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May 11th 2008

School Kids Become Collateral Damage in Money Wars

By Arthur Boyle, Pembroke

(April 18, 2003) Brian Caseau is one of the rare people in local politics. Brian made a statement based on an emotional issue and subsequently apologized and withdrew the motion. Readers will recall the issue to be rehashed locally for weeks to come as “graduation gate.” The proposal would prohibit Pembroke students currently enrolled and graduating from Silver Lake from participating in the “on field” graduation ceremonies.

This past week, after Caseau had withdrawn his motion and left the meeting due to a family emergency, another brave soul on the regional school committee resurrected the issue after 11:00 PM when the parents and press had gone home. Brave was meant in jest. Nasty is a better word.

In short, the new proposal allows Pembroke students to “graduate” but not participate in graduation activities. This came only after John Creed, the only other school committee member who recognizes we are talking about children and not a hostile corporate takeover, stated to his colleagues that not allowing the students to earn a diploma would be illegal.

Thankfully both John Creed and Brian Caseau have some common sense. Their colleagues are going to make graduation appear as though they handled the school bus issue in a timely and sensible manner. The PR director for the committee, in the form of Geralde Buckley, the Wrong Way Corrigan of public relations says spitefully that it’s regrettable. My question is for whom?

As for Caseau admitting he was wrong. So now must I. At my last meeting as a Silver Lake member, I told my Tri Town colleagues that I “was trusting them with our children.” I too made a mistake by trusting a committee lead by a woman who would have helped Columbus discover Japan.

When all is said and done, the issue is one of money. The children have simply become pawns in the hands of the current committee. How I miss Allison Long, Carol Dodge and so many others who would disagree with me or others and then do what’s best for the children. The right thing is easy to do and the kids never get hurt.

Money. . . Pembroke has paid over $10 million to Silver Lake thus far and is disputing less than 5 per cent of that amount. Why is that important? Because there is a difference between negotiations and blackmail.

As for Supt. Noseworthy and his printed response of “just tell your selectmen to pay the bill.” I ‘m more pleased than ever that we hired Patricia Randall. We could have gotten someone to mishandle the bus incident, cancel the Disney trips and not let the students graduate and on and on and on. And in some instances, the committee members would read the information in the local paper.

The bill will be paid. What is contractually owed that is. We will not allow our students to be put in the middle. {Incidentally as an aside to the SLRSC members, not all the grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc. of Pembroke students live in Pembroke. Some live in your towns and you will undoubtedly hear from them.}

Finally, like Mr. Caseau, I can admit when I’m wrong. I was wrong to trust my child and our children to people who care more about power than they do about children.

(Note: A Pembroke parent had a wonderful suggestion in case the SLRSC actually follows through with Public Relations Disaster II. We’ll hold a ceremony here in Pembroke and invite the Tri Town graduates who will always be welcome as children first.)

Arthur Boyle is a Pembroke Selectman and School Committee member and is the former Chairman of the SLRSC. Boyle has written previous guest pieces for the Kingston Observer. 

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