Education is the ultimate purpose of a school system, but schools do lots of other things, too. “Education” can become a euphemism for less attractive aspects of the institutions. Boston Public Schools reform is heading in the right direction, in large part because such groups as QUEST and such officials as state Rep. Russell...
Opinion
Editorial: Neighborhood, or government, councils?
The moral support provided to the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council’s controversial lawsuit by former Mayor Ray Flynn, the man who created the neighborhood councils, is striking. But it also shows the double-edged sword that the court case may become. Flynn supports the JPNC’s right to sue the City if it seems to be “ignored.”...
Letter: Time for JP to work together on Casey Arborway plan
The decision to adopt and develop the Casey Arborway “at-grade” design was made by MassDOT a year ago (March 8, 2012). Since then, there have been at least four public meetings as well as a number of advisory group and other meetings regarding its implementation. The focus of these meetings was informational and included solicitation of...
Letter: Shea Circle should be preserved
MassDOT’s Casey Arborway plan to bring a six-lane, Melnea Cass-type highway to Forest Hills will entail the destruction of Shea Circle, the planted roundabout that has been part of the Emerald Necklace for almost 100 years. For admirers of Boston’s park system, Shea Circle visually integrates Franklin Park with the grounds of Forest Hills...
Letter: JP is a good, kind community
Last week, my fiance (known to many in JP as “Chris the Painter”) found a wallet on Centre Street. Recognizing the address on the license as that of a previous job site, he contacted his client, who lives in the building, to update the owner and was able to return the wallet the next...
Letter: Casey Arborway will be a uniter, not a divider
The following is an excerpt of a letter sent to local elected officials and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation regarding the Casey Arborway design set to replace the Casey Overpass in Forest Hills: We look forward to this section of the Arborway becoming a common ground—a uniter, not a divider, physically and metaphorically—for all...
Letter: Mission Hill School should regain citywide status
A version of this letter was sent to Boston Public Schools officials, Mayor Thomas Menino and the Boston City Council: We are writing to express our deep concern about the impact of the proposed school assignment plans on the Mission Hill School (MHS) specifically. In summary, MHS is a phenomenal, unique, internationally recognized school....
Editorial: Doctor’s orders at Martha Eliot
The opaque, top-down decision-making at Martha Eliot Health Center that is kicking out 5,000 adult patients and putting future service details up in the air has left the neighborhood speculating about what is really going on. The Gazette was among those left guessing, and last month, we guessed wrong in this space when we...
Editorial: A race we all win
It is great news that City Councilor John Connolly will run for mayor. Whether incumbent Mayor Thomas Menino runs again or comments from some other prominent role in civil life, this competition of ideas guarantees a serious discussion of Boston’s present and future. The highly competitive mayoral race in 2009 was one of the...
Letter: Brigham and Women’s had no role in health center change
As a clarification to your Feb. 15 editorial (“Health center changes a sick idea”) regarding the closure of the adult primary care services at the Martha Eliot Health Center (MEHC), the decision to end patient care for adults at MEHC was made solely by Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH), which owns and operates MEHC. It...