Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Mayor Menino Breaks the Mold

He's LAUGHING AT YOU, folks!
"Drawing a line in Providence; Threat of picket dims gathering's star power" by Mark Arsenault, Globe Correspondent | June 10, 2009

PROVIDENCE - Mayor Thomas M. Menino of Boston will attend the Providence conference in support of his fellow mayor....

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I thought firefighters were our heroes; only until it comes time to get paid, huh?

Of course, the taxpayer loot going to Hollywood, biotechs, fat-cats, etc, etc, that's just fine.

One union line busted; care to try for two?

"Menino boosts charter schools; Shift puts mayor in line with rivals" by Michael Levenson, Globe Staff | June 10, 2009

Menino said his ideas were motivated in part by President Obama's declaration that he is making available $5 billion in grant money to cities that are seeking to revive low-performing schools. Obama has also warned that mayors who limit new charter schools could be penalized in receiving discretionary federal aid.

Menino's plan would strip the lowest-performing schools of Boston Teachers Union's seniority and hourly work rules, giving the mayor a stronger hand in controlling them....

"I am surprised that he has bowed to the political winds to change his position overnight, but again there's an election going on," said Richard Stutman, president of the Boston Teachers Union....

See: Boston Globe Bashes Boston Teachers

Many in Boston have expressed deep dissatisfaction with the city's public schools. A recent Boston Globe poll showed that the schools were rated as fair, poor, or very poor by 59 percent of residents. Thirty-nine percent of the respondents with children said they had contemplated moving to a community with better schools....

Everyone knows our schools are s***; here is one reason why: The Science of Gay

Menino also hopes to assuage critics who say charters "skim" the best students from district schools....

Yeah, that's true; it is happening out here all the time.

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How about looking into this?:

"I'm double dipping and I'm happy to be doing it," said Ralph Olsen, 62, who is finishing up his second year as principal of Durfee High School in Fall River and plans to return next school year. Olsen, who retired as Framingham High School principal in 2004, earns $87,311 a year in pension income and makes $140,000 a year in his new position....

Eugene Thayer... earns $192,000 a year as superintendent of Framingham schools.... His pension is worth an additional $85,000 a year"