frommycorner

Want a PhD? Come to Lawrence

Yes, in Lawrence we make it easy to advance on the job.

Recently I wrote about the Lawrence Public Schools administrators doing their school work towards their doctorate degree during work hours and I love it when the telephone starts ringing with additional information.

Some said, “I was glad to see you write about administrators in Lawrence doing their doctoral program work during school hours.  We have one here at the South Lawrence East School, Principal Dina Hickey.”  The caller went on to say that she comes in to work at 9:30 AM every morning and does nothing but sits at her computer all day (her back turned to the door of her office) and works on her doctorate.

Meanwhile students are running wild in the corridors.  So much so that teachers are hiding behind closed doors as classes change.  Then she yelled at the teachers at the last monthly faculty meeting, complaining that if she disciplines the kids it makes the teachers look like they have lost control.

Has she stopped to think that if she puts a little effort at doing her job, things are bound to work better?  Let’s face it, she is getting paid to lead.

I wonder in what she is getting a doctorate.  I know: Grant-writing!  That’s where the money is, they get to work in the administration building and they don’t have to deal with pesky kids.

Pet Peeves

Pet Peeve 1

I received close to 100 emails each day at home and I try to read and answer each one of them.  I learned by now which are "lottery" offers or scams and the delete button works overtime.  But you should be around to see my reaction when I get home from work to tackle the dozens of messages that have been sent to a long list of people by using CC: instead of BCC:.

First of all, I don't care to whom they were sent and I do object that they see my name among the people who received it.  It may be an innocent joke but it could also be a politically charged commentary that I may be later associated with that line of thinking.  When you include the names of the BCC: line, the only name seen by the receiver is his or hers and they will have no knowledge as to whom else it has been sent - if anyone at all.  It's like a matter of courtesy.

Pet Peeve 2

Have you received an email so good, so juicy that the sender had to forward it but it had been forwarded 6 or 7 times and you have to keep opening one email after another until you get to the original?  Well, when I see the first one I put the delete button to use. 

If you want to save time and aggravation to the person receiving it, the moment you read the article, joke or whatever it is, forward it without going back to the email in which you received it because then they will receive all 6 or 7 like you did, and if they are like me, they won't open them either.

The Fiscal Oversight Board

Last week I mentioned the Fiscal Oversight Board that Mayor Michael Sullivan has appointed to watch over the finances of the city and I said I was going to find out who the members of this board are in order to bring it to you.  They are: the Executive Director of American Training, Tom Connors; Former Councilor Marie Gosselin; Former Councilor Joseph Parolisi; Mill Owner Chet Sidell; and the president of Corporate Express Norm Jones with his wife.  Sal Lupoli was invited but could not make the meeting.

Mark Andrews gave me the information and I told him of my concern with the names on the list because the community is not represented.  His answer to that was that this is an ad-hoc committee advising him, not the mayor and subject to change from one week to the next or depending on which topic is to be discussed.  That particular board was chosen because they were considering the Tax Classification; when it’s time to deal with other topics, different people will be invited to take part.  Also, people are welcome to call and offer themselves to be on that committee.

He emphasized the fact that “this is not something that Mark Andrews has to do; this is something that I want to do.”  He wants to hear from members of the community from different aspects.  Obviously, he is trying to take the heat away from the mayor but it was Sullivan who made the calls to invite at least some of them.

It was our hope that this citizen board would be vigilant of how taxpayers’ money is spent but, according to Mr. Andrews, is to advise him (or the administration) on how to spend not necessarily how to save.

State of the City – Which one?

Methuen Mayor William Manzi held the State of the City Address on February 7th.  Is Lawrence Mayor ever going to do the same?  Would he hide it online like he did last year?

Don’t trust political promises

Every election period I get the same feeling of mistrust listening to politicians making promises  that are seldom kept.  Just listen how they all sound alike with the same rhetoric on poverty, education, health care, unemployment, etc.  No one has outline of how they are going to accomplish any of it – just that they are going to do it. 

Come to think of it, I’ve been voting for over 35 years and politicians always talk about eliminating poverty, reducing unemployment, improving the educational system and never mind doing something about health care!

It was in my early teens when I stopped believing anything politicians say.  I remember when Fidel Castro was accused of being Communist and he said, “This revolution is green, as green as our palm trees.”  About a year later, surprise!

When they are running for office they tell you what the public wants to hear.  Once they are elected, WHAM!  That’s why we must look at their record.  Looking at what they have done is the best way to predict what they might do.  Then, go light a candle and pray.

Well, they are saving here!

Some city employees were shortchanged last week.  They use their personal cars in their line of work and get a stipend to make up for the gas and wear and tear of their vehicles.  They were shocked last week when that was not included because the city must now start saving money.

Well, they chose the wrong way to do things.  First of all because they have a union contract stipulating that compensation.  Also, because it is so blatantly unfair to pretend that they are taking the correct action by affecting the little guys. 

This administration has one heck of a nerve reneging on a fair commitment that was agreed to while so many managers in high positions are receiving huge stipends that are barely justifiable.

Doctoral work on work hours

We all know that through the years there have been administrators in the school department using their work day and office equipment to study, research and work on their advance degrees but it had never reached the level of unabashed abuse.

I have been told that the number of administrators that are doing their doctoral work during work hours is an all-time high.

Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy has created a new cast system: those who play ball with him and those who don’t.

New dictionary word

(Thanks to the friend who emailed it to me.)  Electile Dysfunction: the inability to become aroused over any of the choices for president put forth by either party in the 2008 election year.

And, speaking of the School Committee…

There was a Letter to the Editor in the daily newspaper this week entitled "Political opposition is not 'hatred'" addressing Peter Larocque’s behavior that was a pleasure to read. A José A. Cruz from Lawrence criticizes School Committee Member for District E Peter Larocque of missing the point when he accuses people of hatred toward the mayor and superintendent.  Mr. Cruz goes on to explain how this administration orchestrates events and elections and touches on things that we have been writing about for years.  It is refreshing to see that someone else is taking the torch to express his opinion as he did.  That's why we posted the letter here so you can read it in its entirety.

Why don’t we read letters like more often?  I'd like to think it is because people are afraid, not because they don't care.

Lawrence Oversight Board

As a result of the recent public outrage over the increases in property taxes and water and sewer rates, Mayor Michael J. Sullivan has created an Oversight Board so that residents can rest confident that the city finances will be protected.

I still have to confirm the names of the board members because I cannot believe that the mayor is so detached from reality.  According to what I was told regarding the people who will be serving on that board, it will be more of the same.  If he really wanted change or listen to the interests of the community, he should have appointed people like Modesto Maldonado, Ana Luna or former City Councilor Nunzio Di Marca who contributed so many good ideas.

What am I saying?  Those are adversaries; he needs “Yes-men.”