ON THE WEEKEND EDITION, SPECIAL ED: GOOD INTENTIONS GONE AWRY
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, SEPT. 30-Oct 2, 2016) — Since this is apparently the month that THE PLANET addresses “things you can’t talk about” in an America that allegedly cherishes free speech and a free press, let us deal — as September turns to October — with special education in public schools.
The discussion was prompted by Jenn Smith’s lengthy profile in The Boring Broadsheet of a Lee mom who wants the state the drop MCAS requirements for handicapped students that can’t do the work to get a diploma. Kelly Koperek wants the state to dismiss the requirement that to receive a 12th grade graduation diploma, students must pass a series of 10th-grade-level skills in basic subject areas. One of her sons has Down Syndrome and cannot meet those requirements. That is unfortunate, but it would water down every rightfully earned sheepskin if the state agrees.
The state’s “Competency Determination” for a diploma allows “special needs” kids to participate in graduation ceremonies. They walk on stage after their name is called like everyone else and receive a “Certificate of Attainment.” It is both compassionate to the handicapped and fair to the students who toiled four years to earn a diploma legitimately.
If Koperek’s petition succeeds, however, it will set back the cause of public-school reform irreparably. Forget the can of worms. This will open a silo of tarantulas. As it is currently constituted, the category of “Special Education” does enough damage by eating up huge amounts of resources while providing relatively little in return.
When Emotions Kick In Reason Vanishes
THE PLANET understands the emotions involved, having personal experience with “special needs” children. If we had the magic wand, there would be no Down, no handicaps, no disabilities. That’s not the real world, though. Fact is, even at the exorbitant rates at which taxpayers fund public schools, classrooms are “short of money.” America spends the most per-pupil in the world on public education but sees the smallest percentage of each dollar actually make its way into the classrooms. One of the reasons the money doesn’t trickle down to students is because of unsustainable salaries and benefit packages of public school employees. After they gets theirs, “Special Education” comes to the trough.
According to the Pittsfield School Department, Special Ed’s seeks to “minimize the disability and maximize the opportunities” for handicapped students. Sounds noble. In practice, however, due to an ever-expanding list of qualifying disabilities, Special Ed allows kids who will not and cannot learn into regular classrooms. Keep in mind, moreover, that Special Ed services are not limited to resources available within a district but are allocated solely on pre-defined student need. In other words, if the district doesn’t have a particular resource, taxpayers are forced to fund it regardless of the cost, a one-size-fits-all approach that’s bankrupting cities.
THE PLANET knows of an 18-year-old Special Ed student in a local high school. This child, who also has Down Syndrome, has caused every manner of classroom disruption without penalty. She has learned that to get out of class, all she needs to do is act up. She has fought with teachers and students, thrown objects, destroyed property, and more. The school can’t expel the student. Once a child receives the Special Ed tag, he or she cannot be expelled, no matter how wild or disruptive. This child will not receive an education. She will learn little. She will have cost taxpayers a fortune for K-12. She should not receive a diploma.
Countless Billions Out the Window
The money required to provide a sham “education” to un-educable children runs in the countless billions for schools districts, all paid by the country’s Mary Jane and Joe Kapanskis. That is not fair to the vast majority of kids who enter a classroom with the required physical, mental, and emotional skills to succeed but who are being gypped because of the growing list of those labeled as “special.”
It’s not just the physically handicapped who are “Special Ed.” It’s those with alleged autism, developmental disability, specific learning disabilities, intellectual impairment, intellectual disability, emotional disorders, behavioral disabilities, “other” impairments (ADD ADHD), multiple disabilities, and traumatic brain injury. The categories are so loosely defined that the designation becomes meaningless … and political.
With the cost ranging from 1.6 to 3.1 times higher than that of the “normal” student (U.S. Department of Education), Special Ed has to be placed on the table for beleaguered cities and taxpayers being sunk by the out-of-control albatross. Yes, disability is sad when it happens and life can be cruel, but public schools were not intended to remedy the unfairness of life. Our schools cannot be called upon to give in heroic measure for miracles they cannot perform.
You invest in those students who have the greatest potential, not the worst.
The Comment Line is now open. Be civil. Be clever. Be caustic. Be cool. But please, no more “your mother wears combat boots” comments. Let the guilty accuse themselves. Let the rest have their say.
Have a great weekend, everybody!
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“The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities.” — Ayn Rand
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The views expressed in the comment section or opinions published within the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not those of PLANET VALENTI or endorsed in any way by PLANET VALENTI; this website reserves the right to remove any comment that violates its Rules of Conduct, and it is not liable for the consequences of any posted comment as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and PLANET VALENTI’s terms of service.
I love it when you speak to issues no one else dares to touch and on this one I agree whole heartedly.
Like many others I too am close to a person in this sad position in life. It may make the parents feel better to give the child a make believe diploma but it is an insult to the child. My guess is that most of these children, if they had a say in the matter, want to be treated the same as their peers but not in a phony, plastic manner.
Like it or not, life is not fair. And people need to stop lying to themselves by going down the rabbit hole into the world of make believe.
The conservative movement has been successfully destroying public education for 30 years and they are responsible for where it is today.
School choice and charter schools are the offspring of conservative white flight from pittsfield leaving in the dust the real courageous students who love their home.town.
Our political leaders chose not to let their children school with the commoners. May Taconic and PHS destroy the other inferior schools on the athletic fields as they play against school choicers.
The political leaders who are choosing not to school their children with the commoners are progressives not conservatives. TFB for one couldn’t be more far left progressive, but she sends her children to Lenox schools. This isn’t a conservative thing, it’s an elitist thing.
Actually SC is the progressives (they used to be called liberals until they were shamed out of it!) have destroyed public education with the emphasis on “feel good,” self-esteem, and everybody gets a trophy and a pass.
Charter schools, which are public schools 100% have revived public education. Look at BART. As DV and Terry Kinnas said on TV vote Yes on Question 2. More charters. Less union and bureaucratic control.
If a liberal is now a progressive, does that make a conservative a regressive?
I also will vote yes on question 2. Teachers have to teach at a charter school, not just show up.
“School choice and charter schools are the offspring of conservative white flight from pittsfield leaving in the dust the real courageous students who love their home.town.”
BART Charter’ racial distribution tells a different story than your incorrect statement that school choice and charters appeal to ‘white flight.’
I view school choice and chartered alteranatives an appeal to choice. Where do you find prejudice?
As for the topic at hand, this request extends the ‘to be fair, everyone e must wi
BaRT looks like it discriminates because they have no problem expelling those who wish to cause problems/not learn. Those who do not get in or are forced out usually have some major behavioral issues that disrupt the classes and hinder the education of the other students.
While I get many kids have “disabilities” such as ADHD, it doesnt give them a right to ruin class for others. They are held ACCOUNTABLE for their actions.
(Accidentally submitted…)
… To be fair everyone must win. It’s an idea born from the sixties.
School Committee……can you please explain how conservatives have been destroying public education?
I went to Walmart last weekend (one of my favorite stores) and there was a group of people outside the store asking shoppers to buy school items for the children and deposit the items in a box inside the store. They had a whole list of supplies that were needed everything from pencils to notebooks. The schools can’t afford to supply basic items to the schoolchildren. It made be angry since the school budget is so high and increasing every year. Just another example that the money isn’t going toward the kids, but as Dan V. has said, the money doesn’t trickle down to students, but goes toward unsustainable salaries and benefit packages.
95% of the school budget goes to Comp & Bennies for the Teachers and Admin. This is exactly why we need to vote yes on expanding Charter Schools.
Exactly Henry! Im in total agreement1!
Ridiculous Salaries and Cost of Living pay steps eat up more and more yearly. Then the money is missing when it comes to supplies, books, technology, etc.
Schools are ridiculous at wasting money. I can’t begin to tell you how many teachers make extra hundreds/thousands in stipend positions that are complete shams.
Cut the 85/15 cut on the insurance and see how much you save. Make them pay like the rest of the country
You know that box that you dropped supplies you bought are getting shipped to another walmart to be resold again right?
Metered Parking is here!
And the milking and bilking of the people continues.
New city slogan GRAB EVERY DOLLAR…EVERY POSSIBLE DOLLAR!
Plus I thought it was said that the whole system is going to cost a half million dollars before a dime is collected so it might be a while before the city is back in the black on this. But then again maybe we will find a way to actually lose money on it.
They are an economic engine!
Not only does a special ed student receive extra cost education, but also if diagnosed with a “learning disability “, they may also collect social security disability.
While I can understand this for a physical disability, the learning disability should be excluded from social security disability claims. This is just another example of a government benefit being abused.
Pat ,Peter Argos would say it’s better to be uninformed than misinformed….Do your DD ON this.Get away from the Fox
This is common sense. It has nothing to do with FOX news.
1. Wasn’t there an article on a student with Downs Syndrome from McCann Tech that recently graduated with flying colors?
2. Those students DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE THE MCAS! They have Alt-Assessments for a reason. I am certified in Special Education. If that student is being forced to take a regular MCAS talk to the SPED department and the lazy teachers who filled the IEP out wrongly.
3. The public school systems are in shambles because of progressive, democratic policies. NOT conservatives. While I’m sure more conservatives send their kids to Charter Schools like BaRT… there’s probably a reason.
4. Yes, SOME teachers use their own money for supplies. SOME teachers are fantastic and do whatever it takes to help their kids. OTHERS are lazy and find it easier to complain they are understaffed, under funded and use that as an excuse for their lazy incompetence. You want to fix the schools, GET RID OF PROFESSIONAL STATUS (aka TENURE). The Charters don’t have that and teachers know if they slack off they will be out of a job
/end rant
Tenure means nothing. All is says is that you have to have a reason. Moral turpitude or incompetence are the main reasons. Pittsfield tried to fire a teacher a few years ago, The teacher fought it and won. She pulled out a drawer full of excellent evaluations and that was it in court. Art, music, phys ed, librarians and shop teachers are ignored by administrators as long as they cause no problems. Everybody is excellent whether they are or not. Gutless administrators always take the easy way out and when problems occur there is no way to get rid of the teacher. Plenty of teachers are dismissed that no one hears about because they leave quietly.
I don’t usually agree with Thomas More, but I’ll give credit where it’s due. I agree with your assessment wholeheartedly.
I’m almost positive you are speaking of the lovely Pamela Farron, of Pittsfield School Committee fame. She used to be an English Teacher you know…and was fired. Only to be forced back in after arbitration and having the union fighting.
You were spot on. You CAN get rid of teachers, however the process is extremely time consuming and difficult. Therefore, most administrators simply give positive reviews to shut people up and create less work. This is/was a major issue in Adams-Cheshire. When principals do their due diligence, the union fights it and usually wins because of technicalities, or older administrators not doing their jobs correctly.
I spoke to MANY teachers at Reid as well as PARENTS of students. Farron had a horrible reputation as an educator. However, the principal BEFORE Morgan simply wrote her reviews off without thought. There were dozens of complaints filed against her.
You know how she kept her job… the union. That’s right, the union fought it. Principal Morgan spent countless hours over the months collecting (not creating) evidence against her and others. They were fired, the union fought it and they were brought back because they had professional status. One teacher did not come back because she had no license; therefore no professional status.
The arts, phys ed, music teachers etc. you are 100% correct on. Sadly, this includes most SPED teachers as well. I would love to give more information regarding a certain department in a secondary school in Pittsfield and how the teachers knowingly screwed/neglected teacher evaluations and slipped through the cracks. However, as I still have family members that work in PPS I won’t for their safety.
Wasn’t writing about Ms F. Never even knew she was a teacher. She’s on the school committee now plus hauling in $77,625 as coordinator of disability services at BCC.
Todays topic is a good one. The entire american public school systems need to be revamped. what we have today in the public schools doesn’t work for students who trully come to school to learn. One of the biggest problems is the designation of a student as special ed. Today any student who doesn’t want to come to school to learn finds a way to be classofied as special ed./ Thew real problem with the special ed moniker is that the community has no way of curring this problem as these state programs are mandated and the community must fund their share to educate these individuals who will not pass any mandatory criteria and become educated enough to perform at even the most basic level. This is one of the biggest problem the american taxpayer faces. Of course we are a passionate society and want to help everyone but when the help to these sped students comes at the expense of children who are educatable something needs to change. Ido not know how other countries handle these types of problems but maybe some one on this site may know. If yes do tell.
But Dan, don’t you know, today everyone gets a trophy, whether they win or lose, and no one keeps score so as not to ‘hurt the children’s feelings.’
That’s not true…
DV this is the best article you’ve ever written. Something that needs to be said but in today’s climate you can’t talk about it. This is why your website is vital to our community.
Conservatives gave you Public Education Reform and this is what have.Conservatives ruined public education as you have all stated.I agree with you .This ed reform is a failed product.zTesting…testing….testing….testing
SC what is wrong with your keyboard? There are periods flying all over the place. You never have spaces between sentences. I’m just curious.
You say that conservatives ruined public education. Which one, in particular? Alan Bloom? I believe it is the U.S. Department of Education that has done the most damage to date.
Wow Dan. It sounds as though you are advocating ending education for anyone not “normal” as defined by you, or by some sort of board. Reread your column. You denigrate and gut the concept of Special ed but offer no thought to an alternative beyond expulsion; kicking the kids out of the system. How many steps is this away from selective breeding in an effort to re-create the master race? Not many. “Into the oven with you Down syndrome kid…we have students that matter to educate.” Wow
You talk about having the temerity to bring up such an issue, and the concentration of spending on special ed, as well as inflated salaries and all the other ills of public education. It certainly needs to be discussed front and center and deeply. But I believe you went way over the line here.
Many times the unpopular or cruel viewpoint needs visibility. I think the pint to this column is that Berkshire schools are failing their most disadvantaged and vulnerable students.
The public schools are failing and the charter schools can’t do any better. I agree with Dan in this regard: rewarding employees for poor performance is not acceptable.
Agreed on all points Shakes, except the ultimate point of Dan’s column. Berkshire schools are in many cases failing their most disadvantaged, vulnerable students and I’ll take it a step further; classification as SPED has indeed gotten way out of hand. The above tirade though seems to be saying those students have no right to be educated at all, or at least not with “real” students. While it certainly has its warts and problems, thankfully special education has come a long way from the “retard room” we had when I was a kid.
Nothing exemplifies an issue better than a actual honest example of reality.
When my oldest daughter was an infant she started to exhibit unusual physical symptoms including loss of balance, coordination, and nystagmus. After seeing a myriad of doctors, she was ultimately diagnosed with an extremely rare neurological condition by a Mayo Clinic neurologist.
From an education perspective, she was stigmatized as a slow learner and filtered into various special-ed and handicapped programs. She was entered into and competed exceptionally in the Special Olympics.
The psychological impact of all this was immeasurable. She felt inferior and had low self esteem. She did however have a benefactor who didn’t agree with the educational and social professionals; to wit: her father. He sensed her inner strength and inherent abilities.
Her mother and I ultimately divorced. I met my ever increasing court ordered support obligations and continued an as normal as possible relationship with my daughter. When she was 16, I received a court petition filed by my ex (who had remarried) for lifetime child support. The filing stated that my daughter had the mental ability of a four year old and among other things that she would never be able to care for herself, and it further stated that she would never attain simple achievements such as “getting a drivers license”. As supporting documentation, detailed assessments from her special-ed teacher and a school psychologist were cited. I disagreed adamantly.
Investigation revealed that this opined special-ed teacher was my ex’s first cousin and that she was having an illicit affair with the opined school psychologist. Two weeks hence, I took my daughter for her driver’s license test. She got her license on her first attempt. The petition was withdrawn.
Shortly after this, my daughter was sent to reside with me ostensibly for behavioral concerns. She was enrolled in another school system, where she was mainstreamed in a majority of subjects and placed in remedial mathematics. She eventually passed all required courses,tests,and earned her standard high school diploma.
She has been married for over 20 years, b
Does your daughter run in 5K races like Mr. Tallman’s?
American education results are way down the list when compared to other countries. But in no other country do school administrators get wealthy over seeing their school system. For some reason that only happens in America. In America the school system has been co opted by the greedy. Using children like that is despicable and those who are involved in using children like this for their own personal gain know who they are.
Nothing exemplifies an issue better than a actual honest example of reality.
When my oldest daughter was an infant she started to exhibit unusual physical symptoms including loss of balance, coordination, and nystagmus. After seeing a myriad of doctors, she was ultimately diagnosed with an extremely rare neurological condition by a Mayo Clinic neurologist.
From an education perspective, she was stigmatized as a slow learner and filtered into various special-ed and handicapped programs. She was entered into and competed exceptionally in the Special Olympics.
The psychological impact of all this was immeasurable. She felt inferior and had low self esteem. She did however have a benefactor who didn’t agree with the educational and social professionals; to wit: her father. He sensed her inner strength and inherent abilities.
Her mother and I ultimately divorced. I met my ever increasing court ordered support obligations and continued an as normal as possible relationship with my daughter. When she was 16, I received a court petition filed by my ex (who had remarried) for lifetime child support. The filing stated that my daughter had the mental ability of a four year old and among other things that she would never be able to care for herself, and it further stated that she would never attain simple achievements such as “getting a drivers license”. As supporting documentation, detailed assessments from her special-ed teacher and a school psychologist were cited. I disagreed adamantly.
Investigation revealed that this opined special-ed teacher was my ex’s first cousin and that she was having an illicit affair with the opined school psychologist. Two weeks hence, I took my daughter for her driver’s license test. She got her license on her first attempt. The petition was withdrawn.
Shortly after this, my daughter was sent to reside with me ostensibly for behavioral concerns. She was enrolled in another school system, where she was mainstreamed in a majority of subjects and placed in remedial mathematics. She eventually passed all required courses,tests,and earned her standard high school diploma.
She has been married for over 20 years, gainfully employed, maintained a household, raised a son, who was a national merit scholar and is now a dean’s list student at a respected university. She is a health food supplement spokesperson and competes regularly in 5K road races.
She has often said that she is thankful that this hard headed guy from Pittsfield’s north side “believed in her”. Special-ed is effective and required, but it, like all things is not always the right answer. This is only my personal experience.
Great contribution sir. You should feel very good about your efforts and experience.
Thank you Mr. Tallman for sharing this. It supports DV’s point in a personal manner.
Thanks Mr. Tallman. Its interesting that yourself and Dowager Hat had such a similar experience,
They oughta charge for parking at the airport.
How about a “get up in the morning tax”? If you get up in the morning you pay a dollar to the mayor. If you can’t afford it you can just stay the hell in bed until the afternoon when the tax is waived for us elderly folk. That seems kind of fair as it benefits the mayor and cuts a little slack to the not so well off peeps.
They do, for over night or long term parking.
So now they have proof positve that Hillary Clinton cheated at the debate.
They have visual photo evidence of her wearing an electronic device.
She gave hand signals to Lester Holt.
Now the biggest smoking gun is the electronics they pulled out of her podium after the debate. This is totally unbelievable. See for yourself before youtube pulls it down:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIYdjq2Wa6E
They are calling it podium gate.
This woman will say and do anything to become president.
Bologna
Bologna? really?
Hillary walked up to that podium carrying nothing.
After the debate they pulled more electronics out of that podium than it takes to power to power the city of Pittsfield. Hillary definately cheated.
See for yourself.
Who you gonna believe – spagirl – or your own eyes?
Are you the real spagirl or just a poser?
Hey, the Late Great W W F super star Eddie Rivera’s motto was: Cheat to Win!
Bring back Brian, see ya Lester.
Dickerson
What is Chris Connell running on…did he quit this election….Chris are you for school choice as Trisha Farley is….are you for charter schools Like Tricia Farley…
.
SC, is it Trisha or Tricia?
Neither Connell or Bouvier are deserving of anyones vote. The best we can do is to choose a wrie in candidate. I will vote Bloomberg as a write in candidate. The other two are as GOB/SIG as they come.
If she cheated it hasn’t hit national news??
Bill cheated, we know that.
Just curious,who collects the parking monies.
Let’s hope it’s not Behnke.
goes into the slush fund for x-mas parties
Hopefully not anyone from the Doily Administration.
Question 5 informational forum to be offered to Pittsfield voters
Pittsfield — Preserve Pittsfield invites all Pittsfield residents to a public informational forum about the Community Preservation Act (CPA), the subject of Question 5 on the upcoming November election ballot, on Thursday, Oct. 6, at 6:30 p.m., at First Church of Christ, Congregational.
The forum will explain what adoption of the CPA means and how it will benefit Pittsfield. Keynote presenter Stuart Saginor, executive director of the statewide Community Preservation Coalition, will discuss how towns and cities can use the CPA to improve communities and neighborhoods with possibilities for parks, youth recreation, historic preservation, and community housing. Members of Preserve Pittsfield will further outline the relevance of CPA as it pertains to Pittsfield’s needs and goals as a community. Light refreshments will be offered along with an opportunity for interactive participatio
This liberal.wants spending cuts to improve our community.South County has a racial problem as lynching has been used to intimidate a very courageous young man.We are watching Great Barrington.
?
Courageous my ass. Simply repeating what he had seen in the media. Kids are doing it in pop warner football too. Should try to win atleast 1 football game first.
People who yell nasty things at people doing stupid things don’t really bother me.
I think that I would have noticed a lynching on the way to work. The only racial problem of which I am aware is the Separatist Movement that may result in a new state of Footbalus.
It’s kinda odd that people are deciding to disrespect our national anthem as a protest. It would seem to me that they could do something more constructive to try to solve the problem. It takes no effort to kneel down.
Just because you have the right to do something doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the right thing to do.
You are absolutely right. Unfortunately for them to do something constructive, would require work. That’s a 4 letter word, easier to just sit on your ass or knees.
I do not see a problem. Almost all stories of police brutality are refuted when exposed in entirety. Those that stand are experienced by all races. Pittsfield recently terminated an officer for abusive behavior, and he was African American.
There is one constant that people over 70 will remember from their school days. ‘There were smart kids and there were dumb kids. There were bluebirds and crows. There was no ADHD, you were just dumb. The smart took college prep while the dumb ones took shop. The smart kids went to college while the dumb ones opened auto body shops, plastic mold making companies, glass shops or construction companies. When the dumb ones look back at what they had done it turns out that they must have been the smart ones.
Guess ima dumbly.
The state is screwing up on the EZ pass system already. People who opened an account with a transponder are receiving bills for $100 or $50. The Berkshire Eagle editorial says this is why people hate government because it repeatedly makes mistakes. Yet progressives want more big government in our lives.
The Eagle was talking about the government it knows best. The one in Pittsfield. The one it is a part of.
You may want to stay focused on the lynching part of this.
Only words, black life matters groups spew the same hatred towards are brace men and women in blue. Where is your outrage on that.
Lynching was always a thing done by democrats. The KKK was the terrorist wing of the Democrat party.
There was no lynching.
Back when the Democrats are the party of racism and white power, yes. Now it’s just you.
Black people are nothing more than vote slaves to Democrats Torch.
Democrats only talk to Black Folks when there’s an election. Then the lies fly and nothing ever changes.
What is necessary to start correcting the problems that taxpayers face in this city is to vet every position held by every employee of the city of Pittsfield and compare the pay of these employees to what comparable positions pay in the private sector.. or if indeed– they are even necessary positions. School truant officers being paid 73000 per year—gym teachers making over a 100ooo per year art and music teachers being paid the same amounts and on and on. Of course the ones footing these adsorbatant salaries are the overwhelmed tax payer. I watch a tv show on pctv where the host has the pulse of the city down to a science and he preaches that the citizens who haven’t been involved in local politics better get involved and get involved fast or we the taxpayer could be facing our city having to go bankrupt. We the taxpayer must get involved and route out the evil that has taken over our city. This is the only site which i check into daily for my local news as the main stream media is in bed with the local political structure. I know that citizen participation is the only way to correct the bull shit that goes on here in this city. What can we do to get the lazy;s along side of us to get off their duffs and start doing their part to correct the city’s many political ills. If you have some answers -please do tell. MIKE
It is tough. Between the special interests and the unions they own the taxpayers like a farmer owns cattle. They have us by the balls and they are happy to remind us at every turn. i.e. giving a tax break to a millionaire while others are hanging on to their homes by the finger nails. That was an in your face spike just to let you know you are powerless.
The hundreds who showed up to oppose importing hostile foreigners at public expense shows how much “participation” gets you. The city operates as serfdom, except the serfs are able to leave, which is the sensible course of action, since the only alternative is risking all by revolting
attendance officer 90′ that’s a good one.
Just think -the Kardashians -Brooke Shields Giselle Bundchen and other brainless idiots are all mega Millionaires. And do you think there is any way to get their fans to the voting booth? I am thinking of leaving the U.S. but where can i go to escape these brainless ass hole who have ruined our country. i GUESS THE OLD SAYING IS TRUE–Show me a large group of individuals and you can be assured there is a pack of ass holes among them. Might be saying bye bye soon. Can things get ant aorse than they are now?
John I can’t wait for you to leave
I hope the informational meeting about question 5 (CPA) won’t turn out like the refugee meeting.
I would like to think that questions may be asked and both sides can give their opinion.
Makes one hesitate about attending “informational” meetings in this city after the last fiasco.
More refugee talk on local radio this coming week. Again one sided story of how great a opportunity for Pittsfield and how much these unknown individuals will contribute to Pittsfield. Why not let the people voice there concerns? Atleast they will get free clean needles, Methodone, and narcan if they over indulge.
Move over, they are coming whether you like it or not. The meeting is simply window dressing. The Eagle probably already has its story written up on how much we all want the refugees to come here. (with quotes from people who will be there)
How exactly do the refugees arrive? All at once, a welcome dinner at Johnny K’s Home, an informal coffee at the Library?
Most likely a Ceremony at City Hall, while homeless Carl wanderers around City Hall.
Connell is not interested in beating Farley..I don’t know where he stands on anything.Voting Farley until he talks.We need him off the council he spends too much money…..Pittsfield has relocated financial one to peda…relocated Stevenson insurance.and now walmart…..pittsfield is hoppin
Anyone heard anything about a dead body they fished out of Pontoosuc Lake near the dame? Thursday I think.
Yes, it was in the paper.
I knew him. He was a nice guy. They don’t expect foul play.
He lived up the street from the lake.
Barry
They don’t expect it but do they suspect it?
What dame?
What about the rumor of a gub in school
Is this Woody Allen?
Yessir so did some kid have a gub in da school?
Yes kid had a rifle and shells. School is hush-hushing it. Don’t want you to know. Something fishy about it.
Yon,Taylor,Elias will negotiate another fantastic contract for the teachers.As Brendan Sherman said….it is a fantastic contract yon and Tayor have given us.They are doing it again.
33%of school employees won’t live in Pittsfield.They do not want their kids in school here.Remember this Mayor Tyer …your the leader of the schools nobody will send there kids to.
10% of students who are here opt out like Trisha Farley did with her kids….Mazzeo with hers.
Also don’t forget that White and Marchetti opted out of the hood.
At least Mazzeo pays to send her kids to private school. TFB does it on our dime.
But what they are both saying, loud and clear, is that they do not feel that the Pittsfield school system is good enough for their kids. And they should know more than anybody. And if the Pittsfield public schools are not good enough for their kids then why would I want to send my kids there??
smart parents opt out.
Mayor Tyer is the leader of a Pittsfield where we need 20 more police on top of the 10 just hired.We need a 5 year plan out of this message and the mayor has squandered 9 months….I’ve never been more disappointed in a vote in 40 years than the 1 for mayor Tyer…..you just know she wants a Walmart at the business park.
When i was growing up there was no such thing as SPED We need go back to a time when the slower student is along side his peer for their entire public education.. The reason I say this is because the slower student is getting exposure daily to new information which they miss out on once they are labled sped as not much is expected of sped students. Many of the slower kids in my classes are doing just fine today and they contribute to society rather than put a burden on society. This whole SPED labled educational system is one giant joke. Are there truly labled SPED students?? Yes– but a great number of them would rather be coddled than try to adjust and do their best. This along with the fact that one can become a sped teacher knowing little themselves. We know beyond doubt the present sped system is broken and we need to fix it. The only ones happy with the status quo are school administrations and sped teachers who have a good thing going and know they are untouchable. Change is needed and fast. Trump is doing as good as he is because of the number of severely under- educated among us. This is sad but these are the facts.
Mike D you are clearly SPED. Get these folks out of normal classrooms
Good luck with that idea. SPED is a self perpetuating bureaucracy sucking $$$$$$ . They’ll fight change tooth and nail.
Once again greedy folk using children to line their pockets. A special place in hell awaits them
.May we hear from the Trump apologist now.
WHY DO DEAD PEOPLE ALWAYS VOTE DEMOCRAT?
Seriously
Doctor Warns Men Supporting Hillary: ‘You Might Have Low Testosterone.
http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=55584
This explains why liberals want the sissification of men.
Transgender. Men dressing as woman. Men using the ladies room – protected by liberal law.
Is the Mayor responding to reports of a rifle coverup at Herberg
May have responded by telling the newspaper not to follow up on the story. Schools look bad enough and more kids might opt out to a charter school.
Sped is out of control. It was originally a nice idea to help special needs children. It has morphed into anything but.
Case in point, at Crosby there are children that are not even capable of feeding themselves and need to have diapers changed by the staff. There is absolutely no education going on there. It is nothing more than a daycare for severely disabled children.
If we as a society believe that the public should shoulder this burden then that is fine. However it should not be cloaked under the ruse of education. In addition, the transportation costs alone for these children is astronomical.
Pittsfield High is not much better. There are children there that need staff to change dipers as well. No education going on there either.
This burden on the school system sucks an outrageous amount of money from the system. This is why there is little or no money left for gifted students or the arts.
PAUL
Your examples perfectly illustrate what SPED has become: A warehouse for too many uneducable children, one that pretends learning is taking place. Not only can’t we afford it but it does a great disservice to those kids who are able to learn but will not because of the time, talent, and resources taken up by SPED.
I’m all for stopping public support of disabled children as soon we stop public support for the aged