Harry Spence was a former deputy chancellor in the NYC public schools. He was appointed receiver for the City of Chelsea when they went bankrupt, and was the court appointed receiver of the Boston Housing Authority. He was DSS commissioner. He brings many important perspectives into the system.
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It’s these others on the panel that I question:
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Chris Gabrieli. One of the reasons I worked so hard for Deval was to keep him away from public education.
Andrea Silbert. One of the reasons I worked so hard for Tim Murray was to keep her away from public education.
Henry Thomas. One of the reasons I worked so hard for Deval and Tim was to get rid of the current Board of Education.
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The only question I have is, where’s Muffy? Shouldn’t Kerry Healey be on this panel, too?
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Get me a bottle of Pinot Grand Fenwick! I’m running for GOVERNOR in 2010. After a spirited but distinguished loss, I can be Commissioner of Education!
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amberpawsays
Interesting, Pablo. I found Harry to be problematic as the Commissioner of Social Services – great at expediting adoptions, and not very interested in services to families, which declined each year he was Commissioner. I knew he was receiver for Chelsea and wonder if he is “on” as bean counter for this advisory group.
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For example, he turned back $20 million from funds available for therapeutic residential placements while I had to sweat blood to get mentally ill kids residential placements when needed because the Commissioner had a policy against them.
She was sucking down big time campaign contributions from the charter school industry.
centralmaguysays
I’m curious as to why you disagree with having Chris Gabrieli serve on this Leadership Council. I gather from prior posts that you’re an educator and likely active in a teachers union, which are two things I applaud.
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Is it Gabrieli’s support for extended learning time (ELT)?Teachers unions have been supportive of Gabrieli’s ELT programs, funding for which has been recently expanded by the state because of the high level of interest and apparent benefits for children and educators alike. Local unions have to agree to the plans before they can be implemented locally, which gives them considerable influence in the process.
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Is it because he supports considering lifting the moratorium on charter schools (which I personally don’t support)? That he believes that if we’re to invest more into public education, that we should explore innovation in how education is delivered to students?
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I can understand that you didn’t support Gabrieli during the primary and can understand that you have your reasons why. However, what purpose would it serve Governor Patrick and the Commonwealth if he packed committees and councils with people who all thought the same way? If Deval is to get good, sound, and thorough advise, it requires that he get as many perspectives on important issues as possible, so that he can make the most informed decision possible.
I am not a teacher, and not a member of the teachers’ union. I was, but I am on the management side of the house, and served as a school committee member for ten years.
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My perspective is from one who is most concerned with governance and funding. I look upon Mr. Gabrieli as a profiteer who invested in for-profit charters, then went around portraying himself as someone with concerns about public education.
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But charters weren’t enough. He decided he was going to lead the charge to extract profits from Head Start!
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I would invite Mr. Gabrieli to serve on a panel for economic development, but I don’t want him anywhere near K-12 education.
centralmaguysays
So you were once a teacher, but are now in management? Just trying to understand.
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I can certainly respect your position that education shouldn’t be a for-profit venture, since as a former school committee member myself, I believe that education is a public good and must be treated and protected as such.
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However, is it correct to assume that you would disregard Gabrieli’s work on ELT and other public education reform efforts he has done through Mass 2020, work that has been recognized and praised nationally by educators and leaders from across the political spectrum as groundbreaking, because you don’t approve of prior business dealings?
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The great thing about committees comprised of those with diverse backgrounds and opinions is that the more objectionable ideas tend to get drowned out in the crowd, while more meritorious ones tend to filter through. I certainly believe that Deval Patrick isn’t going to throw open the doors to for-profit education companies, but I also believe that Deval sees the merit in Chris Gabrieli’s other ideas and efforts. Otherwise, the Governor wouldn’t have appointed him.
I really question Gabrieli’s ethics and motives. Clearly, he takes interest in public policy issues where he thinks he can drive public policy toward his investments.
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I am also extremely tired of people who are pushing to fund new initiatives (particularly those with built-in opportunities for profit) when the 2003 local aid cuts haven’t been restored. In real dollars (not inflation-adjusted, actual real money) my town is getting less school aid than we did when Jane Swift was governor. We have had tax increases and severe cuts to make up for the disinvestment. Please, Deval, let’s start first with a task force that will look at restoring an acceptable level of services in our K-12 system.
centralmaguysays
You’re offbase here. Yeah, ELT is really fattening up his wallet. Oh, wait, that’s right- he actually spent his own money to start up and move the ELT initiative, along with the other work Mass 2020 has done. Your line of logic could be drawn out to suggest that Deval appointed Gabrieli to this committee because he wanted a piece of the action. After all, he did call Citigroup on behalf of Ameriquest as governor, no? Wanna question his ethics, too?
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Of course not. I believe both to be ethical men who have either made mistakes or made decisions that were disagreeable to some.
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As for money, I can sympathize with getting school aid levels restored. However important that aid restoration would be, it would simply return funds to a state public education system that is obsolete and mediocre. We can do better. Innovation must be explored while we restore funds or we’re simply maintaining a dysfunctional and ineffective educational system.
…why Deval keeps appointing these same old people. I voted for Deval and Tim in the primary, and in the general election, because I wanted to see some very specific reforms.
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– Elimination of user fees in schools.
– State funding sufficient to restore services and take pressure off local property taxes.
– Get rid of the Romneycrats on the Massachusetts Board of Education.
– Change the toxic and punitive culture at the Massachusetts Department of Education.
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I haven’t seen any of the things I voted for. Taxes are up, fees are up, districts are still making cuts, and the same old people at the DOE are still in charge.
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I want to see a press release announcing some action. I don’t want any more committees or commissions that empower people who don’t share these goals.
amberpawsays
I sympathize Pablo, I do – but Harry Spence? Really…talk about a Romneycrat…
If Deval is to get good, sound, and thorough advise, it requires that he get as many perspectives on important issues as possible, so that he can make the most informed decision possible.
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p>
Reasonable question. But my point is, if we are going to load up this committee with Gabrieli and Silbert and Thomas, why not go all out and give Muffy a seat at the table???
centralmaguysays
It wouldn’t be the first time Deval had Republicans sit in on working groups and other committees.
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Also, how can you say this education committee is loaded up with supposedly “bad” people when you’ve only listed 3 out of the 18?
Yeah, why not bring on someone like Bruce Tarr, who always seems to be grounded in the reality of what it’s like to run a local government?
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I do have issues with some of the other folks on the committee (you know, the usual suspects). Let’s find some new blood. Let’s purge the old guard and bring on people like:
p>
All three have public policy experience in education, and would bring considerable knowledge to the table. They have also won a few elections, and bring a perspective that resonates with the voters out in the real world.
centralmaguysays
New blood is fine, but simply because somebody’s been elected, doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily better qualified than non-office holders. Would you disagree with somebody like Glenn Koocher of MASC being on a panel because he wasn’t an elected official?
Harry Spence was a former deputy chancellor in the NYC public schools. He was appointed receiver for the City of Chelsea when they went bankrupt, and was the court appointed receiver of the Boston Housing Authority. He was DSS commissioner. He brings many important perspectives into the system.
<
p>
It’s these others on the panel that I question:
<
p>
Chris Gabrieli. One of the reasons I worked so hard for Deval was to keep him away from public education.
Andrea Silbert. One of the reasons I worked so hard for Tim Murray was to keep her away from public education.
Henry Thomas. One of the reasons I worked so hard for Deval and Tim was to get rid of the current Board of Education.
<
p>
The only question I have is, where’s Muffy? Shouldn’t Kerry Healey be on this panel, too?
<
p>
Get me a bottle of Pinot Grand Fenwick! I’m running for GOVERNOR in 2010. After a spirited but distinguished loss, I can be Commissioner of Education!
<
p>
Interesting, Pablo. I found Harry to be problematic as the Commissioner of Social Services – great at expediting adoptions, and not very interested in services to families, which declined each year he was Commissioner. I knew he was receiver for Chelsea and wonder if he is “on” as bean counter for this advisory group.
<
p>
For example, he turned back $20 million from funds available for therapeutic residential placements while I had to sweat blood to get mentally ill kids residential placements when needed because the Commissioner had a policy against them.
<
p>
Let me know when you declare your campaign.
What was wrong with Silbert’s education plan?
She was sucking down big time campaign contributions from the charter school industry.
I’m curious as to why you disagree with having Chris Gabrieli serve on this Leadership Council. I gather from prior posts that you’re an educator and likely active in a teachers union, which are two things I applaud.
<
p>
Is it Gabrieli’s support for extended learning time (ELT)?Teachers unions have been supportive of Gabrieli’s ELT programs, funding for which has been recently expanded by the state because of the high level of interest and apparent benefits for children and educators alike. Local unions have to agree to the plans before they can be implemented locally, which gives them considerable influence in the process.
<
p>
Is it because he supports considering lifting the moratorium on charter schools (which I personally don’t support)? That he believes that if we’re to invest more into public education, that we should explore innovation in how education is delivered to students?
<
p>
I can understand that you didn’t support Gabrieli during the primary and can understand that you have your reasons why. However, what purpose would it serve Governor Patrick and the Commonwealth if he packed committees and councils with people who all thought the same way? If Deval is to get good, sound, and thorough advise, it requires that he get as many perspectives on important issues as possible, so that he can make the most informed decision possible.
I am not a teacher, and not a member of the teachers’ union. I was, but I am on the management side of the house, and served as a school committee member for ten years.
<
p>
My perspective is from one who is most concerned with governance and funding. I look upon Mr. Gabrieli as a profiteer who invested in for-profit charters, then went around portraying himself as someone with concerns about public education.
<
p>
But charters weren’t enough. He decided he was going to lead the charge to extract profits from Head Start!
<
p>
I would invite Mr. Gabrieli to serve on a panel for economic development, but I don’t want him anywhere near K-12 education.
So you were once a teacher, but are now in management? Just trying to understand.
<
p>
I can certainly respect your position that education shouldn’t be a for-profit venture, since as a former school committee member myself, I believe that education is a public good and must be treated and protected as such.
<
p>
However, is it correct to assume that you would disregard Gabrieli’s work on ELT and other public education reform efforts he has done through Mass 2020, work that has been recognized and praised nationally by educators and leaders from across the political spectrum as groundbreaking, because you don’t approve of prior business dealings?
<
p>
The great thing about committees comprised of those with diverse backgrounds and opinions is that the more objectionable ideas tend to get drowned out in the crowd, while more meritorious ones tend to filter through. I certainly believe that Deval Patrick isn’t going to throw open the doors to for-profit education companies, but I also believe that Deval sees the merit in Chris Gabrieli’s other ideas and efforts. Otherwise, the Governor wouldn’t have appointed him.
I really question Gabrieli’s ethics and motives. Clearly, he takes interest in public policy issues where he thinks he can drive public policy toward his investments.
<
p>
I am also extremely tired of people who are pushing to fund new initiatives (particularly those with built-in opportunities for profit) when the 2003 local aid cuts haven’t been restored. In real dollars (not inflation-adjusted, actual real money) my town is getting less school aid than we did when Jane Swift was governor. We have had tax increases and severe cuts to make up for the disinvestment. Please, Deval, let’s start first with a task force that will look at restoring an acceptable level of services in our K-12 system.
You’re offbase here. Yeah, ELT is really fattening up his wallet. Oh, wait, that’s right- he actually spent his own money to start up and move the ELT initiative, along with the other work Mass 2020 has done. Your line of logic could be drawn out to suggest that Deval appointed Gabrieli to this committee because he wanted a piece of the action. After all, he did call Citigroup on behalf of Ameriquest as governor, no? Wanna question his ethics, too?
<
p>
Of course not. I believe both to be ethical men who have either made mistakes or made decisions that were disagreeable to some.
<
p>
As for money, I can sympathize with getting school aid levels restored. However important that aid restoration would be, it would simply return funds to a state public education system that is obsolete and mediocre. We can do better. Innovation must be explored while we restore funds or we’re simply maintaining a dysfunctional and ineffective educational system.
…why Deval keeps appointing these same old people. I voted for Deval and Tim in the primary, and in the general election, because I wanted to see some very specific reforms.
<
p>
– Elimination of user fees in schools.
– State funding sufficient to restore services and take pressure off local property taxes.
– Get rid of the Romneycrats on the Massachusetts Board of Education.
– Change the toxic and punitive culture at the Massachusetts Department of Education.
<
p>
I haven’t seen any of the things I voted for. Taxes are up, fees are up, districts are still making cuts, and the same old people at the DOE are still in charge.
<
p>
I want to see a press release announcing some action. I don’t want any more committees or commissions that empower people who don’t share these goals.
I sympathize Pablo, I do – but Harry Spence? Really…talk about a Romneycrat…
CentralMA wrote:
<
p>
Reasonable question. But my point is, if we are going to load up this committee with Gabrieli and Silbert and Thomas, why not go all out and give Muffy a seat at the table???
It wouldn’t be the first time Deval had Republicans sit in on working groups and other committees.
<
p>
Also, how can you say this education committee is loaded up with supposedly “bad” people when you’ve only listed 3 out of the 18?
Yeah, why not bring on someone like Bruce Tarr, who always seems to be grounded in the reality of what it’s like to run a local government?
<
p>
I do have issues with some of the other folks on the committee (you know, the usual suspects). Let’s find some new blood. Let’s purge the old guard and bring on people like:
<
p>
State Senator Ed Augustus (Worcester School Committee 1990-1993)
State Representative Rosemary Sandlin (Agawam School Committee 1985-present)
State Representative Pam Richardson (Framingham School Committee 2003-2007)
<
p>
All three have public policy experience in education, and would bring considerable knowledge to the table. They have also won a few elections, and bring a perspective that resonates with the voters out in the real world.
New blood is fine, but simply because somebody’s been elected, doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily better qualified than non-office holders. Would you disagree with somebody like Glenn Koocher of MASC being on a panel because he wasn’t an elected official?
Koocher’s hired to represent a bunch of elected officials (as executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees).
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Gabrieli’s spent millions to try to become an elected official, but has been rejected at every attempt.
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Koocher should get the seat before Gabrieli.