More issues from Transition Team Forum

There were a lot of speakers last night, but some of the best were from local school committees, Chelmsford, Lowell and Tewksbury, among others. A woman from the Chelmsford SC said that there needs to be a united and resounding message that education is valuable and that it is costly. She urged that there be a lengthy dialogue on what it costs to educate children and the cost of NOT doing so. Jackie Doherty, from the Lowell SC (the other members and the superintendent were at a joint sub-committee meeting on the school building plan) spoke about the importance of restoring pre-school transportation in Lowell (cut in 2003), added support to suggestions by other school committee members that the Board of the DOE be reorganized to allow School Committee members, teachers and principals to be members, and the need for help in the collective bargaining process. This was an issue in Lowell, when we lost the chance to pilot an extended day program in Lowell because the union wouldn't agree to it. Tewksbury SC members also spoke of the difficulty in winning vital concessions around healthcare costs and extending instruction time from their teacher unions (apparently they tried to add 15 minutes of instruction time to the day, without extending the school day, and had an 11 day teacher strike).