UPDATE: 11:50 AM Okay, as one or two of you noticed, I posted a hot link for Amherst School Committee contact info (apparently located on the old site) and for some reason the link just would not work. So then I simply went to the new site (you know the one that does not want an Electronic Suggestion Box) and was stunned to learn Amherst had cancelled school today regionwide. Yikes! Hmmm…so I had no problem whatsoever getting my daughter to the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley this morning. What’s up with that? ‘The Powers That Be’ allow a health hazard to exist at Wildwood but they are ever so super-conservative about calling off school for a tiny snow dusting? And their security is such that anyone can walk in the front door unchallenged (well except for a sign saying report to the office first which is of course like a bank posting a sign at the entryway saying "please check masks and guns with the security guy sleeping in the corner.")
Well anyway, here’s the link to the fancy new District Web Page and somewhere on there you should be able to find contact info for the venerable Amherst School Committee. Tell them to do their job!
Amherst Regional Public Schools
################################################################
UPDATE: Friday morning 10:10 AM
So normally I update or correct at the Post in question. Somebody just emailed and wanted me to point out on my upload three days ago (an eternity in Internet time) about the School Committee nixing an electronic Suggestion Box should have mentioned that not all School Committee members voted against the common sense idea.
Well, I did reference Mary Carey’s article in the UltraCrusty Gazette (and will post hotlink to the repeat in today’s Bully). But she’s right. And I also think the entire issue is germane to this current controversy because parents with children at Wildwood could have used the Suggestion Box to request the schools abide by Public Health standards and provide hot water.
So just for the record: the two who voted in favor of hearing from the taxpayers who fund our expensive schools were: Catherine A. Sanderson (yes she’s also the ONLY one who voted against the School Committee's “retreat” next month--something that pushes the envelope on the Open Meeting Law.)
And Kathleen Anderson--who is nothing if not independent--also supported the idea of hearing from us little people (and apparently she will not attend the “retreat” because the facilitator is not of color.)
The Bully reports
############################################################
FINAL UPDATE (for tonight) 11:04 PM: So the brand new Wal-Mart thermometer did not contain mercury and there was no broken glass to clean up (as it fell in the sink.) And—perhaps more important--I’m not a Pedophile, or a Stalker or even a “Town Provocateur. "
The initial Comment to this post (that published at 3:20 PM) occurred at 3:48 PM with great concern (not about the cold or dirty brown water that apparently has been the norm since September) but about the possible “mercury poison” from a tiny thermometer.
And when Co-Superintendent of Schools Al Sprague (who splits $125-K with his wife) called me at 4:18 PM on my unlisted home phone number he initially ranted about the mercury thermometer (and almost seemed disappointed to learn it contained no mercury). I particularly liked his antiquated line admonishing me to “act like a man” and talk to school officials “face to face”. Something I may soon take him up on.
When all is said and done, however, the simple fact remains: Wildwood’s “HOT” water temperature was ONLY 70 freaken degrees! How many of you nitwit Anon’s (or Gazette editor's for that matter) take a shower or bath in 70 degree water? And would you frequent a restaurant that washed dishes at such a sub-tepid temperature?
Sure you need to worry about scalding children (Co-Superintendent Sprague was shouting something about that as well) or even saving money on energy, but the cursory Google research I did on hot water and children’s safety routinely states: “If your water-heater setting is at a safe level (between 120°F and 125°F, you don't have to do anything. There is no advantage to setting the thermostat below 120°F.”
And what the Hell was the all that brown crap that came out of the other sink? When the Amherst DPW “flushes the lines” they always warn everybody there may be some sediment stirred up and to let the water run for a little while longer. I did not see that town-wide advisory this afternoon.
Former Czar Anne Awad tried to have me arrested for proving she moved to South Hadley (and where is she now?) to no avail; so school officials should forget ‘Attacking the Messenger’ and get down to solving the real problem: Wildwood has no hot water!
###########################################################
UPDATE: 8:00 PM: Well the Comments are still coming fast and furious. I had to teach my wife’s Karate class (she’s in Mexico doing her other job—the one that pays) and I had children to feed (my own) and now need to put them to bed. But I will have one more UPDATE before the night is done.
UPDATE: 5:58 PM: The ‘Comments’ are coming fast and furious. I agree, in this post 9/11 world an adult should not be able to just waltz into an Elementary School and do whatever they please (even if only going to the bathroom).
Spin it any way you want: the need for more money via an Override to “save our schools” or “what the hell is going on here where water temperature is only 70 degrees and the color is a tad scary.” And if you can believe those damn anonymous folks on MassLive, this has been going on since SEPTEMBER!
So go ahead: beat up on the messenger (I can take LOTS of punishment); but something certainly ain’t right at Wildwood Elementary School in the People’s Republic of Amherst.
##########################################################
UPDATE: 4:45 PM So I just got a call from Al Sprague “Interim Co-Superintendent of the Schools” who seemed a tad perturbed. He demanded to know if the thermometer contained mercury (and of course it did not) because he was about to send out a Hazmat Alert (can you imagine how much that would cost state taxpayers?)
Then he asked if I “signed in” to enter the building, which of course I did not. I pointed out that if you tried to enter the Pioneer Valley Chinese Charter Immersion School at 2:00 PM you would have to ring a buzzer to get in (the doors are only open at 8:15 AM for drop off and at 3:30 PM for pick up and the Principal is usually standing in the doorway greeting parents.)
He then threatens to get a “restraining order”. So I verbally assured him (with my almost 2-year-old daughter as witness) that if I ever feel the need to return to Wildwood Elementary School I would be happy to “sign in”. No restraining order necessary (that too cost money.)
##########################################################
ORIGINAL POST 3:20 PM
I entered Amherst’s Wildwood Elementary School (the one my daughter almost attended if Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School had not found a roof over their head two years ago) at 2:00 PM with my camera in one hand and an empty clean glass and thermometer (brand new from Wal-Mart at 99 cents) in the other.
And I figured the kids all would all have had lunch by now and the Men’s bathroom probably had not seen a lot of use over the past hour or so. I was, once again, the only one in there for the entire time (about 6 minutes)
At my house, where I have a brand new home heating system including new water heater (my old one died about a month ago) I set the thermostat on my new water heater as low as it would go. Then I ran the hot water for 60 seconds captured some in a glass and gingerly lowered the thermometer in and waited 2.5 minutes. Temperature came to 98 degrees
Repeated that same exercise at Wildwood Elementary School: Temperature came to 70. Kind of a big difference.
Sorry for the blurry photo but I was holding the thermometer and white paper background in one hand and taking the photo with the other and then dropped the thermometer (and it broke) so I could not take another shot or two with different light settings. But trust me, the temperature read 70 degrees.
In the other sink (this bathroom had two) I ran the hot water and got that nasty looking reddish/brown water--and it felt as cool as the sink that I used in the temperature test.
Something is definitely amiss in the People's Republic.
87 comments:
Was that a mercury thermometer you broke? If so, I hope you didn't leave that poison in a school bathroom.
I guess a bigger question would be, doesn't the school dept. have a plumber, and if they do than how did the problem come about and why isn't it fixed?
The brown water could be the result of corrective action taken by the schools maintenance dept. However, does anyone know if that corrective action was undertaken by a licensed plumber or by a glorified maintenance man?
It could be a bigger question, but is it possible the issue has been evaluated and the nature, type and scope of the repair is an issue. Did Mr. Kelly observe school procedures and check in at the main office and get a visitor badge before wandering around a school unescorted? As a parent, I'm concerned about strangers walking around in our schools as well as water issues.
Can I just walk in to the charter school unannounced and have my run of the building unescorted?
I would hope the school dept. would use a properly licensed plumber. After all these are our kids. I am sure we don't want some hack banging away on the pipes that supply water to them.
So then I take it that Larry supports an override so the schools can proactively address repairs to buildings that are 30+ years old? Or maybe he wants to donate his new brand new heating system?
Lock all school doors to prevent strangers walking around!
I am very concerned with the fact that Mr. Kelly was able to enter and move about the school so easily. I am also concerned about the school's maintenace program. Perhaps as parents, we should meet with the School Comm. and ask that the school's security protocol and their maintenace program be reviewed, as well as the qualifications of the maintenace staff.
If you're aware of the issue of strangers in schools, why do you persist in violating procedures. Aren't there signs posted that 'All visitors must report to office', or doesn't that apply to you? These schools were built in a more trusting time and the offices are buried deep in the buildings. I guess this helps prove that our buildings need a huge influx of money to fund improvements.
"I would hope the school dept. would use a properly licensed plumber. After all these are our kids. I am sure we don't want some hack banging away on the pipes that supply water to them."
Then you should be TERRIFIED that Peter Crouse and Ron Bohonowicz allow non qualified maintenance guys to bang away on school vehicles!!
I know a few years back one of these guys wrongly installed ball joints on unit 42 (a van now retired) causing a very dangerous situation for the driver and the 4-5 students on board!
Does that scare you??
A little 10 minute investigation would expose this... but better not do anything to upset anyone, right?
Amherst?
Lets see if I can sum this up. Strangers wandering around our schools with cameras and repairs being conducted by possibly unqualified people. HELLO PEOPLE!! Does anyone else want to know just what the HELL is going on here?! What do we pay taxes for?
The stalker returns!
What other boys bathrooms have lurking around with camera and video cameras.
I wonder how this guy, Ron Bohonowicz, gets this position to head up a transportation dept without a ~~drop~~ of experience working with kids or transporting anything...?
How?
I think the "stalker" tag is appropriate. Keep him out of the boys rooms. I like the assumption that lunch was over tso the bathroom should be empty. I guess Larry only uses the john at lunchtime?
I heard that the Principal of Wildwood was checking bathrooms today. I can only hope that the students and staff have warm water as their Christmas present this year. I want to thank you for your concern and efforts. It is too bad that it takes such actions to provide warm water for our children. A sad commentary on the employees which we employ. Keep up the good work, Larry.
It is about time to end this. Larry, you are a town resident and have personal knowledge of the problem, file a formal written complaint with the Board of Health and copy in both the Mass DPH and the Mass DOE (which now has a different name). Include the folks who are doing any accreditation if applicable.
If unsafe school vehicles are on the road, or if they are being repaired improperly, then you need to call the Registry and speak to one of the troopers assigned to oversee school bus inspections. Those guys take this sort of stuff quite seriously and I would be very surprised if they didn't send a guy out in overalls to climb under the vehicle himself for his OWN inspection of it. And if they find one serious thing with one, they will go inspect the rest of them, stickers notwithstanding.
The crud in Larry's picture appears to be the stuff that builds up in iron water pipes (which is why many were lined with lead). It only gets waterborne when it is stirred up, either by hydrant flushing (or a fire) or by the flushing of a hot water heater (to make it work better).
I would be VERY surprised to see it coming out of one sink but not the other -- both are feeding off the same hot water line and should essentially have the same batch of water at the same time.
I am thinking "cross connection" here - something that drives people crazy trying to figure out why the hot water isn't hot and the easiest way to find is by taking the temperature of the COLD water. The two systems are supposed to be kept separate, the cold comes straight in off the street while the hot is heated and then runs along next to the cold.
Sinks have one outlet with the hot and cold being mixed to the desired temperature but are NOT supposed to allow the two to mix before that. And it is fairly easy for someone not paying attention (or not competent) to run a direct pipe between a hot and cold line.
What then happens is that no matter how hot you heat your hot water, as it is mixing with cold water inside the pipes, it is impossible to maintain a constant temperature. It also gets rather expensive to heat water that gets flushed down toilets...
Doesn't Amherst have a plumbing inspector? Maybe he ought go check this out....
Now as to Larry going into unlocked schools, he is doing the parents a favor. If he - likely known by sight to most of the administrators - can get in unrecognized then what about all the perverts and worse? Think we don't have the potential of parental kidnapping - I once had to deal with that issue in the Scouts.
And the other sad thing is that the amount of hot water that these schools use isn't that much. You could bypass the boiler outright and put in an electric hot water heater for a quick fix, it would cost money but not as much as you might think. What do you think places like WalMart do - most of them have a separate electric heater for each use (bathroom or kitchen).
Oh, and one other thing -- the dishwasher that is required to be at 190 degrees for its rinse cycle is likely designed to be getting 120 degree water and then boosting it to the required 190 degrees to kill all the nasty bugs. So if the water is only at, say, 70 degrees then it doesn't get to 190 and then you have kids eating off dirty dishes and getting all the microbes that other kids have. While I don't want to scare any parents, you DO want to take this quite seriously....
Congratulations, Larry, you've done it again as THE Town Provocateur: you've raised all sorts of interesting questions, including ones about your own conduct.
Here's the one that comes to mind for me: Is Larry "a journalist"? Is he free to engage in all that high and mighty rhetoric about freedom of the press and the Fourth Estate? You know, the rhetoric that gives so-called journalists (like the revolving-door visitors at our local TV stations) the license to be as free-wheeling, sloppy, uninformed, and irresponsible with a public bullhorn as they want?
Whatever the answer, life will never be boring as long as Kelley's around.
Rich Morse
Cold water, dirty water, sub-par repairs by unqualified workers. Instead of checking the water temp., Mr Kelly should be demanding that Mr. Bohonowicz produce the qualifications of all of the people on his maintenance staff. Is the mechanic ASE certified? Does the plumber have a state license? Inquiring minds want to know!!
Perhaps the police should speak to someone who admitted to trespassing on school property and who visits boys rooms unescorted with a camera. If you have a legitimate issue, bring it to the Building inspector or whomever. Don't stalk the schools. Being a responsible citizen doesn't include the type of behavior you described. The police should have been called. You had no legitimate business there.
I love all the unsubstantiated rumors flying here. At least Kelly has at least some proof. Sounds like disgruntled current or former employees. What losers. If they new about these alleged transgressions, why didn't they bother to inform authorities. School vehicles have to be inspected every year.
In response to:
Lets see if I can sum this up. Strangers wandering around our schools with cameras and repairs being conducted by possibly unqualified people. HELLO PEOPLE!! Does anyone else want to know just what the HELL is going on here?! What do we pay taxes for?
You pay taxes to educate your children. It's sad that our schools are expected to be fortresses locked down against intruders. So I guess we should increase class sizes to free up money for security systems and armed guards. This is a community that won't even consider security cameras in their schools. You can't have it every way.
Cold water in the schools? Really? Thats the best you can come up with? You're really reaching Larry. Instead of picking on something that amounts to a piss hole in a snowbank, why not ask how the peoples republic of amherst is crying poor, but somehow has the money to install inlayed brick crosswalks. Two white lines painted on the road would be a lot cheaper.
Response to Rich Morse:
The activists at UMass have absolutely no problem hiring "testers" to go see if housing discrimination exists. They have the polite white male and the really rude woman or minority and, well, whom would YOU rent to, the polite young person or the rude one?
HOW is this different from what Larry is doing?
Who's throwing rumors around? I simply asked if the plumber is licensed and if the mechanic is ASE certified. Thats called a question, not a rumor. Perhaps the next time Mr Kelly visits our schools, you should go with him and sit in on a english class to learn the difference.
"I love all the unsubstantiated rumors flying here. At least Kelly has at least some proof. Sounds like disgruntled current or former employees. What losers. If they new about these alleged transgressions, why didn't they bother to inform authorities. School vehicles have to be inspected every year."
What losers?
WHAT LOSERS!!!!!!
You want another dead child?
Because the next one will be your fault...
Hmmmm?
Now get out there and substantiate
or zip it.
What, you have a guilty conscience. What if was not directed at your comments. If you have such a fine grasp of the English language then you should know it's directed at those making unsubstantiated claims, not someone asking just questions. Didn't you bother to read all the posts?
In response to " you pay taxes to educate your children"
The next time you enter the middle school or high school, try looking up bright eyes. You'll see we already have cameras in our schools. Hello, McFly, anybody home?
Here's a link to a chart with the names of the people working in the maint dept and their "specialties".
Let's see how long it STAYS up at the ARPS site now... LOL!!
(Don't worry we made a PDF file copy just in case)
http://www.arps.org/Facilities/departmentabstract07
Now GET IN THERE and check qualifications and TRAINING!!!!
Good job Larry! Now that you've made everyone aware of the problem, do you have a solution? No? Then SHUT THE HELL UP!!!
In response to the "link"
What the hell does that prove? It gives their names and titles. How does this prove qualifications?
The thing I am looking at is the so-called "mechanics".
One or more may need to be trained to officially "carry" such a title.
That's all.
It would be an EASY check and might save lives.
Congratulations, Larry, you've done it again as THE Town Provocateur: you've raised all sorts of interesting questions, including ones about your own conduct.
- Rich Morse.
Smart man that Rich Morse.
Let's take this "crisis" down a few notches and address any real problem with a real solution. No need for a sledgehammer to apply a tack.
So why don't you check?
In response to the qualifications;
My name is Craig Neal, and I am the electrician for the Amherst Reg. School District. I am a licensed Master Electrician(lic.20072-A) I am also a licensed Journeyman Electrician(lic.40579-E) This infomation is public record and available on the MASSGOV web site. As far as the qualifications of the other members of the maintenance dept., you will have to ask them.
Well it seems the electrician is more than qualified, but didn't this whloe thing start with a problem with the water? What about the plumber's qualifications?
'All visitors must report to office' means all. Larry, you worry me with your ends justifies the means crusading vigilante attitude.
What about Al Sprague? Why didn't he put his efforts into either solving the water problem or at least notifying parents that there WAS a problem rather than taking the time to call Larry and harrass him?!
Because Larry begs to be harrassed, thats why.
Larry, ignore the trolls and keep up the good work! Eventually the morons in town government will get their comeuppance for attemptint to sweep this problem under the rug. Only a coward like Al would try to silence your dissent through the threat of unreasonable police action. Don't give in to these fascist threats!
I bet the cover-up is on over at the school maint. dept.!
Time to sit Crouse and Bohonowicz down and have them "let it all out"...
Otherwise, others will do it for them.
That's a promise.
Thanks Greg,
As readers of this blog know (or anyone who has read my Letters To The Editor over the past 25 years): I don't back down.
In fact, one of the very first things I said to Mr. Sprague was "go ahead and have me arrested...Make my day!"
(I figured at his age he would get the Clint Eastwood reference)
My Wildwood student says there has been no hot water for at least the last 2 years prior. Also, the water fountains barely work. They just dribble water out and the students have a hard time getting enough to drink because teachers limit he amount of time each student can spend at the water fountain. EVEN in gym.
Well I hope the water fountains are not dribbling out that yucky brown water.
And yeah, any PE coach should know you want to encourage kids to drink water if they are exercising rather than discourage.
Starting to sound like a pattern. A bad one at that.
Larry,
Your school committee contact link at the ARPS web-site has been, well, "re-directed".
Unreal.
The page at the arps web-site is ok...
Maybe it was a server issue?
Chapter 51A...
The teachers are required to ensure the general well being of the children. That would include - within reason - ensuring that they (a) have access to potable water when exercising and (b) that they actually drink it. It is called en loco parents...
Now Chapter 51A mandates reporting not only of parents but also school officials. Not for petty stuff, but drinking water is actually fairly important -- let us not forget that the cop recruit that died in the infamous death in the Agawam Academy back in the '90s died because he didn't get enough water to drink.
What on earth is going on in these schools? Perhaps there ought to be a coalition of parents to monitor them on a daily basis -- maybe the kids are just complaining, but Larry seems to have proven otherwise in at least one case....
Is the Wildwood office staff responsible for school security? They are too busy deciding what to order for lunch to worry about Larry visiting. (they don't even acknowledge parents when they stop in with an issue)
"In fact, one of the very first things I said to Mr. Sprague was "go ahead and have me arrested...Make my day!"
In other words, I'm a self-rightous jerk who thinks he has the right to barge into places whenever I want and the world has to come to a halt whenever I say so
How about a less confrontational approach?
I think that's a bit extreme but perhaps Larry you should tone it down a bit and go through proper channels. You can then post the issue on your blog with a copy of the letter you sent to put them on notice.
How would you like it if someone marched into your business and then had a go ahead and arest me attitude. We are a community and should act in a civil manner.
I assumed that Al and Helen wanted the day off so they wouldn't have to deal with the phones which would have undoubtedly been ringing all morning in their office in response to the article this morning detailing the proposed elementary reorganization plan (which was apparently a shock to many School Committee members). This rain which MIGHT HAVE caused MINOR ICING must have looked like a gift from heaven!
"How would you like it if someone marched into your business and then had a go ahead and arest me attitude. We are a community and should act in a civil manner."
Go ahead and arrest me attitude?
GO AHEAD AND ARREST ME ATTITUDE!!!!!?????
I'm not trying to be disrespectful but, um, do you live in this universe?
Yeah, Mr. Sprague also shouted something about (before slamming down the phone): "How would you like it if I marched into your school's bathroom with a camera?"
And silly me (thinking he was talking about my karate school) replied: "I'm a PRIVATE business...BIG difference".
He then sputtered something about the Chinese Charter School and that it is a "Public School".
Yeah it is indeed--but it most certainly not the property of Larry Kelley (although I wish my business did half this year's gross revenues)
As to being a "self-rightous jerk who thinks he has the right to barge into places whenever I want and the world has to come to a halt whenever I say so".
Noooooo, actually I'm an Amherst Taxpayer--5'th generation no less--who should be able to walk into any PUBLIC building in town ANYTIME (except of course, 'Bunker Hill Day' when they are closed or TODAY when the 'Chicken Little' schools closed).
What? Bohonowicz using his in with the A.P.D. to access the files of people working for him to prevent-eliminate whistle-blowing?!!?
Is there proof of this?!!!!!?
Could it be????????
Oh YES we can!
There you go again, on Bunker Hill Day. How many times do we have to go over this? Only a holiday in the 617 area code. Otherwise, a floater holiday for state workers. I think town workers and school employees in Amherst are out of luck.
Interesting questions abound from this latest "stalker" adventure: you have the right to walk into any public building and go anywhere anytime?
I want to be fair here, and not distort what you're saying.
By the way, I love "the 5th generation" breast-beating talk. For the benefit of us carpetbaggers, by what number generation do the special privileges kick in?
Rich Morse
Just wanted to see if you were still paying attention there Grumpy (since the tide has most certainly turned)
Talk to any "townie" and they will give you either 20 or 25 years residency to join the club.
That would be 'townie club'. No "special privileges"--just having a core and being concerned about the image of the town you love.
And furthermore (sorry I'm getting like Ed and O'Reilly and double commenting):
If not for this lowly journalistically challenged "Town Provocateur," Anne Awad would still be sitting on the Select Board (commuting from South Hadley.)
'His Lordship' Gerry Weiss would still be Chair (with those two other nitwits forming a whacked out majority) because Aaron Hayden would never have joined the Board.
AND, your heroine Stephanie would still be the SB stenographer.
You can go anywhere because it's a public building? See you in the Women's room.
You've gotten too full of yourself.
Well Nitwit, if you have an actual drivers license you can use the public roads.
And you can choose to drive on either the right side or the left.
If you are a complete Nitwit and drive on the wrong side...
Actually.....
Have you actually *read* the Goodridge decision (gay marriage)? What it did was to say that the State ERA (circa 1976) meant that any distinction between men and women was a violation of the state constitution.
So Larry has every right to go into the women's locker room of a PRIVATE establishment and anyone who tries to stop him is violating his civil rights. Yes, this is a real issue at UMass where they want co-ed and "transgendered" bathrooms and when I pointed out at certain high levels what the then-new _Goodridge_ decision actually said, I wasn't talking to people who hadn't already realized the implications....
Sorry folks, facts do matter. And unlike California where the gay marriage decision was on a due process basis (which Marshall for some reason ignored) Massachusetts law prohibits any distinction based on the sex of a person or on the sex of other persons involved.
Read the damn decision. You, too, might also become a Republican...
Welp! I've only been on this side of the bridge for 12 years. To bad I didn't stay on the other side of the bridge I would have had 47 years and OVER 5 generations of vocal seniority. Oh well see you all in 13 years when my opinion matters.
So according to you Head Nitwit Larry, you need a drivers licensed to use the public roads? So does that mean children who don't have one can't be on the public roads? By the way, Head Nitwit, define wrong side of the road. I sure hope your wife comes home soon, so you can get laid, then you might just shut the fuck up. That would be a Christmas miracle!!
Actually Minor Nitwit EVERYBODY (besides you) knows full-well what it meant.
Yeah, I guess it depends if you are in Ireland or the USA what the "wrong side of the road" is but we are based in the good-old USA.
My wife just called (on her iphone that has a built in camera) and she landed safely at Bradley and is on her way home.
But don't count on me to "just shut the fuck up". I have WAYYYYYYY to much fun getting anonymous cowards like you all excited (and do you have a wife to satisfy you, or just Internet porn?)
By the way, whats wrong with internet porn? Why don't you tell me some of youe favorite sites!
By examining the comments listed here it seems like Larry once again has exposed a legitimate problem. When people have no logical defense they often try to discredit their accuser.
Interesting to witness highly educated people drawing on such measures to protect their incompetence. Let's be real here shall we. I also sign my comments for that is the proper thing to do. Cowards.
Regards
-Ryan Willey
Hey, I'll admit that the "trash talk" guy was a bit overboard, but that's what happens when a guy like Mr. Kelly gets guys (or girls, we don't know which) all fired up. Mr. Kelly ha s a right to his opinon. So does Mr."trash talk". Now, if I may be so bold as to offer my opinon, Mr.Kelly needs to do more than stir the pot. He needs to present viable solutions in an adult way. I applaud Mr. Kelly's attempts at social justice, but anyone can create a blog and stir the pot. As far as the accusations of Mr. "trash talk" being a coward, O.K., I can buy that, but before Mr. Kelly can toss that around he needs to go to the school comm. meetings, he needs to stand on "protest corner" and publicly voice his opinon and not hide inside his blog.
So Liam (and I hope to God you are not Irish or Scottish because what an embarrassment you are to your ethnicity)
Hmmm… First of all, you could spell my surname correctly. Second of all “Mr. Trash talk” does not have right to such a strong opinion. If you are going to put out a strong opinion then you should have the balls to put your name to such an opinion. (Something you obviously know nothing about)
The comment that Larry hides inside his blog and doesnt publicly voice his opinon is laughable. Obviously you don't read the paper or watch the select board meetings.
Well, this sure shows why an online suggestion box is a bad idea.
But you just posted a comment on this "suggestion box" at 11:00 pm on a Friday night.
What the hell does that say about you?
Hey Larry, if Liam is not irish or scottish, what do you think he is, mexican perhaps? Oh, and by the way, Mr. trash talk does have a right to his opinon, it's called his first amendment right. You of all people should know that!! To everyone else reading this blog, this is my first and last time talking on it. When you respond to people like Larry you just feed his ego. The best thing to do is ingnore him and when he discovers his rants falling on deaf ears, he will simply go away.
Yeah, YOU I'm really gonna miss.
One less Anon to answer
Wow Larry! Sounds like the last guy really got to you,if's thats all you had to say. However, I agree with him(whoever he may be). I also will not be responding to this blog anymore. So that's two more you won't miss Larry.
Well actually, you would make ONE more for a total of two.
And YOU I'm not going to miss.
Interesting Spfd Repub article:
http://www.masslive.com/hampfrank/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-17/1229156410205570.xml&coll=1
Apparently, the Amherst Town email complaint form is off line because, well, it appears, because too many people were using it....
Well the Town Manager never responds on his blog, so it doesn't surprise me that the web based complaint tracking system came a cropper.
My wife left a complaint and a suggestion on the school site and was sent a stern retort by the town webmaster not to use the feedback page for comments or complaints.
"It's only for feedback"
Yeah, well let's hope the "webmaster"(not knowing the meaning of "feedback") didn't graduate from the venerable Amherst Public schools.
Could be there was mercury in that thermometer. Some of the red-dye alcohol thermometers have mercury in them.
Yeah, except the packaging clearly stated that it did not contain mercury. Sorry to disappoint you.
What also "could be" is that the thermometer (even without mercury) is accurate; and a "hot" water temperature of only 70 degrees is a health problem.
Still no warm water! What does it take???
What does it take? It takes super-Larry. That would be the same person who said "Hmmm…so I had no problem whatsoever getting my daughter to the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley this morning. What’s up with that? ‘The Powers That Be’ allow a health hazard to exist at Wildwood but they are ever so super-conservative about calling off school for a tiny snow dusting?"
A tiny snow dusting? A TINY SNOW DUSTING??? Well, if Larry had no problem, then damn the people in Shutesbury and elsewhere, where there were trees down, power lines down, etc. Thank goodness we have co-superintendents who can look at the big picture... beyond their own neighborhood. I think it would have been quite a mistake to have the buses trying to navigate the downed wires and trees in the hilltowns. Anybody agree? Time for big Larry to apologize? I'll answer that one. Yes.
Actually Amherst like Hadley and Northampton got less than a dusting. And last I looked the Amherst schools are predominantly located in, you know Amherst.
Yes, we have this world famous Regional High School (also located in Amherst) and last I looked Amherst kids made up about 75% of the population.
The co-superintendents (who I believe live in Amherst) could have told the tiny minority of kids from the hilltowns to take the day off (but do your damn homework!)
Back to the water temperature at Wildwood, the Principal has apparently assured the staff at Wildwood that the temperature does not ever decrease below 70 degrees. Imagine a young child coming in from recess and trying to warm his/her hands in 70 degree water. Reassuring??? I don't think so.
Well according to the Massachusetts Department of Education website:
(a) Equipment and Facilities. The school shall provide adequate numbers of toilet areas for students being served, and shall locate and equip toilet areas so as to facilitate maximum self-help by students. The school shall provide toilet and bathing equipment and facilities in accordance with the following provisions:
1.Water Temperature. The school shall provide both hot and cold running water in sinks, tubs, and showers. For preschool and severely disabled students the water temperature shall be no more than one hundred twenty degrees Fahrenheit and no less than one hundred ten degrees Fahrenheit.
I do not know how you, Larry, can keep going. I have just posted a few observations and have found them to be met with defensiveness of the status quo. Apparently it's acceptable for the children and staff of Wildwood to not have warm water. It's okay for the Supers to be on the Cape during the busiest time of school. It's just fine for children with IEP's to not have the legally required ParaProfessionals assigned. It's not worrisome for anyone to have free access to an elementary school while in session. And just this morning, 6:30 to be exact, you call the "school cancellation hotline" and hear the message for Monday the 15th. Definition of "hotline" is ??? I am attempting to find the humor in all of this, but quite honestly it escapes me. Thanks for letting me vent.
Yeah, I just noticed the nitwit on Masslive Amherst Forum comparing swimming pool temperature with indoor plumbing water temperature.
And apparently the Wildwood School Principal issued a letter stating "The system is old and like water in your house the farther away from the source the longer it takes to get warm." And assured the staff that it never gets below 70 degrees (so does that mean they have been taking temperature readings for a while now?).
So the Center for Disease Control and the FDA suggest no lower than 110 degrees Fahrenheit, the Mass Plumbing Code and Department of Education REQUIRE a minimum of 110 and the Secretary of State’s office will investigate any landlord who does NOT provide tenants with at least 110 degree water, but it’s okay for the venerable Amherst Schools to be ‘Above The Law.’
Bully to the Super's of Amherst to put SAFETY before EGO & REPUTATION, concerning this recent snow storm!
Post a Comment