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Enough is Enough - Vote NO

Enough is enough. Generations of my family have lived in Melrose, six to be exact! I have watched a great school system hit an all time low. Why would we give a dysfunctional school department, that cannot manage their budget time after time, more money to reward this mismanagement? Have you seen other departments being allowed to do this? Have we seen cuts from the Mayor in any area to offset the deficit in this department. Most of this override will go to paying off a huge deficit, with little left to see any real changes. Whose department doles out $48,000 in raises to administrators knowing that they have a deficit? Twenty three years ago we passed an override which we will always own, followed by a debt exclusion for a middle school, followed by another override if passed that we will also own for life. And has anyone seen any improvement in scores? Did a new middle school result in higher grades? Where does the money go? It certainly does not go to our teachers, who have to work under a less than ideal environment, with a hostile Superintendent who looks out for herself and her administration.
The superintendent is just the Mayor's puppet. We can afford to give aldermen benefits, but no cuts were made from a single budget, and now we are asked once again to BAIL OUT an incompetent administration. This Mayor shows absolutely no respect for the citizenry of this city. He and the Superintendent of Schools manage by arrogance, disrespect and bad behavior.
We all want the best for our children. I can tell you right now they will not see any benefits out of this override. Do we want the Mayor and Superintendent to be role models for them? Do we reward bad behavior? As parents, is that what we want our schools to teach them. Do we want them to have unhappy teachers, permanent substitutes, and great teachers leaving our school system in droves? Do you want schools that just test, test, test, and do not show compassion or creativity? What lesson are we teaching our children, rewarding those people who are supposed to be looking out for them and failing at it, and handing them more money. I would honestly like to see if this fails, will it really devastate our schools. I doubt it. And if it passes, I doubt that we will see any significant improvement. I leave you with an interesting fact. Schools are usually closed on an election day, but not this year. Shameless.

Re: Enough is Enough - Vote NO

Schools haven't been closed on election day for several years now. Why should they be?

Re: Enough is Enough - Vote NO

Although teachers and admin staff have enough time off during the year including vacation days (in addition to their 2.5 months off in the summer), sick days, professional development days, holidays, personal days, etc, do they really need to have off on election days?

The only "real" reason I can see for shutting down schools is when they are used for voting - for security reasons - especially when you consider the number of school shootings there have been in the country over the past 5-10 years. We now lock-down all our schools during the school day.Of course when used for voting - they are then open to the public. However, this could be addressed by having a police officer on duty during the voting period. When you consider the pay for an officer to be stationed at each school being used for voting versus paying all those teachers for the day off, this is a no brainer decision to keep the schools open.

Re: Enough is Enough - Vote NO

I respectfully disagree on the schools always open on Election Day. Quite the contrary, they were closed In 2013 and 2014 due to safety concerns for children. The only reason they are being reopened this year is for the override. More money for our schools trump our children's safety, that message is loud and clear.

Re: Enough is Enough - Vote NO

Yes, "Old Melrosian," the override cabal cares only about its self-interests, regardless of any potential costs.

Voting No (in order to say Yes to a better Melrose)

Voting for: Medeiros, Conn, LaRock for At-Large

Voting for: newcomers vs incumbents on both boards
(must vote out MBMM on BOA, MD on SC)!

Re: Enough is Enough - Vote NO

The schools have been open on election day for years; INCLUDING 2013 or 2014. Perhaps you went after hours when the kids had already left? You pick, you are either wrong or lying; this information is easy to find.

Re: Enough is Enough - Vote NO

Who cares if the schools were open or not on Election Day
Enough is enough is right Vote NO tired of giving this city more money.

Re: Enough is Enough - Vote NO

agree totally
Yes, "Old Melrosian," the override cabal cares only about its self-interests, regardless of any potential costs.

Voting No (in order to say Yes to a better Melrose)

Voting for: Medeiros, Conn, LaRock for At-Large

Voting for: newcomers vs incumbents on both boards
(must vote out MBMM on BOA, MD on SC)!


The BS MBMM "chewing tobacco" motion got front page status in the FP.

Buzby trying to help the Margolis campaign. MBMM and MB know by now that the BOA at Large seats will got to DC, MM, MZ and JD. Not sure about MD losing. It depends if people can look past Ed's " past".....

Re: Enough is Enough - Vote NO

I think they may close on election day during Presidential elections because there are larger crowds but is correct that they are open most other years.

Re: Enough is Enough - Vote NO

Let's get back on track here. I stand behind what I said. Whether or not schools have been open or closed, my main point is the lack of leadership and accountability in our community. We used to be able to sit down and discuss issues, debate, disagree, and walk away friends. I see little of that tolerated now. If you disagree on any issue, override included, you are attacked by the vindictive "leaders" of our community. Once again, I get back to the real question. Would you give your financial planner, your banker, your relative or friend a loan that you will pay for the rest of your life, if they had squandered and mismanaged your money over and over again. I will not enable this kind of behavior. It is not how I want my children raised, Melrose was so much better than this. Fourteen years ago we had an opportunity to vote in a person who would have run the city with class and dignity. He lost by one vote; after a recount by ten votes. That is when Melrose began to fall. We thought this Mayor would mature on the job. Instead he is egotistical, unprofessional, behaves immaturely in public, throws temper tantrums and his spending is out of control. He, along with the Superintendent look out for themselves, not for the rest of us.

Re: Enough is Enough - Vote NO

The schools just published next year's school calendar and they are proposing giving Election Day off because it is a Presidential election and they think more people will be voting. So maybe they close the schools every 4 years?

Re: Enough is Enough - Vote NO

Next year
The schools just published next year's school calendar and they are proposing giving Election Day off because it is a Presidential election and they think more people will be voting. So maybe they close the schools every 4 years?
. The schools are closed tomorrow 10/30. Professional development day for teachers .They should have just made it for Election Day. Traffic nightmare.

Re: Enough is Enough - Vote NO

Back to the main topic: The schools are poorly funded (worst situation in 6 generations). So please vote 'no', because we don't want to risk losing a topic to complain about.

Re: Enough is Enough - Vote NO

I have searched every site I could and did not see MTA supporting this.

Re: Enough is Enough - Vote NO

That is because only 14% of the override's $2,250,000 is allocated to teachers in the classroom. Go figure.

Re: Enough is Enough - Vote NO

Mom
Next year
The schools just published next year's school calendar and they are proposing giving Election Day off because it is a Presidential election and they think more people will be voting. So maybe they close the schools every 4 years?
. The schools are closed tomorrow 10/30. Professional development day for teachers .They should have just made it for Election Day. Traffic nightmare.


I just saw next year's school calendar and next year the schools are closed in Election Day.