High School Consolidation
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The Boston School Committee holds a meeting to discuss a school consolidation plan proposed by Laval Wilson (Superintendent, Boston Public Schools). The School Committee listens to comments from audience members. Four audience members speak out against the school consolidation plan. Several members of the audience hold signs protesting the school consolidation plan. Wilson addresses the School Committee. He talks about the need to consolidate school facilities. Wilson says that the Boston School Department must repair and renovate the schools that remain open. The members of the School Committee discuss the proposal. John Grady (Boston School Committee) asks questions about Wilson's alternative proposal for school consolidation. Wilson talks about the school budget. He says that the School Department will need to cut back on programs if school consolidation fails. The School Committee members vote on the proposal. The proposal is voted down, 10 to 3. Wilson's alternative proposal fails, 12 to 1. The audience cheers
1:00:02: Visual: A Latino student addresses the Boston School Committee on the subject of school consolidation. The student says that students want to stay in the same high schools from year to year; that his chances for a scholarship to college will be diminished if he is forced to switch schools for his senior year. The student says that high school students are not "puppets." The audience applauds when the student finishes speaking. Barb Hamlin (West Roxbury resident) reads a letter to the committee. The letter urges the School Committee not to close good schools like Jamaica Plain High School. The audience applauds. A white female high school student addresses the committee. She urges the committee to keep Madison Park High School open as a comprehensive high school. A white male address the School Committee on behalf of the Boston Latin Home and School Association. The man says that the relocation of the Boston Latin School should not be tied in to the school consolidation plan. The man says that the current relocation plans for the Boston Latin School are inadequate; that another temporary relocation of the school is not acceptable; that the School Committee needs to examine other alternatives for the school. 1:04:45: V: John Nucci (Boston School Committee) invites Dr. Laval Wilson (Superintendent, Boston Public Schools) to speak. Wilson talks about the plan to consolidate school facilities. Wilson says that Boston has 18 high schools plus some alternative schools; that there are only 50,800 secondary school students in the city. Wilson says that the school department must provide quality educational programs for its students; that the school department must also stay within its budget. Wilson notes that the Boston School Committee faces a difficult decision in choosing which high schools will be closed; that the School Committee should have closed some high schools several years ago. Wilson recommends that the School Committee not wait any longer to close schools. Wilson talks about the need to relocate the Boston Latin Academy. Wilson notes that Arthur Garrity (federal judge) has placed an injuction on the funds for the relocation of the Boston Latin School; that the School Committee needs to fund the rehabilition of nine schools through a comprehensive facilities utilization plan; that the judge will lift the injuction when the nine schools have been rehabilitated. Wilson says that the facilities utilization plan recommends the closing of high schools this year; that school consolidation will allow the School Committee to set the course for secondary school education in the coming decade. 1:08:44: V: Wilson recommends spending $18 million on the relocation of the Boston Latin Academy; that the remaining budget money be used to refurbish the nine schools on the judge's list. Wilson says that the schools are in great need of repair. Shots of School Committee members Kevin McCluskey, Jean McGuire, John O'Bryant and Juanita Wade. Wilson recommends that the Boston Latin Academy be relocated to Jamaica Plain; that the Boston Technical High School move to the site of Madison Park High School; that Madison Park High School be merged with the Humphrey Occupational Resource Center. Wilson reports that Madison Park was never intended to be a comprehensive high school; that merger between Madison Park High School and the Humphrey Center will provide students with a choice between occupational and academic programs. Shots of a cameraman recording the proceedings; of the audience; of Meg Vaillancourt (WGBH reporter); of a man holding a sign reading, "JP's pride is JP High." Wilson recommends that the Mario Umana Harbor School of Technology be closed; that the Barnes Middle School take over the Umana facilities. Shots of the audience; of a cameraman recording the meeting. Wilson talks about the Roosevelt Middle School. Shots of the stenographer; of the stenographer's hands typing on a machine. Wilson recommends that the School Committee vote on his proposal. 1:12:27: V: Nucci opens the floor for discussion among the committee members. Daniel Burke (member, Boston School Committee) asks if the committee members may consider parts of the proposal after the vote has taken place. Nucci says that the committee members may consider portions of the proposal only after an alternative proposal has been voted on. John Grady (Boston School Committee) asks about the alternative proposal. Wilson reviews the alternative proposal. Wilson says that the Boston Latin Academy would move to the Boston Technical High School facility. Wilson and Grady discuss differences between the main proposal and the alternative proposal. Shots of audience members; of the School Committee members from the back of the room. Wilson talks about elements of the school budget. Wilson says that the School Committee cannot cut back on staff without consolidating school facilities. Wilson says that the School Committee will need to cut back on programs if school consolidation does not happen. Shots of an audience member wearing a button, which reads "J.P.H.S meets the challenge." Shots of the audience. Wilson and the School Committee discuss staff cutbacks. 1:16:54: John Nucci calls on Edward Winter (Secretary, Boston School Committee) to call the roll. Each committee member votes on the proposal. School Committee members Abigail Browne, William Donlan, Kevin McCluskey, McGuire, O'Bryant, Thomas O'Reilly, Shirley Owens Hicks, Juanita Wade, Rita Walsh Tomasini, and Nucci vote no. School Committee members Burke, Grady and Joseph Casper vote yes. The crowd applauds. Shots of the audience. Wilson talks to the School Committee about the alternative recommendation. McCluskey expresses his reluctance to close any more schools in the city. Winter calls the roll on a vote to consider the alternative proposal in a vote. School Committee members Burke, Casper, Donlan and Grady vote no. School Committee members Browne, McCluskey, McGuire, O'Bryant, O'Reilly, Owens Hicks, Wade, Walsh Tomasini and Nucci vote yes. Winter calls the roll. Shot of Donlan. School Committee members vote on the alternative proposal. School Committee members Browne, Burke, Donlan, Grady, McCluskey, McGuire, O'Bryant, O'Reilly, Owens Hicks, Wade, Walsh Tomasini and Nucci vote no. Casper votes yes. The audience applauds. Nucci begins to speak.
1:00:02: Visual: A Latino student addresses the Boston School Committee on the subject of school consolidation. The student says that students want to stay in the same high schools from year to year; that his chances for a scholarship to college will be diminished if he is forced to switch schools for his senior year. The student says that high school students are not "puppets." The audience applauds when the student finishes speaking. Barb Hamlin (West Roxbury resident) reads a letter to the committee. The letter urges the School Committee not to close good schools like Jamaica Plain High School. The audience applauds. A white female high school student addresses the committee. She urges the committee to keep Madison Park High School open as a comprehensive high school. A white male address the School Committee on behalf of the Boston Latin Home and School Association. The man says that the relocation of the Boston Latin School should not be tied in to the school consolidation plan. The man says that the current relocation plans for the Boston Latin School are inadequate; that another temporary relocation of the school is not acceptable; that the School Committee needs to examine other alternatives for the school. 1:04:45: V: John Nucci (Boston School Committee) invites Dr. Laval Wilson (Superintendent, Boston Public Schools) to speak. Wilson talks about the plan to consolidate school facilities. Wilson says that Boston has 18 high schools plus some alternative schools; that there are only 50,800 secondary school students in the city. Wilson says that the school department must provide quality educational programs for its students; that the school department must also stay within its budget. Wilson notes that the Boston School Committee faces a difficult decision in choosing which high schools will be closed; that the School Committee should have closed some high schools several years ago. Wilson recommends that the School Committee not wait any longer to close schools. Wilson talks about the need to relocate the Boston Latin Academy. Wilson notes that Arthur Garrity (federal judge) has placed an injuction on the funds for the relocation of the Boston Latin School; that the School Committee needs to fund the rehabilition of nine schools through a comprehensive facilities utilization plan; that the judge will lift the injuction when the nine schools have been rehabilitated. Wilson says that the facilities utilization plan recommends the closing of high schools this year; that school consolidation will allow the School Committee to set the course for secondary school education in the coming decade. 1:08:44: V: Wilson recommends spending $18 million on the relocation of the Boston Latin Academy; that the remaining budget money be used to refurbish the nine schools on the judge's list. Wilson says that the schools are in great need of repair. Shots of School Committee members Kevin McCluskey, Jean McGuire, John O'Bryant and Juanita Wade. Wilson recommends that the Boston Latin Academy be relocated to Jamaica Plain; that the Boston Technical High School move to the site of Madison Park High School; that Madison Park High School be merged with the Humphrey Occupational Resource Center. Wilson reports that Madison Park was never intended to be a comprehensive high school; that merger between Madison Park High School and the Humphrey Center will provide students with a choice between occupational and academic programs. Shots of a cameraman recording the proceedings; of the audience; of Meg Vaillancourt (WGBH reporter); of a man holding a sign reading, "JP's pride is JP High." Wilson recommends that the Mario Umana Harbor School of Technology be closed; that the Barnes Middle School take over the Umana facilities. Shots of the audience; of a cameraman recording the meeting. Wilson talks about the Roosevelt Middle School. Shots of the stenographer; of the stenographer's hands typing on a machine. Wilson recommends that the School Committee vote on his proposal. 1:12:27: V: Nucci opens the floor for discussion among the committee members. Daniel Burke (member, Boston School Committee) asks if the committee members may consider parts of the proposal after the vote has taken place. Nucci says that the committee members may consider portions of the proposal only after an alternative proposal has been voted on. John Grady (Boston School Committee) asks about the alternative proposal. Wilson reviews the alternative proposal. Wilson says that the Boston Latin Academy would move to the Boston Technical High School facility. Wilson and Grady discuss differences between the main proposal and the alternative proposal. Shots of audience members; of the School Committee members from the back of the room. Wilson talks about elements of the school budget. Wilson says that the School Committee cannot cut back on staff without consolidating school facilities. Wilson says that the School Committee will need to cut back on programs if school consolidation does not happen. Shots of an audience member wearing a button, which reads "J.P.H.S meets the challenge." Shots of the audience. Wilson and the School Committee discuss staff cutbacks. 1:16:54: John Nucci calls on Edward Winter (Secretary, Boston School Committee) to call the roll. Each committee member votes on the proposal. School Committee members Abigail Browne, William Donlan, Kevin McCluskey, McGuire, O'Bryant, Thomas O'Reilly, Shirley Owens Hicks, Juanita Wade, Rita Walsh Tomasini, and Nucci vote no. School Committee members Burke, Grady and Joseph Casper vote yes. The crowd applauds. Shots of the audience. Wilson talks to the School Committee about the alternative recommendation. McCluskey expresses his reluctance to close any more schools in the city. Winter calls the roll on a vote to consider the alternative proposal in a vote. School Committee members Burke, Casper, Donlan and Grady vote no. School Committee members Browne, McCluskey, McGuire, O'Bryant, O'Reilly, Owens Hicks, Wade, Walsh Tomasini and Nucci vote yes. Winter calls the roll. Shot of Donlan. School Committee members vote on the alternative proposal. School Committee members Browne, Burke, Donlan, Grady, McCluskey, McGuire, O'Bryant, O'Reilly, Owens Hicks, Wade, Walsh Tomasini and Nucci vote no. Casper votes yes. The audience applauds. Nucci begins to speak.
