jackiedoherty.org

News, schools, and views from a uniquely Lowell perspective

Republican bumper stickers

My family is full of sarcastic wise guys, particularly regarding political issues where we engage in loud, passionate disagreement that we don’t take personally. In that spirit, I share the following bumper stickers sent to me by my brother-in-law who is like a brother to me:

  1. I’m REPUBLICAN, because we can’t all be on welfare
  2. Don’t spread my wealth…spread my work ethic!
  3. White, Straight Republican Male (How else can I piss you off today?)
  4. You Think Health Care Is Expensive Now? Just Wait Till It’s FREE!
  5. Why in the Hell should I have to press “1” for English?
  6. REPUBLICANS: We work hard, so you don’t have to
  7. So…how’s that whole “hopey-changey” thing working out for ya?
  8. Annoy a Liberal. Help yourself.
  9. Why should I pay for your health care?
  10. Trickle Up Poverty

It’s sad, really. (How people I love and respect can be so misguided politically…)

    posted in Just for Fun | 0 Comments

    Live on cable TV today

    Like any job, there are parts of being on the school committee that I don’t particularly relish–such as appearing live on television. (The camera just doesn’t capture my inner beauty.) I recognize, however, the value of talking about how we’re working to improve our schools and how important a quality education is to our children and our community. Television is a powerful tool for doing this, so whenever they invite me to participate in a show, I do. Around election time, it becomes particularly important to discuss your perspective and goals, and what makes you a good candidate. This afternoon will provide me with that opportunitiy, and I hope you’ll tune into “City Life,” a locally produced cable television show that is broadcast live on LTC Channel 8, weekdays from 4:00 to 5:30 pm. George Anthes, former WCAP radio talk show host, and Tom Byrne serve as co-hosts, with John McDonough as producer. If you haven’t seen the show, check it out this afternoon when I will be a guest from 4:30 – 5:30 pm. We’ll discuss Lowell schools and my campaign for re-election. (More on that later.)

    posted in Local People, Local Politics | 0 Comments

    We remember

    This morning I witnessed a moving tribute to the victims and heroes of 9/11 at Lowell High School. The annual event includes the entire school via live broadcast on Lowell Educational Television. (You can watch the rebroadcast on cable station 22 during the following times: Tonight at 7:30 and 10 p.m., tomorrow at 8 and 11 a.m., Sunday at 11 a.m., and Monday at 5 p.m. ) Most of us remember where we were when we first heard about the hijacked planes crashing into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and later a field in Pennsylvania. But there is something especially poignant about reliving those somber memories in the company of respectful young people. The Jr. ROTC honor guards, in particular, who surrounded us in the high school courtyard this morning, are always impressive. They stand straight and proud in smartly dressed uniforms, and are precise in their motions, whether it is marching in slow synchronization or unfolding and raising the flag at half mast. It is particularly poignant to consider the 9/11 tragedy in their presence, perhaps, because of their youth and diversity, and because they are a beacon of hope for a better tomorrow. We remember the day, the tears, and the pain. We remember those who lost their lives trying to save others, those who continue today without their loved ones, and those who work each day for a better world for us all.

    posted in Lowell High, National issues | 0 Comments

    The moral imperative of health care reform

    I recently got into a battle over semantics with a Republican friend who questioned my use of the word “right” to describe health care for all (which is also how I feel about public education by the way). Anyway, this friend corrected my word choice, preferring the words “moral imperative,” which I allowed. During President Obama’s speech on health care last night, he referenced this letter from Senator Ted Kennedy that he received after the senator’s death. You can follow the link to read Kennedy’s entire letter, but here’s one paragraph that resonates for me (my bold): “And so because of your vision and resolve, I came to believe that soon, very soon, affordable health coverage will be available to all, in an America where the state of a family’s health will never again depend on the amount of a family’s wealth. And while I will not see the victory, I was able to look forward and know that we will – yes, we will – fulfill the promise of health care in America as a right and not a privilege.”

    Maybe it is a core philosophical difference–the notion that everyone is entitled to quality health care–or maybe it is more about the details of how to make it happen without crippling our economy. But as we go forward to solve this complex issue, the discussion must center around how to make it happen as a goal worthy of our nation rather than a debatable premise. Whether you call it a moral imperative or a right, quality health care must be available to all Americans or we are not fulfilling the dreams of our founders.

    posted in National issues | 2 Comments

    On a lighter note…

    “I read the news today, oh boy…” It’s been one of those days, but after driving home tonight and listening to WROR play one Beatles song after another, “I have to admit it’s getting better,” as I definitely felt my mood lifting. The Beatles tribute tonight was in honor of today’s release of digitally remastered versions of all their studio albums, from Please Please Me in 1963 to Let It Be in 1970. Listening to the music got me thinking about an article I just read in the Sept. 3, 2009 issue of RollingStone entitled “Why the Beatles Broke Up—The Inside Story.” (Apparently the article is too current for linking at this time, but it is an interesting read if you can get it.) I was in middle school when the band fell apart, but I remember thinking it was all Yoko Ono’s fault. According to RollingStone, it was much more complicated than that. Also worth noting in this issue are comments in the “Editor’s Notes” about a Pew Research Center study, which determined that the Beatles bridge the generation gap and appear to be universally liked by all ages. (Who in the 60s would have thought rock ‘n roll would help transcend generational distrust?) As I pulled into my driveway to the harmonizing sounds of this amazing band (along with my own, not-so-harmonizing voice) belting out “Ah, look at all the lonely people…” I felt myself transformed into a lighter, freer me, and I just had to stay and finish the song with a group who made an indelible mark on my life.

    posted in In the News, music | 0 Comments

    What students heard from President Obama

    I was surprised by the ferocious controversy surrounding President Obama’s speech to students today. (Here’s the text and video of the address.) In my idealistic world, I actually thought a “work hard and do your best” message from the president was a good way to start the school year. I liked how President Obama could speak from his own experience and act as a role model, especially for many of our minority students who lag behind in test scores, graduation rates, and income levels. Regardless of the adult static around the issue, what did Lowell kids hear the president say? I happen to live with Lowell students, both of whom saw the address today in social studies and history classes respectively. My younger child, a 13-year-old who has always been a conscientious student, found Obama’s speech “interesting and inspiring.” The point that most stuck with her: “even if you come from a bad neighborhood, you should try your hardest and you can succeed.” My son, a junior at LHS who finished Obama’s Audacity of Hope for a summer reading assignment, had a more pragmatic reaction: “He must be a really strict parent, and I felt kind of sorry for his daughters,” he said, adding that it was “cool” how Obama challenged us to think what a president 50 years from now would say about our contribution.

    Of course, the perspectives of my white, middle-class children do not represent the majority of Lowell’s students, many of whom are below the federal poverty level and learn English as their second language. That’s why Obama’s message on education is so important. Here’s one part, in particular, I hope resonates with our young people: “…But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life – what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home – that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying… Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.” Now that’s worth repeating; let’s hope they heard it.

    posted in Education, National issues | 0 Comments

    Enjoy a day of rest

    Happy Labor Day! Hope you’re able to enjoy today with family and friends, doing something fun outside, or simply relaxing wherever you find yourself. I admit, I don’t have the details of how the unions initiated this holiday or when it started, but I am grateful for another day to enjoy the fleeting warmth of summer. Labor Day always carries a tinge of sadness for me, as I inevitably feel the summer went by too quickly—this year, in particular, summer flew by because so many days in an already-too-short season were lost to rain. Now that I’ve reached a certain age, I understand it is better NOT to spend Labor Day in traffic, and so, if we go away for the weekend, we always return home Sunday night. This year was no exception. We spent the weekend in Bar Harbor, swimming in Echo Lake (gloriously refreshing), sailing in Frenchmen’s Bay, and biking/hiking Acadia National Park. We will spend today relaxing near home and preparing for another busy fall season. Cheers!

    posted in Just life | 0 Comments

    President addresses students

    On Tuesday, Sept. 8, at noon, President Obama will address students across the country with a welcome-back-to-school message. Lowell Public Schools will broadcast the address live for all schools to access on Lowell Educational TV (L.E.T.) Channel 22. In addition, educators may access suggested classroom activities via Obama’s website for further opportunities to engage students in discussion about education. I’m not sure if past presidents have made such a concerted effort to connect with our youth, but I applaud Obama’s recognition of how important it is to make that effort and the significance of his leadership in this area. Any attempt to make young people aware of the relevancy of their education and its role in our collective success makes sense and is good for the entire nation.

    posted in Education, National issues, Youth | 0 Comments

    Go the speed limit, please

    Junior drivers (under 18 years old) must travel the speed limit. If they don’t, the consequences they face are excessive and expensive, such as losing their license and being required to retake tests, courses, and fines costing more than a thousand dollars. Yet, drive on any of our highways and you will find most adults travel much faster than the posted speed—typically at least 10 miles faster. This presents junior drivers with a difficult choice: Travel with the flow of speeding traffic and risk losing your license, or travel at the posted speed and deal with cars (and trucks!) tailgating so close it’s terrifying as they pass you on both sides, all of which are very dangerous.

    My son will take the road test for his driver’s license in two weeks. This test culminates a substantial financial investment as well as months of work to become a proficient driver, knowledgeable of state driving laws. The process entailed passing a written exam to get his driving permit ($30), completing a driver’s education course ($699) that included 30 hours of classroom instruction, 12 hours driving with an instructor and six hours observing another student, as well as 40 hours driving with an adult. My husband also had to attend a two-hour parent education class. The road test, which will be held at the Lowell RMV, will cost an additional $70. All told, the process of becoming an under-18 driver in the Commonwealth requires a significant investment of time and money (about $800, not counting gas). I’m not complaining about this. I’m also not upset about the state’s excessive crackdown of youthful violators (see this post). Whether it’s speeding or unlawfully carrying passengers before the required six months, junior drivers must know we are serious about these safety rules and that violators will be punished. Yet, it is difficult for them to follow the posted speed even by staying in the right lane, where cars are entering and exiting our highways at fast speeds. When general highway traffic is travelling at 70 mph, and people are speeding by on both sides and tailgating, how are young drivers supposed to follow the rules? Unfortunately, in another example of “Do as I say, not as I do,” these driving rules (similar to attitudes about alcohol) do very little to change harmful aspects of our culture. As adults, we all share some guilt and loss in that.

    posted in City Life, State Concerns, Travel | 2 Comments

    New police precinct at Rogers School

    In her article today, reporter Jen Myers leads with the Lowell school department’s decision to centralize food preparation at the Rogers School, the new home for central administration. This decision along with reductions in temporary staff will enable about $300,000 in savings for the food service program—a first step toward solvency. What Myers doesn’t mention, however, is that the Rogers School will also house a community precinct for the Lowell Police Department. In a collaborative move, the school committee voted last night to provide space for the police at the former middle school. The space is near the gymnasium and has its own access to the building. This partnership will benefit the city in many ways as the district looks to expand use of the Rogers School to community partners and youth groups, and the police build a positive presence in the neighborhood. (According to this Sun report, the Lowell Police had to close three of its nine precincts due to June budget cuts.) In other news, the committee voted to defer a decision on the early-release program recommended by the superintendent until more information is forthcoming about childcare options and the professional development planned.

    posted in Education, school committee | 0 Comments

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