LETTERS

Are we in some parallel universe?

Posted 9/4/14

To the Editor:

Two recent incidents regarding our schools have me wondering if we’re in some sort of a parallel universe.

First, the recent decision of three School Committee members to …

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LETTERS

Are we in some parallel universe?

Posted

To the Editor:

Two recent incidents regarding our schools have me wondering if we’re in some sort of a parallel universe.

First, the recent decision of three School Committee members to endorse, as members of the committee, Mayor Avedisian in the upcoming primary was wholly inappropriate. Chairwoman Furtado’s claim that the three came to the decision “independently but together” is one for the ages in terms of parlance. These three feel “the best team to lead Warwick schools into the future includes Mayor Avedisian at the helm.” Yes, the same mayor who, after a majority of voters approved a bond referendum in the mid-2000s for school improvements, refused to release the funds; who, when Pilgrim faced a loss of accreditation due to its failing roof proclaimed “if they need a roof then let them pay for it,” thus opening up the Pandora’s box of requiring the school department to pay principal and interest on their bonded indebtedness, something that only exists in Warwick and for which he and the City Council should be ashamed; and who supports the idea of an appointed School Committee. If this is their idea of what makes a good helmsman, then God help our students.

Mr. Nadeau’s comments were absolutely spot-on. This School Committee is non-partisan for very good reason and they should never inject themselves in any way, shape or form into political campaigns. For most folks, it’s a really simple concept to grasp. To do so, in my view, is reckless, to be kind, and dumb, to be fair. The chair acknowledged that in the eight years that she’s been on the committee, the issue of endorsements had never come up. Exactly. And to do this without even notifying other committee members can reasonably lead one to wonder what the three were thinking, or worse, if there was more to this than just a lack of thought.

Second, the creation the Municipal/School Commission is significant by who is not on it – a representative for parents who actually have children in the schools. In my opinion, someone from the Warwick Council PTA should be serving on this commission, for it would seem to me that students (who pay the ultimate price for this friction) should be represented. My hope is that this is not going to be some form of a “Kumbaya” commission that simply states the obvious and accomplishes little but one really has to wonder if the above two instances are somehow related to the fact that the mayor is facing a primary opponent for the first time in his tenure. Political tealeaf reading compels one to assume that the mayor may be politically vulnerable on the schools issue and that these two things are an attempt to blunt this. The timing suggests so.

David Testa

Warwick

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