Hey, there! Log in / Register
John Connolly: Old Boston disguised in a New Boston coat
By adamg on Mon, 11/05/2007 - 7:54am
Michael Pahre explains why he thinks John Connolly is really your basic old-line Irish-American pol, not a harbinger of some new politics in Boston - and not just because of all his political relatives from back in the day:
More than anything else, Connolly's stance on schools betrays his old Boston roots. He's 34-years-old, so when he grew up Boston was already under court-ordered desegration and mandatory busing. He told me he did not attend the Boston Public Schools himself, and he also strongly favors returning to neighborhood schools. In fact, he sat down with me in August and lectured for probably a solid 10-15 minutes on why neighborhood schools were the key towards improving the public schools.
The problem with wanting a return to neighborhood schools is that the city may revert to pre-1970s battle lines with schools segregated based on neighborhood demographics, and uneven school quality from neighborhood-to-neighborhood. It's not a surprise that new Boston Councilor Arroyo opposes continued movement towards neighborhood schools. Councilor Yoon summed up a progressive take on the issue by ensuring equality of schools for all: fix the schools first so that every neighborhood has a good school, and only then can overhauling the school assignment system occur....
Free tagging:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
Why is it ok to label some
Why is it ok to label some (in a perjorative manner) a irish politician? I seriously doubt that the same label would be ok if it was black or hispanic or female politician. And if Sam Yoon, Charles Yancey, Chuck Turner, Dianne Wilkerson and Felix Arroyo are "new boston" then I am frightened for what the future brings.
There aren't enough female politicians in this city
To refer to them collectively (Of 13 city councilors, one is a woman).
An "Irish pol" in this city is shorthand for a whole cabal of, well, Irish-American politicians, who had a particular mindset and ran the city accordingly: Blacks were meant to be kept in their place (there's a reason the city of Boston lost a federal lawsuit over busing, and it's not just that the judge was from Wellesley); all outsiders were automatically evil (such as judges from Wellesley); friends and family were meant to be rewarded with patronage jobs ("getting on the T" didn't just mean putting your token in a slot), etc., etc.
Unfair to Irish people in general? Yes, just as "The Sopranos" doesn't really reflect Italan-American life in America. But the fact was: New York had Tammany Hall and Boston had the Irish pol. But maybe I should say "old-line pols" or something like that, because, yes, not all Irish people in Boston were like that.
Adam, that is incredibly
Adam, that is incredibly offensive. To characterize so-called Irish politicians as racist and xenophobic is just wrong. That is akin to saying that Jews are cheap and Blacks abuse welfare. You are perpetuating a stereotype that is just not true. Louise Day Hicks does not represent every politician from that era. Kevin White was on the opposite side of that fight and he is also of Irish descent. I don't know if it is because you are not from Boston, or if you are just plain ignorant and hypocritical, but you need to do some research.
Re-read his comment
He said there was a group of Irish politicians with a certain mindset, and described the mindset. I didn't read it as saying it applies to all people or all politicians of Irish descent.
Eeka, that may be true, but
Eeka, that may be true, but you have to admit that there is a level of disdain shown for a particular ethnic group. I have seen numerous times on this board instances where derogatory comments were made towards the Irish. That would not be tolerated if it were directed towards any other group, and you know it.
Did you actually read what I wrote
I didn't say all Irish-American politicians were like that. You're right: White wasn't a racist xenophobe. For that matter, neither was Ray Flynn once he ran for mayor. But even during the White and Flynn eras, there still WERE racist xenophobic Irish-American politicians. Think Dapper O'Neil in his infamous ride through Fields Corner.
Also, if you actually read my reply up above, you'd see that I said I should probably use a term like "old-line" instead of "Irish-American" for just that reason.
I just re-read what you
I just re-read what you wrote. You describe "Irish pol" as "shorthand" for a politician who is racist and xenophobic. It is incredibly clear, Adam. I would have more respect for you if you just admitted you have a double standard. It's your website - if you want to perpetuate stereotypes and hypocrisy that is your perogative.
Hot Button Issue
There's probably no issue that is more of a hot button in Boston than schools and bussing. I, for one, think that there are valid arguments to be made on all sides of the issue. I think that tarring someone with a broad brush because of one approach or the other to the problem (can we agree there's a problem?) is foolish and unproductive.
Let's look at what Connolly actually said about schools.
There are, as the blogger indicates, reasons to suspect a push to neighborhood schools. However, as a parent, I think Connolly's main point is very good. I think we can agree that greater parental involvement is important to school quality. I believe that he is correct in that the current roulette-like school assignment system is detrimental to parental involvement.
We live a few scant blocks away from what used to be the elementary school in my neighborhood, the Longfellow School. With bussing and the closure of neighborhood schools, my son can't go there now. Nor can he go to the ex-middle school or the ex-high school within walking distance of our house. With the BPS system, where he'll go isn't up to us, might be far away, and might change from year to year. If I want him to go to a school he could walk to for sure, I have to send him to private school.
People who argue about this issue rely too much on false assumptions and straw men. Michael Pahre states:
There are a couple of false assumptions here. First off, neighborhoods aren't as segregated as they were in the 70's. If the Longfellow School were open today, it's children would be every color under the sun. Second, Boston schools today are more segregated than they were in the 70's. Third, I don't think you could reasonably assert that we have even school quality from neighborhood to neighborhood today.
I know that bussing was started for benevolent purposes. But the result has not been desegregation or improvement of Boston schools. In a way, the supporters of desegregation were their own worst enemies.
Good points, but an argument for continued use of zones
If the BPS could figure out how to make the lottery better, it would actually be a good thing. Even with statewide and citywide standards, there are differences between educational philosophies at each school - zones let you find the school that's the best fit for your kid (and yes, then you have to pray you win the lottery for that school). In our case, we chose not to try to get our daughter into the school a couple blocks away - because we found one that we thought she'd do better in.
There is at least one neighborhood where schools would become resegregated, and right quickly: West Roxbury. People there already complain about "outsiders" using "their" public schools (although never about us, because we look just like them, even though we are, technically, outsiders, given that we live in Roslindale and all).
Already, at least 50% of all seats in elementary schools in Boston are guaranteed to people living within a mile of the schools (the number can actually be higher, since kids with siblings in a given school are also guaranteed a seat there). This is probably one reason why at least two of the four schools in the neighborhood are anomalies in the system as a whole: They are majority white (another school is mostly non-whites, I don't know about the fourth).
Who used the "outsiders"
Who used the "outsiders" term? Who called the schools "their" schools? You seem pretty certain that West Roxbury would re-segregate, please offer some evidence.
West Roxbury
Who used those terms? Parents at my daughter's school during meetings last year. West Roxbury residents quoted whenever the Transcript does a story about the issue.
I'm not knocking West Roxbury. I am NOT saying these people are racist. They want neighborhood schools. Gareth makes some good arguments for neighborhood schools. By itself, there's nothing racist about them, any more than there is with Charles Yancey fighting for a high school in Mattapan (which I think is a dumb idea, but for other reasons).
However, the fact is, West Roxbury is the whitest neighborhood in Boston. Neighborhood schools there would mean schools where large majorities of the students are white, except maybe for the Ohrenberger, which almost nobody in West Roxbury considers one of "their" schools. If integration is still the law of the land (and it is, under Brown v. Board of Education), that's just not a tenable position.
The problem is not
The problem is not integration, it is way zones are set up. Kids in Mattapan are being bussed to East Boston. Kids in W.Rox are being bussed to Charlestown. Kids in East Boston are being bussed to Hyde Park. It is the most ridiculous plan ever. It has done more to hurt our schools than any other social or economic factor. There is no sense of community for the parents or the students if they have to go across the city for a parent teacher conference.
West Roxbury
At least at the elementary level, kids in West Roxbury are NOT being bused to Charlestown. West Roxbury is part of the West Zone, which is West Roxbury, Roslindale, Jamaica Plain and a small bit of Roxbury.
Same thing in Mattapan and Hyde Park - they're not in the same zone as East Boston (however, as Gareth mentioned, the ride from Hyde Park to South Boston can be a long one; and if we still lived in Brighton, I doubt I'd really want my kid riding the bus every day to and from East Boston).
As for high school, true, but so? Has anybody ever complained that Boston Latin isn't a "neighborhood" school?
What do you mean "so"? I
What do you mean "so"? I work in Mattapan and Dorchester. I talk every day to kids (and their parents) who are bussed across the city. Most of these parents do not have the ability to drive across the city for a parent teacher conference and, as a result, have no idea what is really going on in their kid's school. Bussing was intended to make things "even" and fair, but it has only served to further damage what was an already fractured school system.
Problem with Zones
I think we in Roslindale do better than any other neighborhood in Boston with zones. This is because the other neighborhoods in our zone are actually close to us. The West Zone is the most compact and contiguous. If your kid has to go to West Rox or JP, it's not that big a deal; most of us probably go to west Rox or JP on a regular basis already anyway.
But look at what would happen if you lived in Hyde Park: your kid might get sent to South Boston. If you live in Eastie, your kid might have to take the red-eye to Allston. And for high school, all bets are off.
And how many years has this been the zone pattern? For how many years will it still be the same pattern? Maybe next year the council will redraw the zones and Roslindale will be with Allston and West Rox will be with Mattapan.
I'm not saying the sky is falling; I'm just saying Connolly has a point -- parents are more likely to get involved with their kids' school if it's local. If you lived in Hyde Park, would you really drive over to Southie after work to build sets for a school play?
Yeah, you're right
We are lucky in Roslindale - and we thanked our stars we didn't live seven or eight houses down our street, because that would have put us in the East Zone. But this was back when the zone lines were more rigid; now if you live within a certain distance of a zone line, you can apply to schools in the neighboring zone.
Maybe the compromise is more zones. The BPS proposed that a couple years ago; not sure why it died, though.
Connolly's Mistake
Connolly's Mistake his only mistake was not signing those ads.... The facts contained are irrefutable....Murphy has been looking to jump ship for as long as he has been on the council the problem is he over estimates his self worth. Every job offered he truns his nose up at him. He should go back to the only job he was qualified for...Dapper's Chauffer!!! Ask yourself, why does Howie stick up for him? Because Murphy feeds him stories.... thats why! Murphy is Howie Carr's little stool pidgeon.
Progressive or not that means crap on the city council because its street lights & pot holes, get a grip you moon bats !! How much more progressive can you get with Felix Arroyo & Sam Yoon and the both are invisible. Talk about money for nothing...if thats progressive, sign me up !!
Connolly gets it & he will be accountable to folks like me that rely on these guys to access city services on behalf of our neighbors.
Dot Ratt, Connolly's FIRST
Dot Ratt, Connolly's FIRST mistake in this affair was not signing his name. His SECOND was failing to acknowledge that he done wrong. His THIRD was sending a robo-call crying about "victim" politics. Dug his own hole he did.
Is there still a court order?
Does anyone know whether Judge Garrity's order requiring de-segregation and bussing is still in effect? I don't recall that the court had ruled that the system was sufficiently desegregated to warrant removing the order. If its still in effect are neighborhood-centric schools even a possibility?
Its always seemed a bit wierd to me that kids are still bussed when, as I understand it, something like 80% of the kids in the entire school system are racial minorities. However, having never gone to BPS and not having any kids I know little about the "conditions on the ground."
From what I understand, Boston kind of rescinded mandated busing
Judge Garrity's verdict was correct: For many years prior to mandatory school busing, the all-white Boston School Committee, under the auspices of such people as Louise Day Hicks and John Kerrigan, had deliberately and knowingly violated the Racial Imbalance law in the most egregious fashion, delliberately helping to keep de facto segregation of Boston's Public Schools intact. As a result, despite costs and expenses, the NAACP in Boston felt compelled to resort to a Federal lawsuit. The Federal District Court, under Judge W. Arthur Garrity's watch, felt compelled to take much tougher measures than would've otherwise been taken to desegregate the schools, which in turn, helped exacerbate already-existing racial tensions and hostilities in Boston, and to speed up the process of flight from the city and its public schools.
Years of intransigence by the Boston School Committee resulted in a poorly-designed, poorly-executed mandated school busing plan, which was done in such a way as to furthur pit poor and workingclass blacks and whites against each other. Black students were taken out of real hellholes in Roxbury, North Dorchester and Mattapan and bused to other hellholes in poor white Southie, Charlestown and East Boston, where they were met by jeers, catcalls, racial epitats and taunts, rocks and bottles and physical attacks by whites inside the schools, particularly the high schools in those neighborhoods.
Combined with pre-busing events such as urban renewal policies gone awry, blockbusting tactics in the Jewish neighborhoods of Mattapan, North Dorchester and parts of Roxbury by unscrupulous Real Estate Agents affiliated with the B-BURG (Boston Banks Urban Renewal Group) Program, the complete destruction of Boston's old West End and replacement by big high-rise builidings, plus an all-white Boston School Committee that consistently rode on the coattails of white workingclass fears, frustrations and resentments along the lines of race and class, the poorly-designed and poorly executed mandated busing plan in Boston came close on the heels of all of the above, sending age-old, pre-existing racial tensions and hostilities in Boston soaring way, way up over the top, leaving the city somewhat scarred, but has slowly begun to recover, hopefully.
Love Google
The NYT did a high-level recap of the history of bussing in Boston in 1999. According to the article "In 1987, a Federal appeals court ruled that the city had complied with desegregation." So it looks like the courts don't still need to approve Boston's every move. A link to the article is below:
query.nytimes.com/gst/...M/Menino,%20Thomas%20M.