COUNCIL’s HAND-WRINGING OVER SCHOOL COMMITTEE’S DEVIANCE IN WHITEWASH IS AN INSULT TO TAXPAYERS
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION APRIL 25-7, 2025) — The city council’s hand-wringing over the slooch committee’s refusal to release the report on the investigation into the multiple scandals plaguing Pittsfield High School can be taken with a crumb of Saltines. Moldy Saltines.
Don’t get fooled by councilor displays of outrage. If THE PLANET‘s Right Honorable Good Friends truly were incensed, they would force the committee’s hand.
That ain’t going to happen, not with the present lineup of Profiles in Courage.
It’s both frustrating and funny to watch Dizzy Dina, Dumpster Earl, Conat the Barbarian, Help-Help Me Rhonda, Cow-Plop Kavey, Juicy, and the rest of the “usual gang of idiots” feign outrage with a wailing and gnashing of teeth not heard since the dust covered days of honest government. Remember, it’s always for “The Children.”
Why should Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski believe a word of what any public official says, not just about the PHS/PSD scandal and coverup but about anything?
It’s not a rhetorical question.
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This council could DEMAND that the shcolo committee release the entirety of the $365/hr. report, which they can easily do it because councilors hold The Big Stick in the form of the school department budget. The deal is simple: Either the scholo committee follows through with the December promise to make the report public–the REPORT, not an “executive summary” of the report–or we slash your budget. Period. The deal would go through faster than a newsboy’s sale of the “Extra!” announcing the sinking of the Titanic.
What does the esteemed council president Pete White think about all this, that is when he’s not playing pocket pool with his action figure? Voltron the Porkchop’s been pretty silent, although THE PLANET should give him a pass. You see, Voltron’s too busy spending $28 million taxpayer dollars on a new beer tent at Wahconah Park.
And what of Mayor Lumpy? He’s the guy who could instantly end this political pickleball play. He could act as the CEO of the city AND as osoclh committee member. He could be delivering his own “or else” to the socolh committee. As mayor, Lumpy has first crack at the budget. That’s his Big Stick. Probably his only one.
There’s a big “however” biting public officials in the ass, however.
The public doesn’t trust them.
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The PHS scandal and its handling have taken the last remaining shreds of the Kapanski’s confidence in their “representatives” and put them in the Vitamix. It’s the most foul-tasting smoothie ever concocted. Can you blame them for not drinking?
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Taxpayers must keep the heat on. Tell your “reps” you mean business. Issue your own DEMAND, that the full report be made public, with no redactions except to protect the victimized children.
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- First, the multiple scandals break.
- Second, the soolhc committee promises an “independent” investigation with the understanding that the probe’s findings will be fully shared with taxpayers.
- Third, resignations, led by superintendent Jumpin’ Joe Curtis and The Invisible Woman, PHS principal Maggie Esko-Harrington-Schultz-Hypenate.
- Fourth, SC chair Bill Cameron goes back on his word, saying he will keep the report hidden from public view.
- Fifth, feeling the heat generated by THE PLANET and others in on the media “me too,” Cameron and council say they will share an “executive summary” of the report.
Not good enough.
Taxpayers must keep the heat on. Tell them you mean business. Issue your own DEMAND, that the full report be made public, with no redactions except to protect the victimized children.
There’s a budget due by July 1. It’s also an election year for council and PSC.
The Kapanskis have sufficient leverage, but only if they use it.
One good start would be a dual protest. The first would be on the steps of city hall, including speakers who will denounce the whitewash. The second would be at upcoming council and PSC meetings.
Without added pressure, taxpayers will again be screwed.
Have a great weekend, everybody.
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“The most dangerous person to any government is someone who is honest” — Sir Donald Turpentine, Knight of the Bath.
“OPEN THW WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Thank you Dan Valenti! You always keep us informed and we would be lost without you!
We greatly appreciate your kind words, HOLLY.
April 24, 2025
Hello blogger Dan Valenti,
I asked my soon to be 17-year-old Emotional Support Animal (ESA) dog named Chocolate why the 2-Pete’s Pittsfield politics uses government secrecy to whitewash the allegations and NDA-like report funded by taxpayers that investigated the city’s Level 5 (failed), Group 11 (impoverished, underclass) Pittsfield public school district.
Chocolate the dog told me that he has a nose that sniffs for the truth. He told me that the blogs, social media and news media outlets are all speaking out publicly to protect the students, while the 2-Pete’s, Bill Cameron, Sara Hathaway, and the like, are all protecting the bureaucracy.
Chocolate the dog also told me that in a little over 2 months from now on July 01st, 2025, the 2-Pete’s Pittsfield politics fiscal year 2026 municipal operating budget will begin by setting new records for municipal spending of the fictional Kapanski’s hard-earned tax dollars in return for….I won’t write it.
I asked my old dog what the fictional Kapanski’s can do between now and July 01st, 2025. Chocolate the dog said that they could request that the 2-Pete’s put a ROOF on municipal spending, but that it would be RUFF.
Best wishes,
Jon Melle and Chocolate the dog
They do as their told or they don’t get the school vote.
With a name like Chocolate, PHS would hire that dog right away to comfort the kids when they are pointing to locations on a doll. No need to check its qualifications,.
Dan, first off, I appreciate you and The Planet keeping the heat on the CC and the Bitchfield Scohol Comitee. They want this story to die in the worse way, but you (and a couple others) help keep it alive and kicking, much to their chagrin.
In a surprising twist in today’s Eagle, even they are demanding the full report be released and not just an “executive summary.”
Of your 5 points above, if public outcry had died down, I believe #3 was going to be the “reason” and “solution” to this issue the scohol comitee had planned to use. Sort of like this:
*Blame all of this on the two that “resigned,” and also the Dancin’ Dean, Lavante Wiggins.
*Make a public statement about “lack of transparency between administrators,” as being the primary reason why it happened in the first place and how they have taken steps to remedy this situation, so it never happens again.
*Changes have been made. *
*Maggie Eskimo-Harrington-Simmons-Hyphenate transferred (quietly) to the Mercer Building in a new $100k superintendent role, for “playing ball,” and not selling out the GOBSIG’s like, Linda “Flat” Tyer-Clairmont, who allegedly knew about her PHS female pedophile administrators and did NOITHING BUT RETURN THEM TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME.
*Nothing to see here, move along…….Let’s talk instead about the (unneeded) $30,000,000 investment into the Wahconah Ballpark instead.
Our Opinion: PHS report demands true transparency, not shifting goalposts of accountability | Editorials | berkshireeagle.com
RELEASE THE FULL REPORT
Thanks, MARK. And THE PLANET thanks you and our other contributors for your insights and views. Your hypothetical on what would have happened if public outcry had died down is plausible, even likely. Public outrage has not died down, nor should it. THE PLANET’s job in all this is to (a) to provide information (b) to share our opinions based on what we know, what we reason to be, and what we hear from the streets, from our spies, and the like and (c) most important of all, provide a public forum for the free expression of ideas and views, free from retaliation and censorship.
This is how this corrupt system here in Pittsfield rewards those who keep their mouths shut. The former PHS principal is given a high paying job at Mercer school?!? She wasn’t ready to retire. She just wanted out of the firing line of this scandal for her part in it. Linda Tyer too?!?
The rule: Keep your mouth shut and we will take care of you.
I agree Dan. I see the city councils “outrage” as an outrageous charade. It is like they have all gotten together and are going to put on a Broadway worthy play. “You say this and I will come back with that. City council will play highly concerned roles and the school committee will play stupit and tone deaf as usual.” Would not be surprised if they have hired a fixer to correlate all the moves to push the whole thing into the dust bin of public apathy due to chronic frustration.
How about we all get together and withhold our next quarter tax payments until the mayor does his damn job? This authoritarian bent city government needs to be reigned in somehow. Could we have a citizens petition to change the city charter to say that a mayor and city council do their damn jobs as the oath of office dictates? No, we cannot, because they would deny the petition right out of the gate as they do with all others where people want their voices heard. Usually where big situations or expenditures come up you will read in the paper, “the majority of residents want this or that.” But no, you cannot put it on a petition for a vote thank you very much.
Get out if you can.
MEANWHILE
Astute observations. You also hit upon The Suits fondest wish: “public apathy due to frustration.” That’s the formula right there, to dispirit the public so thoroughly that they simple give up, resign from the government they own, and let the crooks do what they want.
Along with the full report, how many hours was the Sochol Committee billed @$365/hour? What budget it it come from? PPS? or the Shitty?
TRAP
Yes. Notably, no one is asking how much Judge Mary Jo’s report and the rest of this mess is costing taxpayers. Not one “representative” is concerned.
A 40 hour week is $14,600!
Excellent idea. Show the public the report in its entirety or say goodbye to the big raises. I think enough school personnel would start complaining about losing money and put pressure on the school to do the right thing. You’re right to say that if the school administrators get away with this coverup the situation in the schools will deteriorate even further. They are very close to hitting rock bottom now, but it could get worse if they get away with this unbelievable lack of honesty with the public. The councilors need to play hard ball and demand the release of the complete report. If the councilors can’t do that, they all need to be voted out. Same with the school committee. Vote them out for their secrecy around this report. Maybe they do have a lot to hide otherwise what is their problem? The public is only going to think that something terrible is taking place and is being hidden if they continue down this road of secrecy.
Many of us have learned over the many years that most elected and appointed officials to positions of leadership in Bitchfield often turn out to be frauds and the so called, “intellectuals” around and in Bitchfield leadership can be as ignorant as anyone and those that signal their virtue the loudest are
often the most corrupt.
But, but, but, don’t we all look up to Voltron?
My suggestion to the councilors is to give the school committee an ultimatum. Release the full report to the public OR we reduce your budget by a minimum of one million dollars. Money talks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That isn’t gonna happen.
You do know Valentine road and Churchill Street are shit hole roads.