Riley Increases Central Office Salaries by More Than $6MIL, Spending in Failing School System Climbs to $160MIL Under State Receivership

Riley Increases Central Office Salaries by More Than $6MIL, Spending in Failing School System Climbs to $160MIL Under State Receivership

“The help we give to Lawrence will not be an infusion of capital it will be getting at some management changes.” Deval Patrick January, 2010 “My goal is to decentralize” Jeff Riley 2011   By: Tom Duggan – April 16, 2013 When State Receiver Jeff Riley took over the failing Lawrence Public Schools more than two years ago, he promised to decrease the […]

Paying Attention! with Tom Duggan: Jen Cooper

Paying Attention! with Tom Duggan: Jen Cooper

Today Tom Duggan interviewed Jen Cooper of the Lawrence School Committee who resigned this week and moved out of Lawrence saying that the Lawrence Public Schools because of the shenanigans of the State Department of Education and Receiver Riley. Tom also played debate clips from the State Senate debate this week sponsored by the Valley […]

Lawrence’s Enterprise Orphanages

Lawrence’s Enterprise Orphanages

  By; Peter Larocque – August, 2o12 That’s right, folks! I said orphanages. Lawrence, the nation’s first planned industrial city; which was once known for its massive mills lining the Merrimack River producing textiles for American and European markets, is now a mere shadow of its former self. Only time will tell whether or not […]

State Receiver Essentially Nullifies Teachers Contract

State Receiver Essentially Nullifies Teachers Contract

By: Tom Duggan – July, 2012  Lawrence Teachers Union President Frank McLaughin says that Receiver Jeff Riley has mandated a new contract for teachers in the now state run Lawrence School System. In a confidential letter obtained by the Valley Patriot that McLaughlin sent to members of the now powerless union, McLaughin told teachers: “We […]

RILEY’S TURNOVER PLAN: MORE MONEY!

RILEY’S TURNOVER PLAN: MORE MONEY!

VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL    June, 2012 Receiver Jeffrey Riley’s plan to improve the educational opportunities for the children of Lawrence contains a few ideas that, if fully exploited, may improve performance. That being said, the parents of Lawrence’s school children and the taxpayers that fund this educational debacle, were both left out of the process of creating this […]

Receiver Riley’s Millions

Receiver Riley’s Millions

Free Dental for all LPS Students and their Families   By: Tom Duggan, July, 2012 LAWRENCE – With the Lawrence Public School under the complete control of the State Department of Education there are a lot of changes coming to the school system, and a lot more money being spent.Where we are – State Commissioner […]

Here’s A Guaranteed Fix for Lawrence Schools: The Children of Lawrence Deserve Real Reform

Here’s A Guaranteed Fix for Lawrence Schools:  The Children of Lawrence Deserve Real Reform

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX SIMPLE MATH Only 25 percent of Lawrence’s eighth grade students, based on MCAS test results, are proficient in mathematics. The percentage of proficient students increases to only 27 percent in tenth grade (winter 2011), but this can hardly be considered progress since there are roughly 12 percent fewer students remaining to […]

Lawrence’s Public Schools Takeover Unconstitutional?

By: Peter Larocque – March, 2012 The way the Massachusetts Law that allowed Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester to Takeover Lawrence’s Public Schools is being implemented could be Unconstitutional! According to this law, the Commissioner shall appoint a Receiver to a School District that has been declared chronically underperforming by the State Board of Elementary and […]

Chester’s Coup d’etat

Chester’s Coup d’etat

  By: Peter Larocque – January, 2012 As of the time this article went to print, The Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, Mr. Mitchell Chester held meetings with the Lawrence Teacher’s Union, Lawrence Parents and Community members, and finally with the Lawrence Public School Personnel. His message to all is that he is […]

Superintendent Evaluation is Meaningless

Superintendent Evaluation is Meaningless

  By: Peter Larocque – May, 2011 When words in our English Language are used without any adherence to their meaning or definition, the result is meaningless! Please allow me to explain. To put things in perspective, here’s a little timeline without re-hashing all the details. Former Lawrence School Superintendent Dr. Laboy went on sick […]

Finegold Benefitted from Campaign material printed by the Lawrence Public Schools

Finegold Benefitted from Campaign material printed by the Lawrence Public Schools

By: Tom Duggan – July, 2009 An investigation by the Massachusetts office of Campaign and Political Finance may not have issued their report yet on which elected officials benefited from campaign material printed in the Lawrence Public Schools I’m gong to tell you who they right now. At least three members of the Lawrence School Committee (Morris, Larocque and Mejia) benefited from literature printed […]