The shameful conduct of the Republicans has spiraled into new lows. McConnell pulled a trick that Melrosians have now long observed locally from the unethical conduct of SC members so desperate to seal off the truth along with any kind of real public dialogue that any dirty trick or anti-First Amendment "norm" will be used as a cudgel against what most up until now viewed as basic American freedoms.
Locally this kind of disgusting conduct has been going on for a long time, with total consolidation of power with the mayor and school committee chair (BOA president barely counts because that body is such a meaningless rubber stamp tool of RD's for many years now). For many years we've also seen a great big zero coming from Brodeur, Lewis, Clark when it comes to standing up against these grossly repressive practices that are now the Melrose "norm." We've also seen the public sit by and watch the chief financial officer personally attack and defame an alderman as "ignorant" and done absolutely nothing to stop that kind of unethical and unacceptable conduct. None of the goody-two-shoes local Hilarites have stepped up even once to defend those very few brave Melrose citizens and elected officials (count 'em--all two of them--one on the SC for 6 years and one on the BOA) when the abuse of power was plentifully evident.
So for anyone wondering how we've come to such a point of indecency and the systematic dismantling of all citizen and environmental protections, you only have to look in the mirror because almost without exception locally, all sides are to blame.
Warren is to be commended for her recent bravery and many strong ethical stands, although she herself bears blame for her indecorous, immature conduct in engaging in such things as that disgusting tweet storm with a banana-republic Bannon puppet who is clearly not playing with a full deck.
What a shameful and now thoroughly alarming state of affairs, none of which had to be.
It's all so depressing, but it's correct that the blame is spread widely.
Think how about those 18 or so self-righteous Dems who wrote to condemn CKK and proselytize for their failed override. Those were and are many of the society parents still stamping around shilling for their local heros, none of whom are worthy and should instead have been held to account. Where was their outrage when the federal Office of Civil Rights deemed the administration as having created a "racially hostile environment"? Nada. Same for Brodeur, Clark, Lewis. The DEM (DUMB) MEF mommies all quickly jumped on the Ed Commissioner's bandwagon when he came to town to pat Cyndy on the back over and over and over again as such a "stellar" example of educational leadership (NOT).
Fortunately the citizens at large defeated the override, though they also turned away JD in favor of consolidated nepotistic power, and had previously allowed a 26% mayoral raise put forward with faked ginned-up data from administrative employees.
Fortunately Melrose has a few principled and articulate citizens like Colleen Murphy of whom the city and parent population can be proud and should be grateful if only they were principled enough to recognize the contributions of that distinguished woman.
But generally, Melrose will not be winning any profiles in courage awards for the community at large. Other communities, including some nearby, still know how to stand up for what's right. Maybe Melrose will finally see a resurgence of principled and engaged citizenry. That would be a fine thing, and long overdue. There's a very big broom needed, locally and nationally. It will take a lot of brave muscle to do the sweeping.
The SC chairs and mayor have routinely exploited the situation for their own benefit, to the detriment of the public good. Their so-called norms are not normal and should never have been legitimized. The vast sums paid to the various legal sorts to defend the flim-flam should be a source of outcry from all those complaining about their tax and water bills. No profiles in courage on BOA or from local reps either, as stated. The MEF/PTO types seem delighted with the officiousness that starts with SC and CT and works its way through virtually every poor excuse of an educator/administrator whose blatherings we have to endure ad nauseum. How low does it have to get? Hasn't the bottom been reached and then some???
Did anyone watch MD in her viciousness going after Dr. J for stepping down from running the elementary part of this program? This is the same MD who couldn't gush enough year after year about Heather and all her color-coded systems, which M effusively praised with all her tongue-clicking tut-tutting officiousness. Dr. J is and always has been one of the best assets of this district, and she didn't deserve to be thrown under the bus by MD, RD, CT, CC. They have no shame. And the other empty suits/sweatpants sitting there are no better in their simpering nothingness. It was vaguely almost humorous to see the whole bunch of them flailing about whose responsibility Ed Stations was/is, though. Pathetic!
The abuse of power and the manipulation of facts didn't start in DC. As with politics, it's all local, and the MPS is a microcosm of the whole sickness now playing itself out on CSPAN.
I have voted for PB and JL. Never again. Supporting a 42% pay raise now is amoral. I haven't voted for Dolan since he also railroaded his 26% raise. I am a registered Democrat.
Yes she did