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Election roundup: The battle for minority votes
By adamg on Sat, 10/19/2013 - 10:50am
John Connolly is proposing a Roxbury Entrepreneurship Center to help budding small businesses in the area get off the ground - through space for them to start up their businesses, a "Made in Boston" startup capital fund and counseling and meetings with existing entrepreneurs. He says he'd immediately start looking for transit-accessible space in the neighborhood for the center.
Connolly also held a private confab with gangbangers, well, private except for the Globe reporter.
Walsh cemented his lead among minority elected officials with endorsements today from state Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz, state reps Carlos Henriquez, Gloria Fox and Russell Holmes and City Councilor Tito Jackson. Newly elected state Rep. Dan Cullinane, who represents a district with a large minority population, also gave his nod to Walsh.
Past and present Southie elected officials also like Walsh, well, except for the state rep who got pissed Walsh wouldn't endorse him in his senate run against Dorcena Forry, that is.
A poll by the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund found Connolly with just a 4-point lead over Walsh. The company that did the poll called 77,320 phone numbers; 626 people actually answered the questions.
BNN will hold mini-debates among at-large city-council candidates over the next couple of weeks, starting Monday with:
Steve Murpy and Jeffrey Ross, 8-8:25 p.m. and Ayanna Pressley and Jack Kelly, 8:30-8:55 p.m. On Oct. 28, the live schedule is Michael Flaherty and Annissa Essaibi George, 8:00 – 8:25 p.m. and Michelle Wu and Martin Keogh, 8:30-8:55 p.m.
Essaibi George is now driving a truck, but is still learning how to park it.
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Comments
Gangbangers endorsement?
John walks the means street and is shocked to find out their are gangs and he promises to meet with them once a month, one of the gang leaders doesn't fail safe on public transportation . I can hardly wait to read Connolly's ten point plan to make the T safe for gangbangers.
Instead of meeting and
Instead of meeting and legitimizing gang-bangers, how about putting their urban terrorist asses behind bars? Letting them have a seat at the table is a big middle finger at all the law abiding people living in fear and under constant threat of harm because of gangs.
Connolly has grossly over sold his education bona fides
So the 'education mayor" taught one year in Boston, which he called a "personal failure," then quit his purpose -- to become a school principal -- in order to become a corporate lawyer at a white-shoe law firm because (I'm not kidding) he couldn't handle a class of 6 graders.
John Connolly expressly did not blame the teachers at Renaissance or the kids, who he called smart, and yet he seems to be pointing his finger at these kids former teachers when he expresses his frustration about his kids inability to put a period at the end of a sentence. Connolly has nothing good to say about Renaissance Charter while he was there, except for the teachers and the kids (despite their grammar deficit) and yet his plan is to open more charter schools and close neighborhood schools displacing students and firing teachers.
Despite quitting teaching after one year in Boston and having no experience as a school principal, Corporate Lawyer John Connolly continues to peddle himself as the education mayor.
"I've taught kids from every neighborhood in Boston," he proclaimes on the campaign trail, grossly exaggerating his experience with a clever but misleading turn of phrase.
He's grossly over sold his education bona fides to the point of misleading voters.
Embarrassed to have supported Connolly
I agree 100% with the idea that John Connolly has been opportunistically misleading voters by saying to everyone he meets that he's a teacher. I voted for him in the primary, have been to house parties for him, have heard him speak to worried mothers about how he's a teacher and he knows how to make things better. I was absolutely stunned and disgusted by the article in this week's Globe that revealed that he was NEVER a teacher!
Being a teacher was literally the first thing out of his mouth in the debate the other night and front & center on all of his campaign materials. That was the thing that impressed me and other mothers in my neighborhood the most and the talking point that I used most often to evangelize my friends about him all summer. I was horrified when someone that I personally had convinced to vote for Connolly in the preliminary came up to me at the bus stop on Friday and accused me of misleading her. I went and read the Globe article and could not believe my eyes, I actually cried. How dare this man with a straight face say that "education is my life's work" when he volunteered as a teacher's aide for 2 years almost 20 years ago between Harvard and applying to law school and then worked at a completely dysfunctional charter school WHILE applying to law school. We've all met these people whose parents can pay for them to pad their resume by volunteering between college and grad school. He had no intention of being a teacher when he took the job at the charter school, he would have been actively preparing his law school application, taking LSATs, etc. before he even started the job. It's just an early example of what is demonstrated by his full throttle misrepresentation of himself as a teacher in this mayoral campaign -- self-centered, craven, opportunism! He sounds like such a missionary in the article as he describes his noble efforts, but in reality he was (for his own purposes) shortchanging the poor, brown, minority kids with (by his own admission) unqualified teachers and slapdash charter schools. Yet somehow the "Education Mayor" wants us to believe that he knows best, because he's a teacher, and that these same failed tactics will save BPS! Another mother sent me an email yesterday about the organizations Stand for Children and Democrats for Education Reform who've been supporting Connolly's campaign and who lead the efforts to dismantle and privatize Chicago's public school system leading to 50 public school closures & the city planning to replace them with private charters. Well it's not going to happen here!!
It's absolutely disgusting and I have no idea how he's gotten away with it in the media up until now, but I can tell you that I will be out there every day until the election spreading the truth about John Connolly with the same zeal that I'm embarrassed to have put in to supporting him in the preliminary. It will be my penance for having persuaded even one person to vote for this phony.
"personal failure"
I believe John had teaching duties as a volunteer at Nativity Mission School in NYC. And he was hired to teach at Renaissance Charter in Boston. Because he taught in private schools, he was never certified to teach in public school.
The point is that he decided not to pursue becoming a school principle because HE regarded his year at Renaissance Charter a "personal failure." HE actually said those words. This is the guy whose spent 15 years practicing corporate law.
He misrepresents his level of experiences by using expressions like "I taught kids from every neighborhood in Boston."
The kicker is that he quit and went to law school becuase he couldn't handle his 6th grade class. He's never tried being s school principle. But he wants to be in charge of fixing a billion dollar, 127 school, public school system.
I 100% agree that his
I 100% agree that his misrepresentation of his qualifications speaks volumes about Connolly and his campaign and should lead to mistrust. However, I do not understand the "he couldn't handle a 6th grade class, how can handle being mayor" slant being advanced by this and other posts. I imagine that teaching 6th graders 1. is very challenging in its own right, and 2. involves a very different skill set than working in the administration. The argument seems a little insulting to teachers, and unfair to Connolly - I actually admire someone who has the balls to admit they are not cut out for something and finds something they are better suited for. The problem isn't that he couldn't be a teacher; the problem is that he holds himself out as one.
disclaimer: I am neither a teacher nor a Connolly supporter.
I also 100% agree that his
I also 100% agree that his misrepresentation of his qualifications speaks volumes about Connolly and his campaign and should lead to mistrust.
The question that I have about John Connolly's experience in teaching is how he could call it a "vital qualification for mayor", when he's owned up to the fact that he wasn't good at it and still, he hasn't identified any specifics from that experience that make him "uniquely-qualified" to be mayor. Also, apparently there is nothing he's learned as a corporate lawyer that he could bring to mayor's office. He was asked on Greater Boston and changed the subject after a distracting quip. So the mystery remains, what about his career-altering year in teaching that is vital to being the education mayor?
Pardon me, angry Marty
Pardon me, angry Marty supporter, but what does your diatribe about Connolly's "overselling" his education "Bona fides" have to do with adam's post above (which addresses Connolly's support of a Roxbury business center and a meeting with gang members)? Going negative is one thing, going negative on a completely unrelated topic just makes you look kind of pathetic.
John Connolly's claims should withstand scrutiny
You have no rebuttal on topic other than: 'angry'? Education Mayor is the centerpiece of John Connolly's campaign. I think John should expect the claims he makes to stand up to scrutiny, don't you?
Need more diversity in our diversity
Minorities are racial, yes, but also linguistic, religious, sexual orientation.
I'd also like to hear how Walsh and Connolly are reaching out to the LGBT community. Menino was a strong advocate for gays in Boston, these 2 candidates have a tough act to follow.
How about the folks at the Islamic Society of Boston? Or the Orthodox Jews in Allston?
Diversity is more than color.
This is
MA not TX, pretty sure Boston as a whole supports the LGBT community. Maybe you've heard of this guy named Barnny Fank
This guy named Barney Frank
This guy named Barney Frank who never lived in nor represented Boston?
We're talking about the Mayoral race here, not a statewide race.
Because
Boston is located in NH.
He represented himself as a teacher+city councilor, never lawyer
Don't forget. John Connolly would not admit the other profession, lawyer -- the one he has focused on for the majority of his career -- for the first several months of the campaign until the media, under pressure from voters frustrated with their repetition of his false bio, finally started asking about it.
not reported -- the disparity between the claim and the record.
The Globe in particular has been terrible in its coverage of this race. They repeat what the candidate says dutifully and never even mention the disparity between the claim and the record.
The education mayor candidate has been a corporate lawyer most of his career with the exception of three years before he went to law school. You will not find that disparity pointed out in a single Boston Globe news or opinion story. They even reported he wanted to become a principal before his third year out of college but they never point out he's more lawyer than teacher -- four times as long and more recently. And, he quit pursuing his goal of becoming a principal.
I'm glad voters finally broke through with the Globe and got them to report on some basic facts about John Connolly's expertise -- it isn't teaching or school principal.
Two days in a row Blue Mass Group has written articles about the Globe's coverage of the mayor's race. The way they tell it, the Globe is in the bag for John Connolly in a big way. The articles note the number of stories written about each candidate, the placement of the stories and notable observations about bias.
It's too bad voters have to push reporters to scrutinize the fundamental claims candidates base their candidacy on, but I'm glad they do.
globe is in the bag
Of course the Globe is in the bag even if the administration denies it.
Connolly iinsiders have befriended all of the young reporters who love the inside track and simply report verbatim
Wesley Lowery is the Connolly Campaign's Stenographer
Jeez, how about a little reporting kid. We've heard in touching detail about his 2 years of volunteer teaching 20 years ago, yet nothing at all about the nature of his work as a lawyer over the past 15. Who were his paying clients? What was the nature of the matters that he handled? Are you short staffed over there at the Globe? Maybe we could get an intern or a class of sixth graders over there to make some calls for ya Wes. Or have you transitioned over to the editorial pages? Your opinion is certainly showing.
the two Irish guys
Handy Trolling Tip: The Walsh supporters need to tone it down a bit or you're going to start driving people TO Connolly (or "Canoli" as the Latinos like to pronounce it -- and the nice girl on the phone poll from somewhere down south).
Have to say the more I hear about Connolly the less I like him. And the more I hear about Walsh the more I think he's better than the charisma-starved grim, big-eared Lurch like-a-look that he appears. But the more I hear about his plans -- a bigger BRA, moving City Hall, the less I want him as Mayor.
So I'm left with a good guy with bad ideas or some asshole from West Roxbury. sigh...
What's wrong with them being Irish?
A group that was treated like shit in Boston and overcame. Ya screw the Irish, no need apply right!
not the point.
No problem at all with them being of Irish descent. The point is more that they are very alike in the diversity aspect. I happen to like the Irish.
The point was more about their characters as it seems to be emerging in the media.
I would also second the comment here about the Globe being in the bag for Connolly. Or not so much Connolly as charter schools/privatization of public education. They've had regular 1/4 page ads in the op-ed section by the Boston Foundation, which is hell-bent for the things. The Globe editorial board is given its marching orders from "Those Who Decide" which includes the public policy leaders from the Foundations, and the think tanks and such. Pretty clear that the mayoral race has been framed as ALL ABOUT EDUCATION. There have been needs in the school system for years, why is it such a big deal now? Because we want to keep the young professionals in the city and bring back more of the suburban dwellers -- not the poor ones but the ones who work in the information economy, and that means making it appealing to raise their offspring in the city. Don't kid yourself. We're not improving the schools for the families that are here now. We're improving it for "Those Who Are To Come."
Sunday morning paranoia and conspiracy theories coming down.
charter schools and public schools
Charters schools do not perform better than public schools over the long run. They've shown an increase in standardized test scores in the short run. At the same time, these higher test scores do not reliably predict good scores on the SAT. The factor that correlates most highly to educational achievement is poverty and wealth.
Take a look at school performance in Weston MA. The schools are well funded and the kids were well funded in the years of early development ages 1 through 5. Research suggests that the achievement gap first begins to show up in kindergarten and first grade. Not being able to do what other kids can do is a huge setback in kids' confidence that they have the abilities other kids have.
Wednesday the Globe published a story about John Connolly's experience at Renaissance charter. The way he tells it, the school was so chaotic that it drove his decision to leave teaching, and his dream to become a principal, to attend law school.
There's a wide spread belief charters do a better job than public schools. If that were true, wouldn't we be eager to turn Boston Latin into a charter school?
I am pretty sure the MAJORITY
I am pretty sure the MAJORITY of people who live in this city are people of color, so let's stop calling them MINORITIES, please. Thank you.
Shhh
You're making to much sense. You can't do that at uhub.
That's not how it works
People of Color (whatever that means) are not one monolithic group. Hispanics alone are a varied group, some are white, some are mixed, some are black. A range of colors. Hispanic isn't a race at all, actually. The plurality in Boston is white, but technically, everyone is a minority. Though I am Puerto Rican and am technically a "person of color" I have never cared for the term at all. Though of course, there are a lot more Puerto Ricans in Western and Central Mass than in the Boston area. And also, I don't live in Boston. But I just call myself Puerto Rican.
I totally hear you. If you
I totally hear you. If you are not part of one monolithic group than I assume you also have a problem with the term minorities? I am also assuming that when the globe refers to "minorities" they mean anybody who identifies as non-white. The folks who identify that way are still the majority in Boston so it still doesn't make sense to call them minorities. But maybe I making too many assumptions and that can often be stupid so I should probably just stop.
Why Connolly's proposal to grow charter schools is dangerous
Everyone should be educated about the dangers of growing charter schools. author Diane Ravitch outlines the dangers
in this recently aired program on c-span 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5Z1Ayz2e-g
When
Does you pension max out? At this point I wouldn't send my dog to a BPS elementary school.
And where do you live?
And do you have kids? I suspect you don't live in Boston and have no kids because you clearly don't know anything about BPS elementary schools. Or you stopped buying calendars in 1978.
Report Exposes Right-Wing Tag Team Plotting Against Pensions
Report Exposes the Right-Wing Tag Team Plotting Against Pensions
Roslindale
And I've attended both public and private schools. So I'm speaking from experience