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So on Wednesday night (approx. 2 centuries ago now), Chair of the Boston School Committee, Michael Loconto, @mtloconto outed himself as a racist, or at least as someone expressing racial animus towards names that aren't "White".
Here's the clip, if you have not seen it. https://twitter.com/jmlarkin/status/1319323409910824965?s=20
Executive Secretary Elizabeth Sullivan reads the names of the next speakers so they can virtually raise their hands for recognition.
Loconto, unaware that he has not muted his mic, says this:
To my ear, it seems first he disparaged names many might identify as stereotypically Black - Shaneah, Shania, Shanaynay, then stereotypically Asian - Boo Boo, and then "normal", i.e. White, - David.
People were following on line and live tweeting; soon enough, Loconto realized what had happened and excused himself by claiming he was distracted. Next, he said he was reading a book to one of his children (the time was after 11:30 PM). A child's book that mocks ethnic names?
The man knew. He continued the meeting, but by his own words in the morning, when he confessed to having spent a sleepless night, he was toast. He resigned, as he should have. But it would be irresponsable of us to just "move on".
Firstly, if you're a parent whose kid attends @BostonSchools you need nerves of steel, a stomach of iron and an ear cued to the Bat Signal for new policies, new processes, new administrators and new supernintendos. The CHURN is huge.
You need lots of free time to advocate for what other folks take for granted in their schools; time is exactly the quintessential item lacking in the homes of most kids the system is supposed to serve. But parents do anything for their kids - including showing out at SC hearings.
I've attended hearings over many years. Parents cry. Students cry. Teachers cry. The frustration is palable. Maybe because they know they are seldom heard and even less often listened to. Unlike every other municipality in MA, Boston's school committe is appointed by the mayor.
Back in the day of wired telephones, Bell Telephone had a monopoly on service. Want a phone - see MA Bell. Lily Tolmin did a routine that went: "We're the phone company; we don't care; we don't have to."
That's the Boston School Committee.
That's the Boston School Committee.
Michael Loconto did little during his tenure to hide his disdain as he spearheaded policies the community opposed. Comments are limited to two minutes, and speakers are supposed to state their name, where in the city they live and their affiliation - there's 30 seconds.
So you've got 90 seconds to make your best shot. I've seen members pay little attention to speakers, tweet about other topics while those before them are in tears and, to focus on Loconto again, as Chair seen him as quite adversarial and dismissive. https://twitter.com/travtufts/status/1139494831514951680?s=20
I believe I speak for many who care about our schools that we must have an elected committee, just as every other municipality. We do not because it keeps political power out of the hands of those whose children are the majority of students in our public schools. That's utmost.
But it's a process that will take time.
Right now we need to examine what policies have been advanced by Loconto that may have been tainted by the racial animus he unwittingly put on display. We cannot be certain that he has acted in good faith towards those he has disparaged.
Right now we need to examine what policies have been advanced by Loconto that may have been tainted by the racial animus he unwittingly put on display. We cannot be certain that he has acted in good faith towards those he has disparaged.
Most recently, there's theft of the McCormack's playing field; raised smack in the middle of the pandemic summer, when the School Committee and its Chair ought to have been responsibly weighing how to safely get high needs kids and their teachers and support staff back in school.
(Here's a reprise.) https://twitter.com/clanghoff1/status/1298298563835973632?s=20
You will not find a finer dissection of how Loconto ran the table in the meeting where the transfer of public property to private hands transpired than to read this by Adina Schecter, instructional Coach at the McCormack, via @SchoolyardNews. https://schoolyardnews.com/white-privilege-reigns-on-the-boston-school-committee-94d31e83dfa3
Why did a vote with approval of only 3 of 7 members carry? Why didn't what City Councilors (elected officials!)testified matter? Why didn't the testimony of some 170 speakers sway the vote? How to believe Loconto was acting in good faith?
In the aftermath of a summer of activism, there's a heightened awareness and less tolerance of our city's perpetual inequities. Suspending the entrance exams - a 5 year effort - is a positive start. Huge cheers to that accomplishment!
We owe it to our community to see what other wrongs can be addressed right away. Soon, perhaps, Boston will have political leaders who represent the interests of all residents, not just those with familiar names.We want something better for our city and especially for our kids.
Let's start the fight with the McCormack.
It would make The Speaker proud. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1980/11/23/ex-house-speaker-john-mccormack-dies/a866f94f-df9b-4719-b7af-6cad9717c1b3/
It would make The Speaker proud. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1980/11/23/ex-house-speaker-john-mccormack-dies/a866f94f-df9b-4719-b7af-6cad9717c1b3/
. @BostonActivist @BosEdEquity @jshoreboston @AvashiaNeema @attorneytanisha @LCRBOSTON @MsWaterMallon @antiorange45 @travtufts @SungJoonPai @wheresmyporsche @KrissyCabbage @Marghla @mauraotoole @BPSRogueOne @bostonisavirgo @RicardoNArroyo @wutrain @hashtagRoberto @mrvalenzuela1
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