Southbridge School Committee Agenda - November 25, 2014

Southbridge School Committee Meeting

LOCATION: Robert G. MacKinnon Council Chambers, 41 Elm Street

DATE: Tuesday, November 25, 2014

*6:30 p.m. Parent/Student Reception for MCAS Awards*

TIME: 7:00 PM

Agenda

I. Welcome and Pledge of Allegiance

II. Public Input*

III. Call to Order/Roll Call

Why The Schools?

Ken O’Brien

Recently someone commenting on this blog noted, “Personally I think you focus on the Schools too much, but this is your creation and you are entitled to be critical of any of the poorly run departments of this overtaxed poorly run town.”

Others have indicated that they think I have a vendetta against the School Committee and that I’m using this forum to constantly attack them.

The reality is that I have come to the conclusion that the abysmal condition of our schools is the basis of much of what is wrong with Southbridge. 

Southbridge Town Council Meeting - November 17, 2014

(Almost) A Year Of Healing

Ken O’Brien

There is a time when I have to admit I was mistaken.

I was mistaken about Shaun Moriarty.

After initially encouraging his run for town council, I failed to endorse his candidacy.

After his election, I criticized his seeming lack of knowledge of government and politics. 

Shutting Her Down Was Wrong

Ken O’Brien

Last Wednesday Southbridge High Senior Sarai McNeill attempted to voice her criticisms of the school Superintendent during the Public Input session prior to the School Committee meeting.

She was quickly interrupted by School Committee member Brent Abrahamson. He opined that her remarks violated the committee’s policy against criticizing school personnel in open session. His point was just as quickly validated by Chairman McLoughlin. 

Southbridge Town Council Agenda - November 17, 2014

Southbridge Town Council Meeting

November 17, 2014

Town Council Chambers

7:00 PM


Agenda

The Teen And The Trolls

Ken O’Brien

Once upon a time a brave young girl was troubled by events at her school.

Determined to make things better she screwed up her courage. She took her issues to the local committee in charge of her school to lodge her complaint. However, she was unaware that it was the policy of the committee not to allow any public criticism of their personnel. The trolls who viewed it as their mission to keep things hidden from the public quickly cut her off.

Crestfallen, the young girl returned to her seat. Fortunately, she had said just enough to allow the discerning public to ascertain the truth she sought to reveal. Also, she had learned a valuable lesson about trying to deal with problems in an open and forthright manner in her little village.

Southbridge School Committee Meeting - November 12, 2014

Alayne Fleischmann Exposes JP Morgan's "massive criminal securities fraud"

By Luke Brinker from Salon

Investigative journalist Matt Taibbi returned to Rolling Stone last week with an extensive report on the case of Alayne Fleischmann, a former JPMorgan Chase diligence manager whose warnings about high-risk mortgage securities went unheeded in the run-up to the financial crisis. In the piece, Fleischmann revealed that prior to being laid off in 2008, she witnessed “massive criminal securities fraud” at the bank, but the Justice Department ultimately opted for a $13 billion civil settlement with the bank instead of pursuing criminal charges. On last night’s “All In with Chris Hayes,” Fleischmann and Taibbi discussed JPMorgan’s conduct, the Justice Department’s failure to prosecute Wall Street crime, and why the culture of Wall Street still hasn’t changed.

Southbridge Town Council Meeting - November 10, 2014

The Pivot?

Ken O’Brien

The School Committee has appointed John M. Flick of Gardner to investigate allegations made against Southbridge Superintendent of Schools Patricia Gardner. He is mandated to present his findings to the Committee by December 3^rd.

While indicating a concession to public opinion, the action is essentially meaningless.

First and foremost is why the Superintendent was not put on paid administrative leave as has been the practice in the past. Certainly the charges preferred against her would seem to warrant such an action. According to the presentation made by Committee Member Raymond Page the Superintendent threatened not merely to “get” the complainant. She also attempted to compel the individual to sign a document implicating a former school official in acts of misconduct and threatening to destroy documents relating to last year’s MCAS. In addition, she supposedly made reference to the medical condition of an employee, indicating that, had she been aware of the condition, they would not have been hired. 

Southbridge Town Council Agenda - November 10, 2014

Southbridge Town Council

November 10, 2014

Town Council Chambers
41 Elm Street

7:00 PM

Agenda

State Legislatures and ALEC

Happy Talk Takes Place Of Candid Conversation

Ken O’Brien

Next month the taxpayers of Southbridge can expect to get whacked one more time.

The Town Council will once again go through its annual ritual of hand-wringing while raising the tax rate and most likely maintaining its status as the highest among local communities. 

Worcester Telegram Reports On Gardner Complaint

Today's Worcester Telegram carries an article titled Southbridge superintendent in hot water over probe of MCAS mistake by Brian Lee.

Superintendent of Schools Patricia Gardner allegedly threatened to "come after" a school employee if that person did not cooperate with the superintendent's desire to assess blame for mistakes made administering the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests last year, according to Raymond Page, a School Committee member.

As a consequence, the School Committee unanimously voted this week to authorize hiring an independent investigator to look into the allegation of "a serious account of unprofessional behavior" against the first-year superintendent.