By: Tom Duggan – August, 2008 James Desrosiers does not like to talk about his troubled childhood growing up in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, but mentions that he had lacked any goals and had no real direction in school. At 17 years old, Desrosiers joined the military and was ordered to run two miles. “Two miles?” […]
August, 2007 We wish to thank author J.K. Rowling for inspiring so many people, especially young children, to read and to enjoy reading in the age of internet, television and video games. In the 24 hour period from midnight July 21st, to midnight July 22nd, over 15 million copies of “Harry Potter and the Deathly […]
Tom Duggan (07/03/07) Lawrence Superintendent of Schools Wilfredo Laboy has been under fire by critics over the last month for his decision to house newly arrived immigrant students with lack of English proficiency in the “old” high school building on Haverhill Street once the new $110 million campus is officially opened. Teacher’s union president Frank McLaughlin […]
May 5, 2007 We are looking forward to the circus that will take place at this year’s May 14th North Andover Town Meeting. On the town warrant to be decided by North Andover voters is a Proposition 2 ½ Override. A memo of agreement signed on by the Board of Selectman, the School Committee […]
By: Tom Duggan – May 7, 2007 When I thought of my daughter Hanna advancing from 5th grade at the Thomson School to 6th grade at the North Andover Middle School (NAMS), the last thing I was thinking about was grade inflation. I was more concerned about issues relating to the transition, like bullying, […]
PAYING ATTENTION! WITH TOM DUGGAN By Tom Duggan, February, 2007 Maybe the North Andover School Committee really isn’t incompetent. Perhaps it is completely capable of running the schools efficiently and just refuses to do so. Whatever the case, an education audit released last month on the condition of the North Andover school system showed that […]
By: Tom Duggan – February, 2007 NORTH ANDOVER – At a recent meeting of the Board of Selectmen, where the town’s capital improvement plan was being discussed, tax and spend “school advocate” Cindy Jalbert stood before the board whining about how the town needs a Prop. 2 1/2 Override and how her Committee on Capital […]
September, 2006 At North Andover’s June 5th Annual Town meeting, the School Committee threatened to cut 23 classroom teachers if its budget was reduced from its original request to the “To Be Balanced” amount, despite an earlier presentation by members Ormsby, Kelly, and parent Diana Headrick showing that these cuts could be avoided by accepting […]
Perry and Company Engage in Personal Attacks, Makes Lawrence Look Like Geniuses Paying Attention With Tom Duggan By Tom Duggan – August 9, 2006 So you thought the Lawrence School Committee was a joke? Well, last night the North Andover School Committee made the Lawrence School Committee look like educational geniuses as their meeting […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITTORIAL August, 2006 Parents of children in the North Andover school system revolted this past week and demanded that the School Committee get back to work. While individual motivations varied, the common theme was that the schools were facing numerous challenges and the School Committee needed to provide leadership and guidance. Hundreds […]
Classroom Credit to Support Terrorism? Ron Francis is an Andover High School teacher, co-chair of the Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party, leader in the Somerville Divestment Project and, as some in thecommunity would argue, is “anti-Semitic.” “Ron Francis’ politics, statements and actions are anti-Semitic,” says Eric Danis, a graduate of Andover High School. “Both his […]
Our Missing State Legislators When Northern Essex Needed Them PAYING ATTENTION WITH TOM DUGGAN By Tom Duggan – July, 2006 Every two years the voters of Lawrence have to endure the platitudes of politicians like Barry Finegold, Dave (Where-is-HE) Torrisi and State Senator Sue Tucker crowing about how they are “friends of higher education.” […]
By: Tom Duggan – June, 2006 It was the usual circus at last nights meeting of the Lawrence City Council’s Housing Committee as Councilor Nilka Alvarez, (who is supposed to chair the meeting), completely lost control, allowing the meeting to degenerate into name calling, accusations of racism, a spate of misinformation, and a […]
North Andover School Committee Chairman Al Perry needs to step down. PAYING ATTENTION WITH TOM DUGGAN By: Tom Duggan – May, 2006 Besides his general incompetence on the School Committee, Al Perry is a perpetual elitist insider who opposes reform, defends the status quo and is more concerned with being a member of […]
By: Tom Duggan – March 2006 While suburban cities and towns like North Andover are cutting their teaching staff and eliminating art and music programs due to lack of funding, Wilfredo Laboy and the Lawrence School Committee have chosen to use state education dollars for out of state travel conferences (to the tune of $4,000) […]