to
engage
the
school
committee
members,
one
member
seated
on
the
dais
was
tweeting
about
topics
totally
unrelated
to
the
situation
unfolding
before
him.
V
Currently,
the
composition
of
Boston
School
Committee
looks
more
like
those
of
the
trustees
of
Massachusetts
charter
schools
with
some
31%
of
the
trustees
come
from
the
corporate
world
and
there
is
little
parent
representation.
It's
worth,
pointing
out
that
there
are
no
K
to
12
teachers
currently
serving
on
the
school
committee,
as
that
seems
to
be
considered
a
lack,
a
conflict
of
interest
rather
than
pertinent
experience.
Lastly,
Boston
is
the
only
one
of
Massachusetts
351
cities
and
towns,
which
lack
an
elected
school
committee.
V
We
have
the
largest
in
the
most
complex
school
system
in
the
state,
and
a
wide
range
of
viewpoints
is
necessary
to
support
our
schools.
What
is
the
rationale
for
depriving
some
700,000
residents
of
the
representation
that
all
of
the
communities
in
the
state
and
joy,
because
school
communities
are
cornerstones
of
democracy?
Wealthy
privatizes
have
become
determined
to
undermine
these
school
boards
across
the
country.
V
For
example,
in
a
keynote
speech
at
the
California
Charter
Schools
Association
on
March
4th
2014
Reed
Hastings
who's,
the
CEO
of
Netflix
advocated
for
the
elimination
of
school
boards,
speaking
favorably
of
charter
schools,
he
said
the
most
important
thing
is
that
they
constantly
get
better
every
year,
they're
getting
better
because
they
have
stable
governance.
They
don't
have
an
elected
school
board
and
that's
a
real,
tough
issue.
V
Now,
if
we
go
to
the
general
public-
and
we
say
here's
an
argument
why
you
should
get
rid
of
school
boards,
of
course,
no
one's
going
to
go
for
that
school
boards
have
been
an
iconic
part
of
the
of
America
for
more
than
200
years.
I
do
have
one
caveat
which
was
raised
tonight
in
the
pursuit
of
an
electric
school
board.
We
must
keep
out
a
wary
eye
for
dark
money.
In
2017,
15
million
dollars
was
spent
on
Los
Angeles
school
board
election
and
Reed
Hastings.
The
CEO
of
Netflix
contributed
an
estimated
seven
million
dollars.
V
It's
an
estimate
because
it's
dark
money
it's
difficult
to
trace.
The
goal
was
to
elect
a
charter
friendly
school
board,
which
they
did.
The
board
has
just
named
a
hedge
fund
manager
and
banker,
Austin
Beutner,
a
person
with
no
relevant
educational
experience
to
work
as
superintendent,
so
there's
something
we
need
to
keep
focused
on
if
we
do
achieve
an
elected
school
board.
Thank
you.
A
Thank
You
Christine
at
councilor
edwards,
you
have
any
closing
remarks.
Thank
you
very
much.
So
I
do
appreciate
everyone.
The
panels
in
public
testimony
today,
especially
at
this
hour
I,
think
the
the
input
was
certainly
thoughtful
and
very
informative.
As
we
go
about
this,
this
work,
that's
before
us,
I
look
forward
to
working
with
all
of
you
and
certainly
a
continued
conversation
about
this
very
specific
topic.
A
I
think
everyone
has
checked
in
if
you
haven't
checked
in,
please
make
sure
that
we
have
your
information
so
that
we
could
follow
up
with
you
regarding
next
steps
and
I
look
forward
to
exploring
those
next
steps
with
you
with
my
colleagues
and
with
others
who
are
interested.
This
meeting
is
adjourned.