One candidate in the crowded field running for mayor in Boston has emerged as a clear-headed supporter of public schools: Rob Consalvo.
His statement outlining his plans to support the children in Boston’s schools is coherent, thoughtful, and realistic.
Consalvo has taken a principled stand against outside money in the campaign from groups like Stand for Children and DFER, and set an example that others have felt compelled to follow.
He is a class act. He recognizes that we must address the needs of children, not run away from them.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Yay. I hope some NC leader types take note.
Thanks for this, I cannot vote in Boston for the mayor but it does affect al of us because the city is so large; when Boston had 75000 pupils it was equal to one of our counties in numbers of pupils. So I tell the Globe anyway. This morning I had just written to AWalker (Adrian Walker) at the Globe so your posting was very timely. The last person I wrote to at the Globe went to work with John Kerry so I don’t have any person there I can credit with being a listener. Martha Coakley says she is a listener (wants to be Governor) but cavalier indifference and elitism sometimes “pops up” with women, too, not just men in the “boy’s club” so I don’t want to be disappointed (I did phone calls and door to door for her when she ran against Scott Brown).
awalker@globe
might be a person to write to; I asked him to not over-simplify the mayoral race into “Red Sox vs NY” as we seem to do with everything. I even swallow before typing “mayoral race” because I am so sick of “RACE” a las Arne Duncan. Education is not a race.
Thanks Diane for staying on top of these various issues in the states. We are also having a big casino vote and it is still undecided as to who gets to vote because the placement of a casino in one city affect all the other cities .
Boston, like its public schools is characterized by their majority minority population. Futher, Boston is a city with strong neighborhood identities and affiliations that are cearly delineated along racial, ethnic, linguistic and class lines. Moreover, the city has been ruled by the same mayor for 19 years. .tjere are two factors that can’t b ignored: approximately 50,000 public school age students attend private and parochial schools; and Boston’s public school teachers and the Boston Teachers Union are continually trashed by the media. There are currently a number o charter schools, and continual pressure on the already pro charter State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to uncap the current limitation on charter schools.
Unfortunately, Rob Consalvo has been painted into an ideological corner by the media: he is seen as a good guy who is too attached to unions, in general, and the Boston Teachers Union in particular. In this city, at this time, this identification will, unfortunately, alienate certain neighborhoods and blocs of voters,
There are nine candidates running in the Democratic primary primary and there is, expected, as always, to be a low turnout, Consalvo’s campaign is supportive of public schools and students. Given the voter fragmentation and low turnout out, the odds of him making it po the next round are exceedingly dim. This a damn shame and does not bode well for the public schools, teachers or students.
What we must learn is that the power to stem the tide of education reform will,emerge only when parents and educators band together, act collectively, pound the pavement and speak to voters, effectively work the media and confront the corporate reformers and their proxies with coherent opposition at every opportunity. There are Many useful roles to play in this struggle, but in the end, vigorous collective action, in schools,government offices and every conference held by the reformers, will be the only way to succeed. Struggle is often contentious. This is to be expected. Just think ow what is at stake for the corporate reformers and privaizers. Even more important, remember what is at stake for the future of public school education.
His kids are in public school in the city where he’d be mayor– OMG how refreshing! Good for him and his family, and good for the schools. Not that it’s dispositive but if nothing else, his family’s presence in the city’s schools gives him realistic insights into how all this reform stuff is playing out in the classrooms and with the kids. HIs positions on education policy are sound: http://bit.ly/1dorm8R. Go Rob Go!
Rob is a wonderful candidate, but he’s not the only person who wants to keep the public in public education. There’s a reason why the Boston Teachers Union has endorsed two candidates: Rob and Felix Arroyo, whom you’ve never mentioned. Felix is a community organizer, former political director of SEIU in Boston, and two-term city-wide city councilor. His Puerto Rican mother (retired), sister, and wife are all Boston public school teachers. As a retired teacher, I’m volunteering for Arroyo’s campaign because he often discusses how he would help the schools, especially its poorer children, ELL and SPED kids. See his ed plan on http://www.forwardwithfelix.org. I know that Rob has a fine record in support of SPED children. However, unlike Rob, Felix supports the idea of a hybrid school committee–half appointed, half elected, while Rob would prefer to keep the mayoral appointed board, which I believe is less democratic. Thank you.
Boston residents are lucky to have two solid pro public school candidates for mayor. I’ve worked with Felix on the board of our neighborhood community center. He has a long history of commitment to the community and its schools. He is a candidate who, along with Rob Consalvo, will be stalwart in his support of community, kids and families, and the public schools. It is rare to have a real choice of two progressive candidates. I will vote on Tuesday and hope that either Rob or Felix carries the day. With the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in the hands of the privatizers, we need a counter weight in Boston, who will stand fast in support of the public schools.