Left In Lowell

In case you missed it (I did, I took the weekend off), via RichardHowe.com, School Committee member Jim Leary responded with a letter to the editor regarding the SC’s pillorying by an “unattributed” editorial a week ago. (We wrote about it here, SC member Jackie Doherty here on her blog.)

Let’s compare and contrast the unhinged and shrill editorial of the “Sun” (though we all know who wrote it), and Mr. Leary’s, shall we?

The Sun:

Lowell residents should think strongly about stripping all fiscal authority from the Lowell School Committee.

The board’s lack of oversight has cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in unapproved salary and benefits payments to administrative and nonunion employees.
[…]
That’s because the board’s fiscal neglect has fueled an ever-expanding entitlement mentality in the city’s public-school system. Costly benefits that were negotiated into union contracts have secretly been passed on to principals, Central Office staff and nonunion employees.
[…]
To this day, they and Dave Conway, the board’s newest member, have done nothing to rectify the above-listed abuses or to codify changes that will prevent them from occurring in the future. Their dismissive response is the height of arrogance and of fiscal irresponsibility.

Leary:

To be fair, some of The Sun’s assertions outlined are accurate. For example, a former employee did receive a monthly travel stipend and did submit and receive payment for per-diem travel reimbursements while attending conferences. The city auditor did not stop the payment; it was our superintendent, Dr. Chris Scott, who upon her arrival to Lowell this past summer ended the practice.
[…]
The Sun editorial is wrong regarding the principals “receiving double-dipping salary increases.” This did not happen; it has never occurred and it never will.

The Sun editorial is wrong regarding the school committee. I do not always agree with each member, their opinions or voting record; however, there is no evidence that school committee members David Conway, Jackie Doherty, Regina Faticanti, John Leahy, Connie Martin and I are arrogant or fiscally irresponsible. To illustrate my point, the committee just approved a consolidation of the food department, parent information center and transportation department, which will save the taxpayers more than $100,000 this year while actually improving service to parents and students.
[…]
I am not afraid of strong criticism from The Sun; sometimes I am deserving of it. However, I strongly disagree with The Sun’s editorial demeanor outlined Jan. 26. It would be helpful if The Sun provided meaningful, thoughtful and valuable recommendations to assist the city while it considers and enacts major changes as a result of devastating monetary cuts.

It is just as important how we do things as it is what we do.

So, the Sun is screaming, The Sky is Falling! The Sky is Falling! Leary responds with a very well written, yes, there are problems, and we even agree with some of the ones you outlined, but here’s the context you failed to put your complaints into, and the difficulties, and some of the solutions we’ve already put together.

So, who are you going to believe? The Sun which has long espoused a very clear agenda to strip the School Committee of any power, or the guys (and gals) who are actually doing the heavy lifting, knee deep in serious fiscal budget crisis, who understand the context that, apparently, eludes the editorial page at the Sun?

Whenever you see one of these unhinged editorials in the local paper, remember this: first, it’s highly unlikely that the writer bothered to actually call the people they are lambasting to at least get their side of the story. Second, even if they did, they have a very distinct ability to tune out any fact, context, or opinion that does not help forward the aforementioned agenda.