Harry Truman he ain’t
By Liam DayApril 29th, 2009
I know there are a lot of issues on the table right now, particularly the sales tax increase the House just passed, but, because it was buried at the bottom of a column deep in the Metro section of this morning’s Globe, I wanted, very briefly, to point to a comment from Lawrence school superintendent Wilfredo Laboy so absurd it defies satire.
Yet another scandal appears to be roiling the Lawrence public schools. After recent revelations that assistants to the Superintendent conducted unwarranted background checks on more than 400 individuals and that, apparently, underage drinking at Lawrence High doesn’t require police notification, we learn today that a K-8 school principal in Lawrence has been hawking her, according to the Globe, racy self-published novel to her faculty and even transfered one of her teachers to a different school because she correctly pointed out that it isn’t appropriate to do so.
Mr. Laboy responded to criticism that these scandals, occurring in such rapid succession, might represent a lapse in overall management with the following:
“Where is Wilfredo Laboy’s transgression in all this?” he asked.
“I certainly haven’t been the person writing books or drinking alcohol or running background checks.”
Way to pass that buck, Wilfredo.
Entry Filed under: Education, News
3 Comments Add your own
1. HampsteadGrandpa | May 3rd, 2009 at 11:43 am
It’s fortuitous that you mention Wilfredo Laboy and taxes in the same paragraph. As one who attended the school committee meeting last week and has followed this and so many other episodes over the last two months, I can tell you there is much more to this story.
The principal’s book is merely a byproduct of the more serious story that centers around inept management by a building principal with Laboy’s tacit approval. That the employee removed is an outstanding Math teacher with an exemplary record, earning $66K in a district that relies on taxpayers across the country to fund it, who was removed from her classroom without explanation (her thoughts on the principal’s book are one possible explanation – but no one’s talking), put into a high school suspension room for troubled kids (not certified for it) and replaced with a sub who can’t teach Math – and MCAS is next week – where do YOU think the taxpayer’s money – including the added funds to pay the sub – has gone?
Meanwhile, Laboy is on yet another out of town junket, also courtesy of the taxpayers. Up this way, we say OIL (Only In Lawrence).
2. Mark Gray | May 3rd, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Above the city politics and under the table slight of hand system, voters should ask themselves where are all the representatives and senetors amid all this taxpayer abuse. Then ponder why they don’t get involved? I hope that after the election of a new school committee in Lawrence, that would be a question for people to raise. For people like Senetor Tucker not to be outraged or do ANYTHING about the abuse is a clear indication of how deep these problems are. It is time to sweep house and take out the trash.
3. Al | May 3rd, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Hi,
Regarding Lawrence Public Schools, there is a lot more coming out this week about teachers being punished by their supervising administrators. The teachers first sought to cooperate with their error- prone supervisors by privately talking with them. The result of these teachers respect for their bosses was a good swift kick in the teeth. So now comes the bomb shells.
PS For back ground contact RUMBO in Lawrence or point and click to RumboNews.com.
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