Letters

So, when is enough, enough?

Posted 3/28/17

To the Editor: So, when is enough, enough? Everyday it's something with this school department. This morning [Friday] I receive a text and a photo from a friend at Vets. It is showing sewerage on the floor of a classroom. I called the superintendent at

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Letters

So, when is enough, enough?

Posted

To the Editor:

So, when is enough, enough?

Everyday it's something with this school department. This morning [Friday] I receive a text and a photo from a friend at Vets. It is showing sewerage on the floor of a classroom. I called the superintendent at 11ish and he said, "They were working on it." He told me the school was not connected to the sewers. (I was told later that the rear of the school was not connected). The superintendent told me they've had to pump the septic system twice in the last two weeks because of sewerage backups.

I was at the school at around 1 with Karen Bachus (school committee member) and we visited the area. We were shown a PT area where the back up occurred today. There was still water on the floor. I told the person (who was very professional and co operative) that the picture I had showed me a different location. It was, it was room G 101. This is an art classroom where the back up occurred two weeks ago. He told me they did the clean up and used the best disinfectants they know of. The same as they use in the hospitals. The floor is a vinyl tile floor. I asked if the department had the floor and general area tested by a professional to be sure there was no bacteria present. I was told no. Certainly this is a situation of "don't shoot the messenger.”

The administration has not contacted a professional firm to certify that this public classroom was habitable for our students and teachers. They never considered that this crap got under the floor tiles. They didn't even notice that a drain under the bookcase in this classroom still had sewerage backup in it until I pointed it out today. I was appalled to hear that after the sewerage back up of two weeks ago, and after their clean up (which was not inspected by a professional) that the administration let the students continue to use this classroom. I just saw an email where the superintendent attempts to whitewash the issue and says, “there was a little puddle in the floor.” This is bacteria at its worse. Two back ups in two weeks. At least that is what they tell me. Forgive me if I have lost confidence. They never notified the Dept of Health. They never notified DEM. They did say they are going to pump every five days. Serious? At what cost.

I’m going to be very interested to hear what DEM has to say about this. 

I want to laugh when I think about several years ago when the city was threatening the citizens and business to connect to the sewers or be fined and pay a connect capable fee. It was only after I formed the Warwick City Council Sewer Review Commission, with unanimous support of the City Council, that we learned that was not legal. But how is it the City never forced the school dept to hook up to available sewers. I believe there are at least 4, possibly more schools, not connected. 

I've said it before, I've said it recently and I'll say it again: "Tear down Vets and build a new state of the art school. Quit playing games. Build state of the art schools, let's let our teachers do their jobs and educate our kids in state-of-the-art buildings, not buildings where sewerage backs up and fire alarm systems fail. 

Let's listen to the realtors that call me screaming because they are struggling to sell homes in Warwick because the school system is out of control and the leadership doesn't know how to get it back on track. 

When is enough, enough?

Ed Ladouceur

Councilman Ward 5

Chair Finance Committee

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  • richardcorrente

    Excellent question Ed.

    I can answer it.

    Enough will be "enough" when we finally obtain accountability from the School Department. That's when! What will accomplish that is an independent audit!

    Otherwise your comment of "don't shoot the messenger" should apply to your tour guide of last Friday but shouldn't apply to any of the members of the School Committee, with the clear exception of Karen Bachus.

    In the School Committee Powers and Duties (file:BBA) it states that "The School Committee shall determine and control all policies affecting the administration, construction, maintenance, and operation of the public schools"

    In other words, the SC is 100% responsible for spending over a BILLION DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY since 2009 and they are doing the worst job possible. They are 100% responsible for the David LaPlante tragedy. They are 100% responsible for the Mario Atoyian tragedy. They are 100% responsible for increasing their number of administrators while reducing the number of teachers by about the same percentage, and now, they are 100% responsible for having no working fire alarms and raw sewerage dripping from the ceiling at Vets.

    And the minute Warwick hands them over $160,000,000 of taxpayers money they aren't accountable to ANYONE.

    Ed, make them accountable BEFORE you give them another dime of the taxpayers hard-earned money.

    I have a lot of faith that you will.

    Happy Easter everyone.

    Rick Corrente

    The Taxpayers Mayor

    Wednesday, March 29, 2017 Report this