Description: David Boeri reports that midwives at Boston City Hospital have been locked out by the hospital administration in a dispute over hospital policy. Boeri notes that the lockout is probably a reaction to the mass resignation by the midwives two weeks ago. Dr. Kenneth Edelin (Chief of Obstetrics, Boston City Hospital) has restricted midwives to the delivery of uncomplicated pregnancies. The midwives accuse Edelin of restricting midwifery practice at the hospital and abandoning their commitment to poor women. A protest gathering of nurse midwives and expectant mothers outside of the hospital. Anna Fernandez (mother), Lisa Nesbitt (expectant mother), Virginia Taylor (BCH nurse midwife), Joanna Rorie (nurse midwife), and Dr. Louis Laz (former Director of Obstetrics, BCH) address the gathering. Interview with Rorie who defends the safety record of nurse midwives and Laz who criticizes the hospital policy. Interview with Edelin, who responds to the accusations of the midwives and to charges that many obstetricians have resigned in response to his leadership style. Boeri notes that midwives are an integral part of the city's plan to provide quality care to poor women. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: Christy George reports on a discrimination suit filed against the Boston Housing Authority
1:00:05: Visual: Shots of women and their babies gathered outside of Boston City Hospital. David Boeri reports that 20% of the women who deliver their babies at Boston City Hospital (BCH) are attended by midwives; that midwives are an integral part of the city's plan to provide quality care to poor women. Boeri reports that women gathered at BCH today to support midwives. V: Footage of Anna Fernandez (mother) addressing the crowd of women and children. Fernandez says that midwives deserve support. Shots of women and babies at the gathering. Boeri reports that midwives were locked out of the hospital on Monday; that expectant mothers will not be attended by their midwives during the lockout. V: Footage of Lisa Nesbitt (expectant mother) addressing the gathering. Nesbitt is crying as she says that she was promised a midwife for her delivery. Boeri reports that midwives say that the lockout is a vindictive reaction to their mass resignation of two weeks ago. Boeri notes that the midwives were protesting hospital policies; that the midwives accuse Kenneth Edelin (Chief of Obstetrics, BCH) of abandoning poor women. V: Shots of midwives gathered outside of the hospital entrance; of midwives studying a document as they stand outside of the hospital; of a woman hugging Nesbitt as she finishes speaking. Footage of Virginia Taylor (BCH nurse midwife) saying that BCH physicians have tried to restrict midwifery practice at the hospital; that hospital policy limits womens' choice of midwives. Footage of Edelin saying that neither he nor any of the physicians on staff are against midwives. Edelin says that the midwives must practice within the scope of hospital protocol and the laws of Massachusetts. Boeri reports that Edelin says that nurse midwives are limited to the delivery of uncomplicated pregnancies; that nurse midwives are practicing outside of the law. V: Shots of a nurse midwife walking into an examination room; of a nurse midwife talking to an African American patient. Boeri reports that midwives say that they are operating within the law and with a great safety record. V: Footage of Joanna Rorie (nurse midwife, Dimock Community Health Center) addressing the gathering. Rorie says that doctors consider labor as a potential disaster instead of as a natural process. Shot of Dr. Louis Laz (former Director of Obstetrics, BCH) addressing the gathering. Boeri notes that half of the obstetricians at BCH have resigned in protest of Edelin's leadership. V: Footage of Laz saying that the obstetricians who have resigned are united in their support of the midwives. Laz says that the BCH is no longer pursuing its goal of providing model care to inner city women. Footage of Edelin saying that the obstetricians resigned because he refused to turn his conference room into offices for the obstetricians. Edelin says that he does not want to respond to the obstetricians and midwives who say that they resigned over his leadership. Shot of a sign for BCH. Boeri reports that Edelin is confident that he will be able to replace the obstetricians and midwives who have resigned; that the crisis at BCH will pass. Boeri notes that Edelin says that he is committed to providing quality care. V: Shot of an ambulance with its sirens blaring; of the midwives and mothers gathered outside of BCH.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 05/17/1988
Description: US military capabilities & strategies to be used in Persian Gulf. M20+M1 tanks, helicopter, B52 bomber, thunderbolt attack plane,fighter bomber stealth F17, F11,fighter planes F16,F14,sea launch cruise missile
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 01/09/1991
Description: David Boeri reports that the Massachusetts Advocacy Center released statistics indicating that the student failure rate in the Boston Public Schools has increased by 24 percent. Boeri notes that school officials have raised promotion standards but that students are unprepared. Boeri interviews Anne Wheelock (Massachusetts Advocacy Center) and Robert Schwartz (Director, Boston Compact) about the failure rate in the schools. Wheelock says that the schools must create a climate which allows all students to succeed. Wheelock says that non-promotion will cause an increase in the drop-out rate. She adds that schools must provide remedial services for at-risk students. Schwartz says that a high school diploma must signify a minimum amount of achievement on the part of students. Schwartz admits that schools need to do more to help at-risk students. Boeri analyzes that failure statistics for African American and Latino students. Boeri's report is accompanied by footage of students exiting a school and by footage of students in a classroom.
1:00:16: Visual: Shot of a memo from the Massachusetts Advocacy Center. David Boeri reports the Massachusetts Advocacy Center has released troubling statistics about the Boston Public Schools. V: Shot of students in a classroom. A white male teacher stands at the front of the classroom. Boeri reports that the group found that one of every six middle school students was kept back last year; that one out of every eight middle school students was kept back three years ago. Boeri notes that the failure rate has increased by 24 percent. Boeri reports that the largest increase in the failure rate took place among Latino students. Boeri reports that the number of failing African American students is not out of proportion with the student population. Boeri notes that the number of failing African American students is vastly out of proportion with the student population at some schools. Boeri reports that African Americans made up 78% of the failing students at the Wheatley Middle School; that the school's African American population is 58%. Boeri says that Anne Wheelock (Massachusetts Advocacy Center) believes that the failure rate stems from low expectations, racial climate, and staff composition. V: Shot of students of diverse races exiting a school. Shot of the exterior of the Phillis Wheatley Middle School. Footage of Wheelock being interviewed by Boeri. Wheelock says that something must be changed in schools which hold back a disproportionately high number of African American students. Wheelock says that schools must create a climate which allows all students to succeed. Boeri asks why the failure rate has increased. Wheelock says that present promotion policies have imposed tougher standards on students without increasing additional services. Footage of Robert Schwartz (Director, Boston Compact) being interviewed by Boeri. Schwartz says that a high school diploma must signify a minimum amount of achievement on the part of students. Schwartz says that students must be promoted for achievement instead of "time served." Boeri says that school officials raised standards; that some students are not prepared. V: Shots of white female students in a classroom. Footage of Wheelock being interviewed. Wheelock says that non-promotion has a huge effect on the drop-out rate. Wheelock says that a recent study shows that being held back one grade increases a student's chances of dropping out by over 40%. Wheelock says that the study shows that being held back two grade increases a student's chances of dropping out by 90%. Footage of Schwartz being interviewed by Boeri. Schwartz says that the drop-out rate could be decreased if the schools promoted all students regardless of performance. Shwartz says that the schools are not performing their jobs if students are promoted regardless of perfomance. Boeri remarks that it is irresponsible to raise standards without preparing students. Schwartz says that there is a possibility that the schools have not done enough for at-risk students. Footage of Wheelock being interviewed. Wheelock says that students should be promoted with remediation and special attention. Wheelock says that the best teachers should be working with at-risk students.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 06/20/1986
Description: Mixed reviews for Ray Flynn's 1986 performance from city councillors and others.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 01/06/1987
Description: Rep. Joseph Moakley persists in investigation of El Salvador military involvement in Jesuit murders and spearheads 50% aid cut to the country. Ray Flynn joins Folgers coffee boycott. Salvadoran army.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 11/16/1990
Description: David Boeri reports on the Bank of Boston's new mortgage program for low- and moderate-income city residents. President of Bank of Boston Ira Stepanian and Robert Mahoney announcing the new program to the media at a press conference at a Roxbury branch of the Bank of Boston. Boeri reviews the terms of the program. He notes that many houses in the area are not eligible for the program because their sale prices are too high. Interview with Roxbury resident Diana Strother, who says that many residents do not make enough money to take advantage of the program. Interview with Leon Wilson from the Bank of Boston about the terms of mortgages under the program. Boeri notes that the units in the Fort Hill condominium complex are too expensive to qualify for the Bank of Boston program. Interview with Boston resident Alvin Wilkins and realtor Eve Moss about housing prices in the area. Interview with Bruce Marks from the Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union. Marks calls the Bank of Boston program a "public relations scam" if it does not truly help low-income residents with followup steps.
1:00:03: Visual: Footage of Ira Stepanian (President, Bank of Boston) speaking to the media at a Roxbury branch of the Bank of Boston. Stepanian says that the Bank of Boston would like to help to solve some of the city's problems. Shots of media and audience members listening to Stepanian. David Boeri reports that Stepanian talked about the Bank of Boston's new mortgage program for city residents. Boeri notes that the new program is called First Step With Rate Advantage. Boeri describes the terms of the mortgages offered under the program. Boeri reports that the first year's rate is 8.65%; that the maximum purchase price cannot exceed $140,000 for a single unit; that the maximum purchase price cannot exceed $185,000 for a two-family home; that the maximum purchase price cannot exceed $225,000 for a three-family home. Boeri notes that individuals making $35,000 or less are eligible for the program; that families making $45,000 or less are eligible. V: On-screen text details the terms of the mortgages offered under the program. Footage of Robert Mahoney (Bank of Boston) addressing the audience at the Roxbury branch of the bank. Mahoney says that the program serves the needs of a certain segment of the population. Shots of African American women in the audience. Boeri notes that some Roxbury residents say that the program is out of reach for them. V: Footage of Diana Strother (Roxbury resident) saying that Roxbury residents pay the highest rents in the city; that the average income in Roxbury is $15,000. Strothers says that most Roxbury residents do not make enough to take advantage of the program. Footage of Leon Wilson (Bank of Boston) being interviewed by Boeri. Boeri notes that it is difficult to find a house for $140,000 in this neighborhood. Boeri asks about monthly mortgage payment on a $140,000 house. Wilson says that residents would pay $1,100 per month if they made a downpayment of $14,000. Boeri reports that it is hard to find houses which meet the eligibility requirements of the program. V: Shot of a condominium complex in Fort Hill with units for sale. Shot of Boeri talking to a small group of people on the front porch of one of the Fort Hill condominium buildings. Boeri notes that condominium units in a Fort Hill development are selling between $149,000 and $165,000. Boeri notes that the condominiums do not meet the eligibility requirements of the Bank of Boston program; that the condominiums are not affordable for many residents. V: Shot of homes on a residential street. Footage of Alvin Wilkins (Boston resident) being interviewed by Boeri. Boeri asks Wilkins if it is possible to find homes for $140,000 in the area. Wilkins says that homes selling at $140,000 need a lot of repair. Wilkins says that it is impossible to find a home which is ready to move in to at that price. Footage of Eve Moss (realtor) saying that the average mortgage payment for one of the Fort Hill condominiums is $1,200. Moss says that it is difficult to make those mortgage payments on a salary of $45,000 or less. Footage of Wilson saying that the Bank of Boston is trying to provide an opportunity for some people to own a home. Footage of Bruce Marks (Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union) says that the Bank of Boston is pulling a public relations scam if they are trying to bill the program as an example of a low- and moderate-income home ownership program. Marks says that he would like to see a program which is truly aimed at low- and moderate-income people. Footage of Mahoney addressing the audience at a Roxbury branch of Bank of Boston. Boeri reports that many hope the program's next step will be a bigger one.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 05/10/1989
Description: Evelyn Murphy attacks Convention Center Authority as wasteful item in state budget, and would sell Hynes to private sector. Rep. Peter Blute mainly agrees. Hynes exterior.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 02/07/1990
Description: Products labelled degradable are often not, and will remain garbage in landfills forever. James Shannon wants these claims removed. Sea gulls fly over trash heap. Packages of disposable diapers.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 03/27/1990
Description: PROS AND CONS OF NICORETTE GUM TO STOP SMOKING HABIT. tobacco substitute
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 02/26/1987
Description: Nancy Jamison runs Fair Foods Inc. to collect surplus produce & perishables, and sell them at very low prices to needy people. Bins of bread, crates of vegetables, buyers in line. Truck unloading. Hunger.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 11/20/1990