At the school committee budget hearing last night I heard Jackie Doherty and Allison Laraba both state that they ‘couldn’t stomach” making any more cuts. You think Jim Leary or Connie Martin enjoy that? At least these two and John Leahy were trying to be fiscally responsible and trying (in my view) to send the Teacher’s Union a message.

I understand Dave Conway being in lock step with the Union, for years he was one of them and he can sympathize with them. But for Jackie Doherty and Allison Laraba to not only accept that the Union gave no concession but want to SPEND $200,000 on them for Professional Development instead of using that money for books or computers is really stomach turning. You had the chance to stand up for the children, parents and voters but instead you chose to pander to the Union.

Tell the kids who don’t have a media/library specialist or asst. coaches how much more important Professional Development is instead of these positions. Tell the people who were laid off that their positions don’t matter as much as Professional Development does. Explain how it is sound fiscal management to start the 2011/2012 school year -$511,000.00

Having to make cuts and taking a stand against the teachers like it or not this is part of being on the School Committee, you should have known that when you chose to run. For the three of you to NOT vote to cut the professional development fund instead of using the entire $511,000.00 in one time money makes my stomach (large as it is) turn.

Connie Martin, Jim Leary and John Leahy are going to have a hard time getting anything changed as long as the other three members are in lock step with the teachers union. The Mayor can’t vote on some personal issues (but can vote on the whole budget, which makes little sense to me but apparently it’s a quirk in the law that allows it). This school committee is clearly split between professional people who understand the need for fiscal responsibility and change in business as usual and 3 people who pander to the Union and don’t have the stomach to take a stand against business as usual.

It is time for Dave Conway, Jackie Doherty and Allison Laraba to decide if they have the stomach to survive another bad budget and pro-longed contract fight because if they don’t have the stomach now, then they need to step aside and let people who have the guts take their place and make the hard choices they don’t have the stomach for.

School Committeeman Jim Leary responded to my post, I feel it’s only fair to Jim and the School Committee to share his view has a full post so here it is.

The school committee did not meet w/Mr Georges face to face, however, the superintendent, asst superintendent, Jay Lang, and our legal counsel, Jim Hall, meet w/him on multiple different occassions and for multiple hours. In addition, the Headmaster meet w/ Mr Georges several different times. Each trying to work out an agreement w/him that is reasonable considering that we have limited $$$.

The school committee meet several times going over the unions proposals (all of the unions not just the UTL) and providing returned offers that are very reasonable and timely.

Mr Georges would like to change the subject and avoid what is really going on. The fact that we did or did not meet w/him face to face is pure nonsense! Furthermore, Mr Georges had no problem when we did not meet face to face when we allowed him to work full time as a union representative. Bluntly, this is pure theater and is used to avoid the real issues!

The actual offers that are on the table are what we should be discussing. I would like very much to provide that information, but cannot do so.

Lastly, the school committee and the administration deserve a lot of credit for the $4 Million….it was not easy. And, the majority of the SC pushed to save the taxpayer on the food service dept….We will gain $340K profit due because of your school commiittee. Last year we had a $700k deficit….

I forgot to add this – Mr G’s comments pertaining to Jim Hall adding additional stips is pure nonsense!!!