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Last night, the Lowell School Committee supported my motion requesting “the Superintendent prepare two budget proposals: one for a level-funded budget and one with a ten-percent reduction in state funding.” Although there was discussion regarding the timing and details of the proposals, especially since cuts this deep will require layoffs and there was concern regarding employee morale, the majority consensus was that we need a plan—the sooner the better—to deal with the current fiscal crisis. According to State Senator Steve Panagiotakos’ presentation, reported here last week, a level-funded budget is the best-case scenario—requiring $4 million less for Lowell schools with as much as $10 million in reductions a possibility. I’ve watched the district cut programs and staff since 2002, before I even got on the committee, and I don’t see how we’re going to make cuts this deep without seriously impacting the quality of education our children receive. It is going to require new approaches, thinking outside the box, and a reassessment of priorities, both in terms of the district and its funding sources. Each year, health insurance, utilities and compensation costs have risen—outpacing revenues—but the challenges we face and the children’s need for a high-quality education have not diminished. As the state faces its own fiscal crisis, there is some hope that Lowell will top the list for additional funds through the governor’s Readiness Project. Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Reville visited Lowell schools on Monday, and told us he was impressed, particularly by the district’s partnerships with UML and MCC, and the investment of community stakeholders. Supt. Scott, Chancellor Meehan, and MCC President Cowan pitched their “Pre-K to 16 Pathways” plan to him as our version of the governor’s project, with hope that when funding is available, the state will look to Lowell as one of its first pilot sites.

There is also hope that the federal government will offer some relief. As the creators of No Child Left Behind, national legislation that left the funding behind, the federal government has a responsibility to fund its mandates, as well as a moral and practical imperative to ensure educational excellence nationally. It appears the new administration gets the intimate connection between an educated populace and economic stability. According to an article in yesterday’s New York Times, President-Elect Obama has pledged $10 billion for early-childhood education, representing ”the largest new federal initiative for young children since Head Start began in 1965.” His platform also supports “new federal financing for states.” Many of his supporters are expecting him to deliver on his campaign promise to make education a priority even after federal bailouts for Wall Street bonuses and automakers’ incompetency: After all, economic revival is not possible without skilled employees.

Back in October, Jackie wrote about feeling baffled that people she respects and admires hold such radically opposite views from hers on important political issues (since I have Libertarians in my family, this really resonated for me). After the vicious political polarization of the last eight years, it seems important to try to open up some lines of communication with friends and family members or even strangers from across the aisle, thus my idea that each of us Dems should adopt someone with different political viewpoints and keep up a civil dialogue. Such exchanges can only improve the political climate and keep all of us on our toes regarding our biases, opinions or gut reactions. The danger of living in an intellectual echo chamber – you with your Fox news, me with my Daily Show – was pointed out in a recent Globe article (Ideas, Sunday, November 23, 2008) which quoted Harvard Law profesor Cass Sunstein’s opinion that “the Internet can have detrimental influcences on democracy, as people retreat to their virtual bubbles.” To that end, I promise to read the clippings from The Weekly Standard sent along by my Dad and I will challenge him to read the occasional article from The New Yorker. I also try to read The Economist for its more worldly, often right-wing perspective. And, right here in Lowell (no pun intended), I hear there’s a new conservative blog in town, so I will add my welcome to that of fellow bloggers at LeftiniLowell and Richard Howe to right-side-of-lowellwritten by local Republican activist, Cliff Krieger.

Yesterday on WBUR, I heard Caprice Taylor, executive director of EMERGE Massachusetts, an organization dedicated to inspiring Democratic women leadership, talking about the need for women to run for elected office. In spite of Hilary Clinton’s inability to win the Democratic Party’s nomination for the nation’s top job, women across the country, and particularly in New England, continue to make important strides in gaining political leadership. For instance, our neighbor state of New Hampshire now boasts a majority of women elected to its state legislature. Women (11 of whom are Democrats) hold 13 of New Hampshire’s 24 seats—representing the first state legislature in the country to have a female majority.  (Women currently represent about one quarter of the Massachusetts state legislature.) Yet, here in our home state, we’re making historic strides as well. For an update on how women in Massachusetts fared during last week’s election, check the Mass. Women’s Political Caucus, a non-partisan group committed to increasing women’s involvement in politics. The good news is that even without the top job, women leaders are not alone or afraid to help each other.  In the Merrimack Valley, Congresswomen Niki Tsongas, as well as other elected women, endorsed newly elected State Representative Jen Benson, chair of the Lunenberg School Committee, in her race for Jamie Eldridge’s former seat. As relative newcomers to politics, first-time female candidates need the support and encouragement of established elected women—just as their male counterparts have enjoyed for centuries. I am not an “all-women-always voter” (ideology and candidate matter most), but I believe women, in general, bring strengths, sensibilities, and skills (such as consensus building) that we desperately need, and a balanced governing body is more effective.

Despite Bill Gates warning last week about a severe decline in consumer spending, sometimes you have to spend money to protect your investments even during tight times. In my case, we realized that trees were growing into our house, the paint was peeling to expose wood, and the porch stairs were rotting—factors that prompted us to take on some hefty expenses immediately. Believe me, we do not have thousands of dollars right now to invest in painters and carpenters, yet exposing our home, our biggest asset, to another New England winter would have been foolhardy. It reminds me of the Lowell City Council last night reaffirming its earlier decision to upgrade the city’s sewer system. This is a priority investment for so many reasons from protecting residents from floods to making sure the city remains eligible for federal funding and maintaining our precious waterways. It was the painfully necessary thing to do in spite of the difficult financial climate, and no matter how much angst they had about it, the City Council made the right decision. When it comes to government services to our communities, there are many areas that fall into that “priority investment” category, such as education and public safety. These services are important and don’t come cheaply, which is why I oppose Ballot Question 1 to eliminate the income tax. More efficient delivery must be the focus, rather than slashing support for vital services that impact our quality of life today and in the future. That way you ensure the money, at least, is well spent.

While teen pregnancy took center stage nationally with the news that GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s unwed 17-year old daughter is expecting, it is also an issue that is hot in Lowell these days. At its curriculum subcommittee meeting on Monday, Sept. 15, the Lowell School Committee will explore offering comprehensive sex education to its students as opposed to the program in place since 2003 when district budget cuts and federal funding mandated abstinence-only programs.  It is no secret that teen pregnancies directly correlate to dropout rates and poverty. What is debatable, however, is the role schools should play and the impact these programs have on teen behavior. As these responses (100+ comments) to an Aug. 21 article in the Sun show, sex education is controversial and fraught with misconceptions. The subcommittee meeting on Monday (2^nd floor, 155 Middlesex Street at 7 p.m.) is open to the public and should shed some light on the issue. It’s also important to remember, as this Globe article notes, many teen parents do not come from financially secure, supportive families as Palin’s, and of the 100 or so teen parents currently attending LHS, most struggle with basic living expenses and being able to attend school. Although some GOP supporters want to make Palin and her daughter heroines, I can’t help but see the irony of her family’s situation given her own and her party’s positions on sex education, contraception, and a women’s right to choose. The reality is most unwed teens continue a cycle of poverty they themselves were born into; it is only through education that we can stem that tide.

Statewide, voter registration forms must be postmarked TODAY in order to vote in the Sept. 16 Massachusetts Primary. (Oct. 15 is the deadline for voting in the national election on Nov. 4.) To vote, you must be a Massachusetts resident, a citizen, and at least 18 years old, and you must register 20 days before the election. Register by completing this form and mailing it to your town or city’s election department. If you are a first-time voter registering by mail, you must provide a copy of your identification or you will be required to show proof of residency at the polling location on election day. You may also register in person. In Lowell, you have until 8 p.m. tonight to register in person at City Hall, 375 Merrimack Street. New citizens may register to vote after the deadline by bringing their dated naturalization papers to city hall by 4 p.m. the day before the election. Also, poll workers are needed (bi-lingual and otherwise) and interested applicants should visit Lowell City Hall to complete an application or contact Seda at 978-970-4046. It is a full day of work and pays between $96-$125. Please, if you know non-voting citizens or recently turned 18-year-olds, urge them to get involved, informed, and VOTE! It matters.

In 2003 when I first ran for school committee, the local paper spent the previous year publishing quasi-news stories and editorials centered around two basic themes: the school committee is failing the community because of the teachers’ raises and we should change to an appointed board. Sound familiar? At that time, as an outspoken member of the Citywide Parent Council, I was confused by the vehemence against the board and disappointed by the lack of balanced reporting of the challenges facing our schools. I was also uncomfortable by the silence of the committee, and so began my own journey of letters to the editor, running for office, and eventually this blog. (As we have all seen, taking on an entity that buys ink by the barrel is not without consequences.)

Meanwhile, the drum roll for an appointed school committee continues: Fewer people are running, the leaders are not held accountable, people are not voting, voters are not paying attention etc. Aside from the fact that an appointed committee will not do one thing to improve these concerns—particularly voter apathy and sophistication, which is another reason why excellent schools are an absolute necessity—I cannot get beyond the simple question of who will do the appointing and how will it ensure accountability? Instead, I fear we will end up with an appointed board of connected politicos with agendas that will not be held up to public scrutiny.

There is an area, however, in which the paper and I agree: the lack of people running and voting is alarming. In a post last week, I mentioned how less people are running for school committee, which is true of most elected seats these days.  In www.richardhowe.com Marie wrote about this fall’s state elections, “Senators Panagiotakos and Tucker, Representatives Golden, Nangle, Garry, Miceli, Finegold and Tucker have no primary or Republican opposition.” (my bold) Yes, our democracy is in crisis, but appointed boards are not the answer. In the end, we get the government we deserve, and that means fighting to keep democracy alive rather than hastening its demise.

Okay, I admit it, you have to be a little crazy to want this job, but you can make a real difference in our community and impact the education of 14,000 children—meaningful work, sometimes 3-4 nights a week, for a whopping $6,000 a year. The biggest risk? Repeated written floggings in the local newspaper. (Warning: articles, editorials, and columns can be vicious, but no physical harm results unless you count wrenching your shoulder while flinging the newspaper across the room.) The value of an elected school committee is that we are accountable to the public, and every two years, we must stand before our community and ask voters for their support. Has education improved under our leadership? Has the welfare of children been our primary focus? The problem is each term less people choose to run. One theory is that it’s scary and a lot of work to put your name on the ballot and run a good campaign, which is true (more on that in a later post). Another reason, of course, is the way certain media leaders will treat you. Depending on how malleable you are to their will, they may be fair for a minute if you stay in line and they don’t see an opportunity to improve circulation at your expense. But if you are a person who follows your own convictions, expect to get barrels of ink thrown your way with little regard for truth, logic, or fairness. I’m not talking about simply disagreeing with a position or a particular vote—that’s expected as a healthy component of a democratic society. I’m talking about relentless, repetitious negativity that borders on obsessive. Now some might argue, who in their right mind would submit themselves to that kind of abuse and why would they? Well, I’ll have to get back to you on that.

The Democratic Convention was held on June 7- a beautiful, hot Saturday. I spent the whole morning shivering in the air-conditioning, listening to speeches, waiting to vote and especially waiting to see Jackie graduate from the Emerge program. (Emerge is a program to educate, support and inspire Democratic women who want to run for elected office.) Jackie and her fellow-graduates, including one other from Lowell, were recognized for their seven months of workshops and seminars they attended and for successfully completing the Emerge curriculum which includes trainings in public speaking, fundraising, media skills and networking. From what I could tell, it was a rewarding experience for all involved. By this time, we were ready to get out into the sunshine, but were literally halted in our tracks by the final speaker, Van Jones. He is a man with a message and since I had been thinking about the connection between high school dropouts and our prison population, I was particularly interested in his call for a solution to social inequality as well as environmental destruction (reminds me of one of Karla Baehr’s “twofers”). He founded an organization, Green for All to “help build an inclusive, green economy.” His slogan is “green-collar jobs, not jails.” He has had some success in building support for his mission: in 1996, he co-founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights which promotes alternatives to violence and incarceration; in 2007, he worked with Democratic leaders to pass the Green Jobs Act of 2007, while at the local level, he helped the City of Oakland, California create a “Green Jobs Corp.” I’ll be waiting to hear and see more of this guy!

Four Lowell city councilors and their fellow passengers met with a wet end when their bus broke down on Route 495 today after an instructive field trip to see how Worcester manages its recycling and trash disposal program. The ten-member crew, which included Mayor Bud Caulfield, councilors Rita Mercier, Rodney Elliott and Alan Kazanjian, as well as city staff, involved citizens and a state recycling coordinator, had to wait in the rain for about 25 minutes after their bus started blowing oil just before exit 32. As luck would have it, the bus, an LRTA Road Runner used primarily for seniors, ran well enough to get the crew to Worcester and tour the streets so its passengers could observe trash and recycling pickup as well as visit the city’s recycling center. Despite the wet ending, the trip was deemed successful since the group saw firsthand how Worcester, a city serving twice the households as Lowell, generates half the trash (23,000 tons compared to Lowell’s 40,000 tons) due to effective recycling. With 15 years of experience, Worcester provides a good model of how Lowell can do a better job of reducing trash disposal, and the council will be deciding how to move forward with improving its recycling program soon. Now if we can only do something about that bus…