Deval Unveils Ten Year Budget-Busting Education Plan
by Matt Margolis, June 23rd, 2008 at 11:38pm
Deval Patrick ran on a promise to lower property taxes… and yet his plan to overhaul education hardly screams “lower property taxes.”
Governor Deval Patrick unveiled his plan to overhaul public education in Massachusetts on Monday.
It’s a plan that includes a longer school year, a longer school day and possibly free community colleges.
At the Boys and Girls Club in Dorchester, the Governor made his suggestions for changes over the next 10 years.
While Deval accepts applause for such lofty goals, would he like to explain just how he plans to pay for this plan, or is he just hoping that he won’t be governor long enough to be held accountable?
UPDATE, June 24, 2008: MassGOP Executive Director Rob Willington issued the following statement today, on Deval’s latest blue-ribbon commission to figure out how to pay for the results of his first blue-ribbon commission.
“Let me get this straight. Governor Patrick convened a commission to come up with education reforms, but now needs another commission to figure out how to pay for it? We’d ask the Governor to explain to the public why he can’t make good on his promise for property tax relief, but he’d probably have to appoint a commission to figure out an answer.”
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11 Comments
1. Mr. X | June 24th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Here we go again…$30billion for EDREFORM 1993…thanks to WELDUCCI et al ..how’s Chelsea doing 20 years after John “Mr. Tough Guy” Silber and BU took over? Answer: Still at the bottom of scores. These are the NEOCONS/Liberals working with the Education establishment…don’t forget Mass Teachers Association agreed with EDREFORM in the summer of ‘93 since they got the $$$$. They will “reluctantly” go along with net reform and pocket the dough…The Joke’s on the taxpayers..
2. V | June 24th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Sure, lets have the kids who are already getting little out of the education system sit there longer. THAT ought to lower those dropout rates (sarc).
You want to reform education? Start by giving principals the authority to fire teachers. Make the teachers accountable. Then add merit-based pay raises.
After we spend some time reforming how teachers are hired and paid, lets spend some time reforming how students are treated. They are there to learn. It isn’t a social gathering.
There should be enforced dress codes. In most jobs you can’t dress in shorts and a t-shirt. There should be punishment for those who disrupt classes. There should be consequences to not doing homework or doing poorly on tests.
I went to my sons’s school a couple of weeks ago for a music performance. I was astonished at how poorly dressed the teachers were. And, not one of them acted as if they were actually in charge of anything. They were wandering about as aimlessly as the students.
Don’t get me started on the SBA loans and the palaces we are building for the teacher’s unions. Face it, Wellesley isn’t building that new high school for the students. Students spend 4 years there. Something 1/3 as nice would do just fine. The school building (like the new courthouses) has become a symbol and a reward. Teachers want a nice place to work in, just like the judges do. Yet neither spend more than 6 hours a day at work, working.
I have no problem with private schools spending the money. That’s their money. Public schools use MY money.
3. Mr. X | June 24th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Whew! You’re way out there V! Where shall I begin? So many criticisms, so little time.
Teachers are not the problem V! Most observers who are not part of the PC crowd recognize the socio-economics in play…look at MCAS/SAT scores…gee what a concidence Chelsea has low scores and Deluxbury has high scores…hmmmm must be because the rich communities spend more than the poor ones….wrong again knucklehead(to quote our well educated Mayor)…all data is available at MA DOE. Dress codes? Hey you! Move that chair on the Titanic to balance for the gauge in our side…pleeeessseeeee! Most places of work are far better than public schools….how’s your A/C V?
4. V | June 24th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Mr. X;
Yet another incoherent rambling. (I think gouge is what you were looking for “knucklehead” ;-)).
Are you telling me that a good teacher could not teach a poor student as well as s/he could teach a well off student?
Chelsea has students who speak english as a second language; has parents that don’t pay as much attention for a variety of reasons; is urban vs suburban; has a large counter culture….on and on.
Sure, socio-economics are an important factor (one that I did not take the time to touch on). There is generally a reason that someone would live in Chelsea vs Duxbury. That does not eliminate the need to generate a quality educational system in Chelsea. What works in Duxbury would work in Chelsea if they got out of the 3rd world.
Dress codes certainly have a role in determining the character of the school environment. Dress for success…..look good, feel good…….ever notice when you are in a place where people are well dressed they tend to act/behave better? You may disagree but it is true.
Most places of work ARE better than public schools Mr. X. Why? STANDARDS. ACCOUNTABILITY. If you are refering to the physical plant…..you need to get out more. I’m sure Pete at the auto garage would disagree.
5. Mr. X | June 24th, 2008 at 11:45 am
As I said V, how’s your A/C working….show me the public school that has A/C (OOOpps there’s one over there…I guess that proves your point…wrong again Knuckl….exception proves the rule, exception proves the rule. The elites looking down from Hancock Tower etc..” I say Smith, did you hear they want Air Conditioning now”
6. V | June 24th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
A lot of public schools have AC Mr. X. My office has 1 AC unit for 3700 sf. It barely takes the humidity out of the air. I’m quite sure you are in better diggs than I am. Talk about the Hancock Tower…….sheesh.
7. Mr. X | June 25th, 2008 at 11:29 am
BU leaves Chelsea (Globe 6/25;Herald 6/21) Reminds me of Bush and “Mission Accomplished: insanity. No mention in either paper of 53% four year graduation rate…note well, Chelsea spends more per student than Deluxbury…shhhh it’s our little a secret.
8. V | June 25th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
That they spend more, yet get less is indicitive of the problem.
Pay teachers more, add more administrative staff, blah, blah, blah. The simple fact is that they ignore the underlying problem; that is their own liberal, nanny-state viewpoint.
The fact that the media hides/ignores this issue does not create the problem.
9. Mr. X | June 25th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
hey GLOBE and HERALD STAFF, explain your failures and how in the wide,wide world of sports does Jim Carlin get away with his Herald oped on 6/21 and why does the Globe oped of 6-25 hide the failure of BU in Clelsea?
10. rebel in Massachusetts | June 26th, 2008 at 6:25 am
Damn to Torpedos—full speed ahead. with Ed Reform II and Healthcare For All, Biotech Bonanza, Film Tax Credits for All, $2 Billion for Bridge/Roads Bill, $100 Million New Tolling, $300 million Cigarette Tax Hike, and no more local aid–That should do it.
11. Mr. X | June 26th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Whew, the rebel in Massachusetts (above) is fuming as should we all be…is everyone enjoying: paying for their trash pickup;library closings;more kids per classroom;trashy streets;closed fire stations etc. etc Thanks Deval! And a special round of thanks for the state legislature, The Globe and The Herald as they wear their custom fitted , lobbyist provided wet suits which provide such wonderful insulation as they swim in the special interest infested cesspools and they all laugh and laugh as they light up their cigars with $100 bills and say “Let the local yokels eat __ __ __ __!