Only in The Republic of Amherst: A public apology: the backstory

Friday, February 11, 2011

A public apology: the backstory

Amy W February 8 at 12:37pm via Facebook
please remove my name from your blog. it was not intended for your blog. you may use my comments but not my name.

Larry Kelley February 8 1:30 pm via Facebook
Doesn't matter for whom it was intended. It was "published" (with full advance knowledge that it written was for publication) in a VERY public place. Yesterday Ms. Sanderson's blog had more readers than mine.

Amy W February 8 at 1:56pm via Facebook
just please be a decent person and remove my name. you may keep the content. it's a very simple request. thank you.

Larry Kelley February 8 at 2:26pm via Facebook
Maybe you should be a decent person and apologize to Catherine, either on her blog or mine. Preferably hers.

Amy W February 8 at 2:44pm via Facebook
it's not your business if i apologize to her or not. i don't see why you cannot just remove my name. i said you could keep the content. that should be sufficient. or at least remove my last name (you can post amy w.) thank you.

Larry Kelley February 8 at 6:31pm via Facebook
(quoting from Amy W's follow up comment left on Catherine Sanderson's blog): "...if you are a public official and you choose to blog, you end up with all sorts of public comments on your blog. create a problem - suffer the consequences. finally, cathy, today's post made my day!!! thank you for your decision!"

As you said Amy, "create a problem--suffer the consequences".

Amy W February 10 at 7:44pm via Facebook
i apologized on cathy's site. now you can stop having me slandered on yours.

amy w (on Catherine Sanderson's Blog) February 10, 2011 4:35 PM: i wanted to issue an apology for name calling feb 7th on this blog. i was really angry, but in hindsight, it didn't solve anything. i realize now that name calling is not a good role model for our children. my anger was the result of the situation in the school committee and as a concerned parent with a child in the school. i know there are always better ways to channel my anger. i hope people can accept this apology. thank you.; Larry Kelley February 10 at 10:07 pm via Facebook; I removed your name as per your original request

49 comments:

Anonymous said...: Sanderson obviously loves children.

What do they love?; February 11, 2011 at 9:01 PM
Larry Kelley said...: Winning (at any cost); February 11, 2011 at 9:03 PM
Anonymous said...: ouch.; February 11, 2011 at 9:22 PM
Anonymous said...: It's not REALLY much of an apology is it?; February 11, 2011 at 11:35 PM
Anonymous said...: Is a coerced apology an apology?

Will the real Amy Wasserman please stand up?; February 11, 2011 at 11:36 PM
Anonymous said...: "Back-" back-story:

Pelham Principal, teachers and PTO appalled Tuesday night with Pelhamite Amy W.'s over-the-top tirades, decides to offer public apology on MySchoolCommitteeBlog to distance itself from Pelham resident Wasserman.

Pelham SC members calculate political winds and quash the statement.

Way to go, Pelham!; February 12, 2011 at 6:43 AM
Anonymous said...: You post your name, it's there for the entire universe to see, copy, reprint, anything. How stupid is Amy???? And how shallow of Pelham to distance itself from her? She's one of yours!! You own her! Thank goodness!!!!!; February 12, 2011 at 7:43 AM
Anonymous said...: You're such a bully. I really have no words. Maybe you need to soul search and find something positive to do with your life - something that promotes kindness instead of humiliation and hate. Bullying is so last year.; February 12, 2011 at 7:49 AM
Anonymous said...: Wasserman's rants were despicable. And so are the racist ones on a different thread, which Larry is strangely silent on. Why? Is it because he can only feel outrage against those from camps of opinion other than his own? He is a hypocrite of the highest order who is quite happy and even encouraging of the demonizing of those he disagrees with. He is a person with no true moral compass, only an agenda.; February 12, 2011 at 8:56 AM
Anonymous said...: I'm genuinely surprised at Amy Wasserman. I have known her personally and always found her to be pleasant, insightful, and dedicated.; February 12, 2011 at 9:42 AM
Anonymous said...: This was not a good Larry Kelley moment.; February 12, 2011 at 10:45 AM
Pelham 1-2-3 said...: Maybe it was just an off-day for her. I take her apology at face value.

... unless that was you, Larry, posting as Amy, to get closure on the story! ;-); February 12, 2011 at 10:46 AM
Anonymous said...: I think Amy's apology is sincere. She no doubt stands by her opinions, so shouldn't apologize for that. She does apologize for the name-calling behavior she regrets.

I don't see what Larry needs to apologize for. We all know he isn't a gentle, conciliatory guy, but we read his blog anyway. Why? Because it has real local news and opinions that haven't been watered down in the publishing process. It fulfills a real community need, so my thanks to Larry, not complaints.; February 12, 2011 at 1:36 PM
Anonymous said...: I agree. Larry, thank you for providing a place like this. And by the way, Larry has removed stuff from this blog. Most of it he tries to leave as it is, and anyone can post, not post, or if it really offends, don't read it at all. It is completely voluntary to read this you know...those of you who are so thin skinned and can't stand it.; February 12, 2011 at 2:59 PM
Anonymous said...: i've noticed that Larry is still silent about the blatant racism that is emerging throughout his blog. i've concluded that he is either a coward for not confronting it, or racist himself. either one of these confirms suspicions most people have had for awhile.; February 12, 2011 at 5:07 PM
Dale said...: I think this was a very rude awakening for Amy W. For a person that holds a position as a college level educator she needs to learn restraint. It is the elementry knowledge that you should never send a message in memo, letter, or email form when your emotions are peaked, especially angry. She should know this and definitly should have known how unprofessional it is to post something like that on a pubic domain. So long story short I hope we all learned something from her error in judgement and can communicate in a appropriate manner. So stop blaming Larry for the bed she made and decided not to sleep in!; February 12, 2011 at 6:06 PM
Anonymous said...: Larry,

Why are you not covering the eviction of Amherst Typewriter? it's been in the papers and I thought as the local newshound you'd be all over it. Go over there tomorrow and take a picture of the store;s ceiling having fallen in (water leakage from the shabby upkeep by the landlord) and you will have scooped the papers.; February 12, 2011 at 7:32 PM
Anonymous said...: "i've noticed that Larry is still silent about the blatant racism that is emerging throughout his blog. i've concluded that he is either a coward for not confronting it, or racist himself. either one of these confirms suspicions most people have had for awhile."

The notebooks.; February 12, 2011 at 8:20 PM
Anonymous said...: To err human, to forgive divine.; February 12, 2011 at 8:37 PM
Anonymous said...: to the poster who wants the "notebooks":

I'VE got a LOT more info and details on the rodriguez debacle than what's in any notebook that farshid may have. really. i could write a book.

what have you got to offer in exchange?; February 12, 2011 at 11:25 PM
Anonymous said...: p.s.: the details re the rodriguez firing WILL, eventually, come out, and then everyone will see the truth about the guy that cs and sr think is simply the bee's knees.; February 12, 2011 at 11:27 PM
Anonymous said...: for your consideration:

if cs and sr thought so much of rodriguez, then why was the decision (that he must leave IMMEDIATELY) unanimous? i mean, if he was so great, she would have fought to keep him, no? did she compromise and vote with the majority? now that doesn't sound like the cs we know, does it?

but he was forced out by an administration who doesn't like change, right?

this community deserves to know the truth about what happened.; February 12, 2011 at 11:33 PM
Anonymous said...: There must be some reason why Farshid just cannot stop talking. His role in the Rodriguez debacle has not been fully explored.; February 12, 2011 at 11:37 PM
Anonymous said...: My guess is that the notebooks have been incinerated.; February 12, 2011 at 11:39 PM
Anonymous said...: May I remind the audience that Rodriquez resigned. Choosing to resign before his evaluation was made public. There was no unanimous decision by the SC that he must leave. He RESIGNED!!

So, there must have been something in the evaluation that was so damaging that he, A-Rod, did not want it to come out and see the light of day.; February 13, 2011 at 7:04 AM
Anonymous said...: The real question should be was the evaluation damaging because it was real and accurate or was it damaging because it was filled with lies, baseless accusations, and half truths designed to get him to run or have his reputation ruined????? Ahh conspiracies are so entertaining.; February 13, 2011 at 11:40 AM
Anonymous said...: Bingo 10:40.

Bingo.

p.s.

Alberto is just a pleasant phone call away...; February 13, 2011 at 12:09 PM
Anonymous said...: 11:40, not 10:40; February 13, 2011 at 12:10 PM
Anonymous said...: "to the poster who wants the "notebooks":

I'VE got a LOT more info and details on the rodriguez debacle than what's in any notebook that farshid may have. really. i could write a book.

what have you got to offer in exchange?"

You've got ~nothing~.

Now, how about a cookie?; February 13, 2011 at 12:18 PM
Anonymous said...: i've got ~plenty~.

and actually, yes, i would like a cookie.; February 13, 2011 at 1:49 PM
Anonymous said...: What's so funny about peace, love, and understanding?; February 13, 2011 at 9:32 PM
Anonymous said...: When you eventually (and you will) hear the details of what happened with Rodriguez, you're not going to want to have a pleasant phone conversation with him, you're going to want to go take a shower.; February 13, 2011 at 10:08 PM
Anonymous said...: Rich Morse wants to treat your 16 year old son like an adult.; February 13, 2011 at 10:23 PM
Anonymous said...: Yeah, when my daughter hits high school, if morse says he wants to treat her like an adult... him and me are gonna have a b-i-i-i-g problem.; February 13, 2011 at 11:05 PM
Anonymous said...: what?; February 14, 2011 at 12:39 AM
Anonymous said...: who, me?; February 14, 2011 at 12:42 AM
Anonymous said...: Larry is a hater. Always has been. Always will be.

He is a bitter man, not sure what caused it but we could have some real fun speculating why.

What would Freud say. Larry must be in teh Freud camp, being such a dick and all.

Is it a mother thing, Larry?; February 14, 2011 at 7:41 AM
Anonymous said...: Larry,

Did you get your camera over to Amherst Typewriter to cover how the ceiling fell in this weekend due to landlord neglect? I'd think you'd want to cover the story of a small business struggling to survive.; February 14, 2011 at 8:25 AM
fine.metal.art said...: 7:41

it takes 5 generations in Amherst to end up like Larry

have mercy on his pityful soul

'bach; February 14, 2011 at 9:47 AM
Anonymous said...: "When you eventually (and you will) hear the details of what happened with Rodriguez, you're not going to want to have a pleasant phone conversation with him, you're going to want to go take a shower."

LOL.

Karl Rove, is that you?; February 14, 2011 at 10:20 AM
Anonymous said...: Amherst, its politics and its people have largely become caricatures of model citizens. I'm sorry, but I don't feel that my children can get a quality education with such insincere, hostile, and adversarial community. I will be pulling them out at the end of this school year and sending them to a private school.; February 14, 2011 at 10:21 AM
Anonymous said...: Ditto! I'm investigating different schools now. I was very surprised to see how many parents are now considering this option. Sad days in Amherst when they can't get their heads out of the sand to long enough to educate the children.; February 14, 2011 at 12:25 PM
Anonymous said...: It's a sad day in Amherst, indeed, when so many parents have their heads in the sand they can't see what excellent schools Amherst really has. I'm glad so many kids are leaving - means smaller classes for my kids. And parents who are really committed to the schools.; February 14, 2011 at 12:43 PM
Ed said...: Team Maria made the same mistake that GOPRIDE did at CPAC -- they only half read Machiavelli and like little children playing with matches, they managed to touch off an inferno that is way beyond the ability of anyone to extinguish.

On the national level, I'll give gay marriage another 3 years before it is criminalized on a Federal basis because of what those idiots did. And on the local level, I will give the current school establishment about as long because of what these idiots did to Catherine.

It is effective to attack people personally and to destroy their reputations if not lives -- it also is stupid because you will inevitably get the attention of more powerful people who are more upset with your methods than your message.

Ed; February 14, 2011 at 1:21 PM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; February 14, 2011 at 2:53 PM
Anonymous said...: "It is effective to attack people personally and to destroy their reputations if not lives -- it also is stupid because you will inevitably get the attention of more powerful people who are more upset with your methods than your message."

This is exactly what Sanderson did. It was her methods that pissed people off. She's a bull in a china shop. When are you going to get that?

Go ahead and leave the schools. One fewer whiny parent who thinks the world revolves around only her kid.

Best of luck finding another public school district as strong as ARPS; February 14, 2011 at 2:53 PM
Anonymous said...: Northampton is much stronger than ARPS by just about any measure.

Name a single person Sanderson called out or insulted.

And, frankly, any teacher who lobbied for the override and threatened kids with no letters for college admissions (and there are serious reports of such behavior) should be fired.

ARPS is nothing more than a system run for and by the teachers.; February 14, 2011 at 3:41 PM
Anonymous said...: Amazing. You state an opinion and are called a whiny parent. That's civil discourse in Amherst. It also bolsters my argument to remove my children from the Amherst schools.; February 14, 2011 at 8:26 PM
Anonymous said...: anon 8:26:

i sympathize with your frustration. but try to keep in mind: the uncivil discourse that occurs in this town is the work of a tiny, tiny minority of people who seem to just have to keep yapping. i'll bet it's like 10 people.

also, re the anons doing the name-calling (whiny): take a peek at who logs onto this blog. as far as we know, those posters are from ohio or florida, with nothing better to do with their time.

northampton has great schools. amherst has great schools. put your kids where you feel comfortable.

personally, i see bright days ahead!; February 15, 2011 at 12:31 AM