OPINION: Concerned parent voices dissatisfaction with current school administration

When is the truth about how bad a shape the school system is in going to make it to the public? After witnessing the outright lies at the school committee meeting last night, I was absolutely shocked. Stating there are only a few teaching positions to fill is an outright lie. Anyone can do a quick search on School Spring and see that 81 positions are listed right now, which doesn’t count teachers that have given their notice in the last couple of days.

Keith Middle School alone is losing teachers “left and right” as we speak, because they can’t take working there anymore under the current administration (Dr. Bailey). If there ever was a case of “cooking the books,” New Bedford is the prime offender right now. The administration does an unbelievable job of spinning the truth to avoid any public scrutiny, but as a parent of children in the school system, I am appalled.

My children have been in an advanced learning program since 4th grade at Carney Academy. They then continued advanced learning classes at Keith through 6th and 7th grade. Now, all of a sudden in 8th grade, that program was abandoned and they are outnumbered in their classes 2:1 by special needs students and “non-English learners,” aka kids that can’t speak English.

As parents, we were never notified of these changes, which is completely wrong. My kids come home on a daily basis telling us of fights in the hallways, food being thrown across the cafeteria at lunch, and getting pointed in the eyes with laser pointers. There are also classes in excess of 35 kids, some of which are science labs, which is an OSHA violation. Teachers are told to tell lies to parents when they are questioned about curriculum and class size, and are reprimanded if they tell the truth. Teachers have also been blocked from taking jobs in other New Bedford schools and even schools outside of the system.

Does this sound like a school system that is headed in the right direction? When is someone going to start asking Pia and her cronies some serious questions? The truth needs to get to the public!

Signed,
A seriously pi**ed off parent