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2013OCTOBER 24State reviewed complaints about history curriculum, found no problemsby Gail SpectorAccording to this letter, the Mass. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education investigated and then dismissed claims from a Newton resident Kerry Hurwitz about NPS 9th and 10th grade history curriculum review process and instructional materials for the same.The letter doesnt spell out the nature of the curriculum but it refers to 603 CMR 26.05(2), which states generalizations, lacking intellectual merit, on the basis of race, color sex, gender identity, religion, national origin or sexual origin

Hurwitz has been very outspoken about what she sees as propaganda in Newtons curriculum (Im sure shell correct me if Im mischaracterizing or oversimplifying her position) as well as other controversial issues that Im choosing not to link to here. If Hurwitz is not involved in opennewtonschools.org, she certainly supports its objectives.

Included in the letter, the DESE specialist states:

The complainant has responded with numerous concerns challenging the efficacy and outcomes of the curriculum review and material selection process. However, the subjective determination of the extent of the effectiveness of the Districts curriculum review process is not sufficient for the Department to conclude that the District failed to comply with the requirements of 603 CMR 26.05(2).

It goes on to say

Based on the information gathered, my inquiries indicate that no violation of education law, regulation or policy has occurred with regard to the specific concern(s) you have raised.I guess if you hit a roadblock with the DESE, the next step is to take out ads in a bunch of newspaper.

121 COMMENTSLisap PERMALINK

October 24, 2013

Thanks for sharing the link, Gail, and great sleuthing! I will say though that I do wish her childs name had been deleted from this document before it was made public.Charles Jacobs PERMALINK

October 24, 2013

Im confused. Did Mass. DOE conclude that students should learn that US Astronaut Neil Armstrong converted to Islam, that Jews kill Arab women in Israeli jails, that Christian students should accept Islam as revealed scripture, that feminism is a sin, that Fundamental Judaism is the reason Israelis are in the West Bank, that Muslims discovered the New World? Etc.

Under the guise of global understanding, we Westerners are the problem and all other cultures are to be treated uncritically. This is PC gone curricular. No?

Barry Cohen PERMALINK

October 24, 2013

The letter is pretty unclear as to what it considers would be a problem. Sometimes things that are objectionable seem right if you have certain biases.

Lisap, while you are obviously intelligent and often I agree with your positions, at the time of this controversy, in a sort of objection to things you said, I explained to you that when, given all the atrocities committed throughout the world, one chooses to hold a microscope up to Israel and find some things that may be in fact unjust and focus on them, this is anti-Semitism.

Christians are being abused throughout the Islamic world and that part of the world is become Christian-free. For the same reasons, its alread Jew-free. Now the Moslems are moving into the liberal democratic west, with our blessings, and using our freedoms to inject their lies into our society, and we are stupid enough to let it happen.

At the same time, a segment of Moslem society is committing atrocious terrorist acts throughout the world, and while the ones doing it may be in the minority, the majority is supporting it either directly with money or indirectly with moral support, often in the form of world-wide demonstrations, like the ones that permeated the world after 9/11 in support of that act, or after some rumor started that a Koran was mistreated at Guantanamo, or that some American had produced and anti-Islamic film, or that some cartoonist had disrespected Mohammed.

Now, if this is what you or anyone wants to facilitate by naivete and ignorance, youll look back on these times, when you could have stopped it, when you are being required to wear a headscarf if you are a woman or sport a beard if you are a man. It wont happen tomorrow, but it will happen, if you dont keep your eyes open and act.

Lisap PERMALINK

October 24, 2013

Well, from the letter written by the DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education), the investigation conducted under the Code of Massachusetts Regulations Section 603 CMR 26.05(2) found no violation of education law, regulation or policy has occurred with regard to the specific concerns . . . raised. Of course, its hard to know exactly what was alleged without access to the original documents sent to the DESE.

Lisap PERMALINK

October 24, 2013

Sorry Barry I didnt see your post before I posted. I want to say that Ive given a lot of thought to your comment about holding up a microscope and Ive come to agree with you. On this subject though, having dealt with the DESE on several occasions, and having researched their jurisdiction and what they do in terms of quality control, it surprises me not the least that they dont engage in any in depth curriculum review in addressing this complaint. The state provides standards and curriculum frameworks but how that is implemented as curriculum is really up to the districts. Their review is very strictly confined to what is set out in the CMRs described as demeaning generalizations, lacking intellectual merit and so forth.


October 24, 2013

Thanks, Lisap,

So you see, by the same token, while it may be possible to find some Israeli police or soldiers or prison guards who may be too rough with prisoners, if one makes a point of criticizing Israel about this in a school curriculum that is discussing Islam and doesnt talk about all the horrendous thinks done by followers of Islam, in the name of Islam, to totally innocent people, then one is being extremely biased. So, while a committee may be convinced that what was covered was not false or very false, its the exaggeration of the seriousness of the accusations, together with omission of a host of other things, that is the problem here.

Joanne PERMALINK

October 24, 2013

Gail-why did you publish this letter with a minors name on it? I would have to believe this letter with the minors name on it was given to you by either the NPS, a school committee member or the DOE-either way it is unethical and a violation of privacy laws.Janet Sterman PERMALINK

October 24, 2013

Perhaps because it wasnt her kids name me on it?

Gail Spector PERMALINK

October 24, 2013

Joanne Its a public document. It was neither unethical nor a violation of privacy laws for me to publish it.

Lisap PERMALINK

October 25, 2013

Gail,

Hold on a second there student records are exempt from disclosure under the public records law. This document references a complaint about educational services provided to a specific student expressly named in this document. The DESE has jurisdiction to investigate complaints about students educational rights and the legal requirements for education. They do not accept complaints from third parties pertaining to a specific student without the consent of the parent because, as stated by DESE, Federal and state laws require the Department and school districts to keep education records about students confidential unless the students parent has given permission (also known as consent) to let someone else have access to them. Federal law defines education records as meaning those records that are:

(1) Directly related to a student; and

(2) Maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a party acting for the agency or institution.

Also, according to DESEs summary of laws and regulations pertaining to student records: The regulations apply to all information kept by a school or school district on a student in a way that the student may be individually identified.Im not as confident as you are that this qualifies as a public record and not a student record. I may be wrong but I dont think its clear cut.Joanne PERMALINK

October 25, 2013

Lisa P I agree with you . It did not seem right to me either. And assuming that the Parent did not release this letter to Gail it would either have been the Superintendent or the Asst Superintendent who were cced on the letter. So wouldnt that mean that they violated the law by giving this letter to Gail/Village 14 blog??Lisap PERMALINK

October 25, 2013

Joanne,

Well, theres a big Received stamp on the document. The lettering on the rest of the stamp is somewhat difficult to make out, but it appears that there are the right number of words and letters to say Newton Public Schools and then Superintendents Office beneath that. Perhaps Gail can clarify what the stamp actually says.

Joanne PERMALINK

October 25, 2013

I would hope that the Superintendent of the Newton Public Schools is not giving out confidential and private correspondance that relates to a student enrolled in the NPS. That would clearly violate Federal Privacy Laws. The document clearly lists the Parent and Students name.

Paul M Jones PERMALINK

October 25, 2013

Can anyone point me in the direction of the offending materials?

Joanne PERMALINK

October 25, 2013

If you look at the Blog Posting it is under According to this letter- if you click on this letter you will find the letter that was sent to a parent, lists her daughters name and was cced to the Superintendent and Asst Superintendent. Lisap PERMALINK

October 25, 2013

@Paul,

Go up to the beginning of Gails post and click on where it says this letter. The words are in blue and theres a hyper-link right there that will automatically take you to the document.

Lisap PERMALINK

October 25, 2013

@Joanne cross post! :)

Kerry Hurwitz PERMALINK

October 25, 2013

This is Kerry, Id like to clarify a few things. First, Id like to know how Gail obtained the letter. I try to keep my name and certainly my childrens names out of the limelight as my family was previously threatened by an online stalker due to my pro-Israel views. The incident required police involvement and I was told not to allow my name to appear publicly with respect to pro-Israel activities. So thanks, Gail, for endangering my children.

If for some reason you havent received my message by the time you read this, I expect the letter to be removed immediately. Its fine to make the content publicly available.

It also would have been nice had you let me know you were publishing an article with my actions as the primary focus. I had no idea that you wrote about this and would never had known had another parent not contacted me about it. Believe it or not, not everyone finds this blog fascinating and there are many people who (gasp!) dont read it. Letting someone know that you are publishing information about them is just ordinary courtesy.

With respect to the complaint, it concerned inaccurate and biased material, anti-Israel material, distributed in some high school history courses. It was not about pro-Muslim bias. The materials cited include portions of the textbooks for both 9th and 10th grade World History classes, the book A Muslim Primer, the film The Hajj, the Arab World Studies Notebook, and the website Flashpoints. The latter two were removed from Newton schools at my behest.

The complaint also stated that students are required to study religion in violation of the 1st Amendment (in one class, students were required to memorize all twelve steps of the Hajj and other detailed religious facts, and the teacher wrote about about Muhammads visit from Angel Gabriel and conversations with Allah as if they were established facts), that the NPS refused to allow parents to view the curriculum without resorting to expensive and burdensome public records request, that administrators refused to speak with parents about their concerns (we were explicitly told that the NPS would refuse to investigate or take any action regarding our concerns, and that if I didnt like it I should find another school), and that the NPS prevents parents from discussing curriculum concerns with teachers (I was told by both the administrators and teachers that I could not do this).

Additional statements included that the NPS unreasonably used school funds, grounds, and teacher time to present an inaccurate and politically charged professional development program taught by an avowed anti-Israel activist (its believed that this is how the Arab World Studies Notebook was introduced to Newton teachers) and that the NPS retaliated against me for bringing this to their attention (I was told that I could not have a parent-teacher conference unless an administrator was present).

The DOE refused to take action on any of these issues except for the issue of potentially biased material. The standard needed to show bias is extremely high, probably the highest of any state. According to the Specialist I spoke with, the DOE can ONLY take action against material that contains simplistic and demeaning generalizations, lacking intellectual merit, on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin or sexual orientation and if activities, discussions, and/or supplementary materials [do not] provide balance and context for any such stereotypes depicted in such materials. Unfortunately we did not have sufficient evidence to meet that standard, and so the complaint was dismissed.

With respect to other items mentioned in the article, I have nothing to do with Open Newton Schools and disagree with their methods. In fact, Charles Jacobs has gone so far as to deny access to material which supported the complaint, and which may have made a difference in the result. So Gail, if you would like to take out several newspaper ads to mimic ONS, go right ahead, you will not be offending me in the slightest.

By the way, Im still waiting for naysayers to tell me why they defend teaching students the false and antisemitic claim that Israelis routinely torture and murder Arab women, why Newton schools use material containing the ridiculous claim that the Catholic church is reconsidering polygamy as a Christian option, and why students are watching a film which tells them that rabbis and priests prevent their congregants from having a personal relationship with God.

We all want whats best for students and to empower teachers to support that belief. I agree that in many respects, Newton schools are truly excellent. However the use, even unwittingly, of biased and inaccurate anti-Israel material is a fact that will not go away. I am not trying to trash the Newton schools (indeed I would be foolish to try, as my children attend these schools along with yours). I am not trying to get teachers in trouble (I have specifically stated that there is no one person to blame, and also pointed out as Superintendent Fleishman has not that the objectionable materials were introduced before he arrived in Newton). All I want is for the schools not to dismiss the situation and speak about it with concerned citizens. It was only after the NPS repeatedly refused to do this, told us explicitly that they would never speak with us, refused to let me discuss the issue with my childs teacher, and retaliated against me for raising the subject that the matter went public.

And just so its known, much of what is claimed in the Tab article linked to above it false. The reporter, Chloe Gotsis, admitted in the the Tabs own blogs that she essentially made up the charge that residents hurled accusations of antisemitism at school officials. What had actually happened, as she admits, is that a Newton resident a Holocaust-era survivor whose entire family was murdered stated that the indoctrination and intimidation she saw reminded her of her childhood in Nazi Germany. Thats all. No yelling, no shouting. Of course, to claim that the above statement is a hurled accusation of antisemitism is ludicrous. But thats what happens when one puts politics above truth. (The editor, who defended the outrageous accusation, promised several times to publish a statement of correction but never did).

I dont have time to write any more; I hope this gives some insight into the realities of the situation.

Day Mom PERMALINK

October 25, 2013

For what its worth, I was told by my history-buff junior that not one item mentioned in the long comment above actually occurred in history class.


October 26, 2013

There are a couple of more (large) inaccuracies in the blog which need correction. My focus is not on propaganda in Newton schools Im not even sure what that means (propaganda from who? in what form? saying what?).

My concerns pertain to inaccuracy and bias in some material used in Newton high school World History classes. (Ive also been informed that there are problems with materials used in the course European History, but I havent looked at those). If you had bothered to take even a quick look at the website of the organization I founded last year, Parents for Excellence in Newton Schools (PENS), http://www.newtonexcellence.org, or to listen to what I said during the two times I spoke at the School Committees public comment session, Gail, you would know this.

By the way, these are the ONLY times I have ever spoken publicly about this issue. I did not say anything about propaganda in either instance and the PENS website does not mention propaganda either. So where did you get the completely false idea that my activities are aimed at uncovering some mysterious type propaganda? The only thing I can think of is that you just made it up. Im sure you will tell me if you dont agree.

Id also like to know what other controversial issues I am involved with, as Im not aware of any.

With respect to Open Newton Schools, I am not just saying I am not involved with them, I am not involved with them at all. Im sure Charles Jacobs will confirm this.

Again, I would appreciate your taking down inaccuracies about me. I do appreciate that you removed the letter with my childs name on it.

The fact is that some materials used in high school history courses are inappropriate for student or any other use. This has been confirmed by the fact that the Arab World Studies Notebook, which has the distinction of being exorcised by both left-wing AND right-wing groups, was removed from the schools. (Other districts in Alaska and Oklahoma have done the same). The Newton North library also confirmed that the website Flashpoints should not have been on a list of recommended resources (the library explained that the website had changed hands since the list of made), and were actually appreciative that I pointed it out to them.

Unfortunately, other inappropriate material remains. Here is a short list from only two classes we looked at:

1. A section of the book A Muslim Primer distributed to Newton states that the Catholic church is reconsidering polygamy as a Christian option. Elsewhere in that section, entitled The Status of Women:, a lenghy discussion of the status of females under Islamic law completely omits that such law allows girls to be married at the age of nine, and never mentions that some version of this law is in effect in many Islamic nations, which either allows girls to marry at age fifteen or younger or have no age limit at all.

The section also states without citation that two-thirds of all women in pre-islamic Arabia were slaves and that females were scantily attired and often topless. These claims have no support from archeological research and rejected by most historians.

Elsewhere, the book cites approvingly a book which claims that the late astronaut Neal Armstrong had converted to Islam but prevented from revealing his new identity by government agents and describes Irans Ayatollah Khomeini only as a brilliant Shiite theologian.

The book misstates population figures by 300%, incorrectly reporting that Muslims are vastly more numerous than is the case.

2. The film The Hajj also inflates population figures in a similar manner and tells students that role played by rabbis and priests prevents congregants from speaking directly with God.3. An outline of the Arab-Israeli conflict is not only ten years old but was also created under the supervision of an avowedly anti-Israel activist. Its numerous inaccuracies and omissions include the omission that Jews were the majority religion in Jerusalem for the past 150 years and an instance where the outlines writer unabashedly changes the meaning of a U.N. Resolution.

There are numerous other problems with materials, the above is only a small sample.

With respect to DayMoms report that her son was not aware of biased material in his class, please remember that not all classes contained the objectionable. The fact that your son may have had a good experience in history class does not mean that others will also have a good experience. You might remember as well that 16-year olds do not have the knowledge to critique the very material they are studying.

Joanne PERMALINK

October 26, 2013

Actually Kerry your letter is still there on the link and still contains your daughters name.

Day Mom PERMALINK

October 26, 2013

Yes, Kerrys childs name is still on the linked document. Village14 editors, please replace the letter with a copy with the childs name redacted. It is the right thing to do.

Kerry, I agree that different classes have different discussions, and that what occurred in my childs class could well have been different from what occurred in your childs class. With respect to my child -I did not specify son or daughter I can assure you that s/he has pointed out my own political biases quite correctly. ;-)

A couple if questions : (1) you mention that the book A Muslim Primer was distributed to Newton. Are you saying this was distributed to Newton schoolchildren? If so, can you specify when and where and roughly how many? (2) Do you know when, and in how many different classes, the film the Hajj was shown, and also how it was used as a basis for discussion?

Joanne PERMALINK

October 26, 2013

I am not a lawyer however looking at the regulations surrounding this issue it seems to me that you are in your rights to file a complaint with the NPS and the DESE for the unauthorized release of that letter as your childs record is supposed to be held in confidence because of privacy laws. The NPS could face sanctions of federal funds for having released this letter. That and the fact that the Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent is in violation of privacy laws for giving this letter to the Village 14 Blog.

Geoff Epstein PERMALINKOctober 26, 2013

Just a note in all of this ruckus which is nonetheless very serious.

A copy of the letter linked at the top of this thread was sent to SC members in confidence on Thursday, October 24. The confidentiality proviso in the communication was the standard one.

Notice of Confidentiality: This transmission is intended for the addressee(s) listed above and may contain information that is confidential and private. If you are not the addressee(s), any use, disclosure, copying or communication of the contents of this transmission is prohibited. If this communication was received in error, contact me immediately at 617-559-6100. Thank you for your cooperation.

Transmission of this letter to Village 14 is a breech of confidentiality and appears to implicate at least one School Committee member.

I suggest that Village 14 contact David Fleishman and let him know the source of the letter so he can bring that back to the School Committee and it can be dealt with.Under no circumstances, should a students name or that of their parent who filed a complaint be released to the media by a sitting School Committee member.Joanne PERMALINK

October 26, 2013

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as the Buckley

Amendment, is a four-part act that gives parents and students who have reached the age of

majority the right to review and inspect school records. Part one of the Buckley Amendment

states that school districts receiving federal funds must comply with FERPA or risk losing their funding. Part two states that schools must receive parental consent before evaluating or admitting students in school programs that would change their values or behavior. Part three addresses federal funding and denies such funds to schools that do not restrict unauthorized access to student information and protect the privacy of their records. Finally, part four protects children who are being used to gather data for federal surveys (FERPA, 1974).

FERPA applies to all educational records that are defined as any personally identifiable record collected, maintained, or used by a school that the student has attended. Personal logs, treatment records, and directory information, however, are exceptions to the above act. The above mentioned are excluded for the following reasons: Personal logs are records of instructional, supervisory, administrative, and associated educational personnel that are the sole possession of the individual and have not been shared with any other peer or

professional. Treatment records are records of a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other

recognized professional acting in his or her role as a professional and used only in connection with the treatment of the student. Directory information are records that include the students demographic information, grade or field of study, participation in extracurricular activities, physical descriptions, and dates of attendance (FERPA, 1974; Underwood & Mead, 1995).

School records may not be released without the consent of the parents and written consent

must be obtained for special education students. Schools must inform the parents before a

disclosure of student information. (See table, Consent Exceptions.) Additionally, Parents have the right to challenge the information contained in the records if they believe it to be inaccurate or misleading. The school must provide an opportunity for a hearing if they disagree or refuse to alter the record. Amendments to the FERPA regulations (1974) were made in response to the passage of the Improving Americas School Act (1994). The following is a summary of these changes. First, the new changes give educational agencies greater flexibility by removing a previous regulatory provision requiring schools to adopt a formal, written, student-records policy.

Instead, the school may include additional information in the annual notification of rights. A

model notification is included in the appendix of the regulations. Second, state educational

agencies must afford parents and eligible students access to education records that they

maintain. Third, the amendments clarify that an educational agency or institution initiating

legal action against a parent or eligible student must make a reasonable effort to notify, in

advance, the parent or student of its intent to disclose the information from education records to a court of law. Fourth, FERPA was amended so that a school is not required to notify a parent or eligible student before complying with certain subpoenas if the court has ordered notification not be made. Fifth, FERPA was amended to allow disclosures of education records, without prior consent, to certain state and local officials, pursuant to a State statute that allows the disclosure in connection with a juvenile justice system. Sixth, the amendments clarify that an educational agency may include information in a students education records concerning disciplinary action taken against a student for conduct that posed a significant risk to that student or other members of the school community. Seventh, in connection with the previous amendment, clarification was made that an educational agency may disclose information without prior consent to those who have legitimate educational interests in the behavior of the student.

Eighth, if a third party discloses information in violation of FERPA, that agency is prohibited from accessing education records for a period of not less than 5 years. Finally, the amendments clarify that a person filling a complaint under FERPA must have legal standing, that is must be a parent of an eligible student affected by the violation (AACRAO Government Relations, 1999).


October 26, 2013

Note to all: The students name and address have been redacted from the letter.

lisap PERMALINK

October 26, 2013

Gail, regrettably I think that is too little too late.

@Geoff Epstein, thank you for your very candid comments. This is a truly deplorable situation. It is patently obvious from the received stamp that the source of this document was one of two parties: NPS or the parent. It is absolutely chilling to know that there is so little regard in this district for student privacy, and that a document such as this may be shared with the local press and become fodder for our local blogs. This is deeply shameful and smacks of retaliation. Reasonable adults may differ as to issues but to bring a child into a public dispute such as this is shameful and unconscionable.Joanne PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

The damage has already been done. Three days later is a little too late. Whoever gave this letter to the village blog and the tab violated state and federal laws and if it was as is suspected a sitting school committee member they should be removed from public office immediately. If it was someone from central administration they should be fired. I hope the parent files a formal complaint on Monday. Everyone with Kids in the Newton schools should be calling the Mayors office on Monday asking for a full investigation.


October 27, 2013

Here goes:

A parent filed a complaint with the Department of Secondary and Elementary Education about the curriculum being taught in her daughters history classes. The state took the complaint seriously, investigated, responded to the parent and copied the NPS superintendents office. And you all are focusing on who released the letter? Really? What about the states response, folks?

Regardless, the letter is public. It is not a student record. The parent filed a public complaint. This was not a confidential matter. Imagine the situation reversed. Please stop and think about this for a moment: Would you have preferred that the state determine that the curriculum was, in fact, biased and that our children are being taught that the Holocaust never happened but we never learn about it because the document is private?? School Committee member Geoff Epstein: Would you like to go on the record saying that you want investigations into our curriculum to be private? Come on! I dont believe the Massachusetts State Publics Records Law states the documents are public only when viewers of said documents agree with them (or when viewers have no other points to prove).

About the disclaimer to which Geoff mentioned, I refer you to this phrase: This transmission is intended for the addressee(s) listed above and may contain information that is confidential and private.

Just wondering, Geoff: Do you often see that disclaimer on email from the superintendents office? It sounds like a standard disclaimer to me. Standard enough that Ive seen it dozens of times on email coming from a wide range of elected officials.

Im not spending the day discussing this. This is among the most ridiculous arguments Ive seen on a Newton blog, and Ive seen many. Id ask you all to think about your agendas.I am stepping off my platform now. Id much rather enjoy this beautiful fall day.

Hoss PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Gail I agree w everything you said (see exception). Elected officials are our eyes and ears with emphasis on OUR thus we should see what they see (outside a closed mtg).

Exception: The Superintendents office should have redacted the students name prior to sending it to elected officials. I didnt see the name until it was brought up the format of the letter template is right aligned except for the name/case number. Perhaps the administrative office didnt see it.

Hoss PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Hmmm Make that left-aligned.

Joanne PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

So Gail have you contacted the Superintendent as requested by Geoff Epstein to let Dr. Fleischman know who breached a students Confidentiality? This is a violation of State and Federal laws the person that leaked this information needs to resign immediately if found to be someone on the School Committee or if an employee of the NPS fired tomorrow AM. Most likely since this letter was emailed on the 24th to the SC we are lead to believe that it was a member of the SC.

It is amazing to me that you were a former editor of a Newspaper and you should at the very minimum have understood what you did was Beyond wrong. Did you not learn about Privacy Laws in Journalism class or did as we can only suspect your BFF friendship with a SC member out ways violating Privacy Laws? Did you realize that you and whoever leaked this letter have now jeopardized Federal funding to the NPS?Joanne PERMALINK

October 27, 2013Gail the information about what the state found could have been released with the Parents or Childs information.Maybe the Question we should be asking is What is your agenda or what the is the Agenda of the SC member that released it to you?

Greg Reibman PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Im not surprised if Joanne doesnt cant comprehend the states public records laws. But Im distressed hat an elected member of the Newton School Committee doesnt.

Joanne PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

So Greg why dont you enlighten me since I am too stupid to comprehend that Gail Spector posting a letter on line that was in a students record was wrong.

I posted about the Laws The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as the Buckley Amendment- Maybe you can tell me since I obviously need help understanding how that does not apply in this case.

What actually distresses me and I am sure many parents in the Newton Public Schools that either a School Committee Member or an Employee of the Newton Public Schools breached a Students Confidentiality.

lisap PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Gail, when parents complain to the DESE they are required to copy the school district. The district is a necessary party. Procedurally this is not unlike a complaint for a due process hearing under special education law. There it is quintessentially clear that the matter relates to a particular student and, likewise, this complaint addressed a particular individual student. Whether the decision pertains to a matter of public import is of no matter to whether this document is a student record. With all due respect, on the question whether this is a student record, I believe you are flat out wrong on that. This document and this investigation pertained to a particular individual and meets the broad definition of a student record. These documents are not published by the DESE, and they are sent only to the parties involved, and I trust you know that student records are by law not public records. At the moment this reflects extremely badly upon the superintendents office as well as the school committee as a whole and the member who was your source.Hoss PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Joanne The letter disclosed nothing about the student except her relation to a mother that filed a complaint. The only reason for it to be placed in a students record is for easy retrieval.

lisap PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Greg, what do you not comprehend about the concept that student records are excepted from public records law? And, what makes you and Gail experts in what us or is not a student record? Are you relying on some super secret guide only available to you two?

Hoss PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

lisap How is it quintessentially clear that the matter relates to a particular student? A resident objected to school material and the only way to do a formal objection was to reference a student. That speaks nothing about the student.

Look at it this way if I had a grievance about my wifes employer, wouldnt you be distressed is that grievance ended up in her personnel file? The student record is about the student, not the parent.

Ted Hess-Mahan PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Gail, the identity of students in the public schools is protected by federal and state laws and may only be disclosed to third parties under certain very limited circumstances. As an attorney, I have filed complaints in state and federal courts on behalf of students and their parents and in every instance, the name of John Doe or Jane Doe is substituted for a minor students name for that very reason, and in some cases the records themselves are impounded. While the complaint is a public record, the students identity is not. As a parent, I would be horrified if a complaint I filed with DESE/Program Quality Assurance Services on behalf of my minor child regarding the quality of educational services provided to him/her were publicly disclosed without my permission.

Put yourself in the shoes of the parent whose child may be subjected to ridicule or retaliation because his or her name has been publicly disclosed in connection with this issue. For that matter, put yourself in that childs position. How many of us would want ourselves or our children to be involuntarily subjected to such notoriety on this or any other controversial issue?

The merits of the complaint aside, I think you are dead wrong on this one, and so is the person(s) who disclosed the letter to you without the parents permission, on moral if not legal grounds. You should both apologize to Kerry Hurwitz and her son/daughter.Joanne PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Thanks Ted. Can you kindly bring this forward to the Mayor and Superintendent to investigate this matter fully? This breach of confidentiality either had to come from the Superintendents office, Assistant Superintendents office or a SC member in any event none of them had the right to send this to Gail Spector or to anyone for that matter. Whose childs record will be breached next?

lisap PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

@Hoss, yes the student record pertains to the student and not the parent, but the parent acts on the students behalf to complain about the program her own child is receiving from the school district. The parent cannot complain on behalf of all children in the district. The district is given an opportunity to respond to the parents claim that her child is not receiving the legally mandated education she is due. The DESE then responds and makes a determination whether the district has violated the legal rights of the particular student.

Geoff Epstein PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Ted has this exactly correct. The key point is disclosure of the student name.

I am sure that if the SC member involved here had checked with the Superintendent before passing this on, the student name would have been redacted at the very least.

I have no problem with us knowing what complaints have been filed and the outcomes, but everyone should have a real problem with releasing student information.

The correct protocol here would have been for the SC member to request from the Superintendent that a copy of the document be prepared for public consumption.

Then the Superintendent would have had the redaction done, forwarded the adjusted document to the SC member, then it would have gone to Village 14 and that would have been fine.

Whenever, I get a transmission from the Superintendent, it has the standard confidentiality footer and I pay special attention to the content if there might be a need to forward the communication.

We cannot be casual about this and every SC member owes it to our community to be very careful with private information.

I would not be surprised if David Fleishman does a bit of checking here and does some SC knuckle rapping.

It is possible that the disclosure of the student name could result in a law suit.Its just plain avoidable with some common sense and responsible behavior!

Charles Jacobs PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

It sounds here as if the State Dept. of Secondary Education actually investigated what was in our ad and concluded that there were no legal or policy problems. But its more likely that the State educational bureaucracy did exactly what the Newton School Committee is doing: circle the wagons and dig in deeper.

What sort of investigation could the State have done if it failed to discover the Saudi-Harvard-Newton connection?

Or are we to believe that the State Ed. bureaucrats think it was fine for Newton teachers to accept and bring into the classroom hateful, Saudi-funded anti-Semitic materials obtained from a program at Harvard that was run by Paul Beran, an anti-Israel activist? Heres what happened:

Beran, the director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies Outreach Center has a history of well-documented anti-Israel bias, and advocates for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. At the 2005 conference at Harvard University Beran promoted constructing long-term networks of broad based support for action [BDS] and bragged about partnering with the radical anti-Israel group Jewish Voices For Peace (JVP), an organization that the ADL names as one of the top 10 anti-Israel groups in the country.

Newton teachers were innocent victims here.

Not so, Superintendent Fleischman, who tried and is still trying to cover up the scandal. Fleischman finally responded to our complaints by characterizing the most obvious and hurtful lie contained in the Saudi material, viz., that Jews in Israel kill Arab women in jails, as clearly marked bias in a lesson designed to teach critical thinking. This is preposterous on its face: Such a charge against the Jews can only honestly be represented as a lie, purposely spewed to do harm to Jewish people. It is NOT simply a biased point of view. If Palestinians actually thought it were true, surely that believe would have found outlets in the New York Times, CNN, etc. Its not truly a belief, as Fleichman contends. Its a lie.

Teachers could legitimately use that material only in a context of showing what hate propaganda against Jews looks like, and how it can be embedded in the classrooms of innocent teachers and children.

Further, are we now to believe that the Mass Department of Secondary Education deems it unobjectionable that public school students in Newton learn that the New World was discovered by Muslims, that American Astronauts converted to Islam but were told by NASA to keep it quiet, and that Christian students should accept Islamic texts as revealed?

This is inconceivable. So let us all stop considering that State Report as evidence that in any way should diminish the concerns we raised in the ads.


October 27, 2013

Nice backpeddling Geoff. I like how this has gone from being a discussion about whether this is a public record to being a discussion about how the public record should have been edited before it was released to the public.

@Ted: If the identity of students in the public schools is protected by federal and state laws and may only be disclosed to third parties under certain very limited circumstances, why was the Newton TAB able to obtain under FERPA from the Newton Public Schools a database of all students with their addresses and phone numbers (disclaimer: I think phone numbers were on there but I wouldnt swear to it).

@Lisap: Journalists Greg and myself included attend a lot of seminars on public records law. Chrissie Long, a stellar TAB reporter who may predate your interest in Newton issues (I mean no offense, I just dont remember your name from back then), learned a lot about student records and what was and was not public, and she brought that knowledge back to the newsroom. Thats where the FERPA request came from.lisap PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Gail, the law is constantly changing and being interpreted. Surely you know that. Relying on second hand info from a reporter you worked with some years ago? Highly unreliable source. With all due respect, this is a student record which ought never to have been released to you.

Charles, the Program Quality Assurance division tends to deal mostly with compliance with state regulations. Thus review of curricular matters is exceedingly narrow. They review whether the district complies with requirements that all IEPs be signed, whether the district obtains parent signatures at team meetings when a teacher seeks to be excused, etc. These matters generally relate to procedural protections and not substantively on the quality of the programming. To the extent the materials are reviewed, it is in a very limited context.


October 27, 2013

I wonder how we know for certain that a School Committee member released this letter? (And I ask that with no knowledge of where it came from.)

More importantly, lets acknowledge that releasing this information was a great public service (even if it was a mistake to release the name).

Joanne PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

So Greg it was either the Superintendent or Asst Superintendent that were cced on the letter, a NPS staff person working in their office, an employee of the DESE or since we know based on what Geoff Epstein blogged all SC member received the letter on the 24th. It could have also been the Mother. Those should have been the only people that had access to this confidential letter.If I was a betting person I would bet that it was a SC member that is BFF with Gail Spector that released the letter to her to help balance the Ads that were talking about the History Curriculum in the NPS.

The fact that you think violating laws to post this letter was a great public service is very sad indeed.

lisap PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Greg, the fact that the letter has a big fact received and what looks like Newton Public Schools and Superintendents Office narrows the field quite a bit. The document was received last month. The day after these ads appeared the Sup emailed this to the school committee and within 24 hours it was on your blog. Elementary my dear Watson, circumstantial but elementary.fignewtonville PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Gail/Greg: Regardless of whether it was required to be redacted or not, I agree with the others that it should not have been included. I dont think there was bad intent on your part, and I think the public filing makes this outside of the rules mentioned by Ted, but it was unnecessary and could have easily been fixed with a little black marker. The name added nothing to the story.

This is a volunteer blog and I dont hold you to the standards of the Tab or the Globe. But it did strike me as unfair to the student.

And Greg, the disclosure does distract from the letter, so on that basis alone a mistake was made.

Hoss PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

lisap The SC consists of a Superintendent and a Mayor so I take it they are each suspects? From my take, if an elected official sent it good on them. We are beyond the old days where we got no information, not for sake of privacy but because everyone rallied around City Hall.

Ted Hess-Mahan PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Gail, the Mass. regs. allow limited third party disclosure of certain information

A school may release the following directory information: a students name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, weight and height of members of athletic teams, class, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, degrees, honors and awards, and post-high school plans without the consent of the eligible student or parent; provided that the school gives public notice of the types of information it may release under 603 CMR 23.07 and allows eligible students and parents a reasonable time after such notice to request that this information not be released without the prior consent of the eligible student or parent.

So general information may be disclosed, but, significantly, parents are still given an opportunity to opt out. That is NOT the same as releasing identifying info about a student and a specific complaint about educational services provided to THAT student. If I file a complaint on behalf of my son or daughter because the schools are violating state or federal special education law or other educational laws, that is no one elses business but my familys. I am astonished you do not know the difference.

Ironically, NPS imposes gag orders on parents of special needs students as part of settlements regarding special education services and placements provided. Apparently it is alright for the schools to keep some things private and not others. What was done here to Kerry Hurwitz and her son or daughter was not right.Geoff Epstein PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Again Ted has it exactly correct.


October 27, 2013

Why did the mayor (Cohen), the superintendent (Jeff whatever) and the School Committee at the time decide that there was no basis to reveal what happened after the NNHS principal Jennifer Price harassed, with the help of the Newton police, that black kid who wasnt even a student, but an ex-student, at a NNHS football game. That was covered up pretty quickly. What they want to release they release. What will embarrass them, they conceal.


October 27, 2013

Gail,

Did the document you posted come from a School Committee member or a member of the NPS administration or staff?


October 27, 2013

Barry, when you get a chance can you drop me a line at [email protected]? (Its a forwarding address and doesnt reveal my IP or another personal information). Thanks.

Greer Tan Swiston PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Sharing the findings was a service. Citing peoples names and addresses especially that of a child was wrong.Raising a hoopla on this discussion list until that wrong was corrected has also been a public service.

I dont know how one can fix such a breach of privacy. It seems an ongoing tension between private citizens and media. While media tries to push the boundaries of privacy, it requires the people to push back. In this case, I side with those who feel Kerry Hurwitz and her child were wronged and outed unnecessarily. It would NOT have diluted the impact of the letter or the findings to have kept that information out.

Further discussion on the issues around our schools History curriculum would also be a service. Thank you for bringing these findings to our attention and into the whole conversation.

Ruth PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

The original letter including the name and address is still visible on scribd.


October 27, 2013

Ruth Its been removed.Sallee Lipshutz PERMALINK

October 27, 2013

Were I a moderator on this blog, I would immediately (and I mean this minute) redact all mention of the parents and childs name, instead of perpetuating the abuse that has already occurred to that particular familys right to privacy. I would not remove the references to the content and would hope that the direction of the discussion of the 16 people who have participated before me in their 59 comments would return to the content and context of the posting.

fignewtonville PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

One final point here for me on this topic.

This is a volunteer blog. As far as I know Gail and Greg and others make no money on this blog. And I really have enjoyed posting over the years, and hope to keep posting here for years to come. Folks should keep the nature of the blog in context. This is not the Tab blog. Same folks, but vastly different in my view.


October 28, 2013

Gail,

Gail, you did not completely retract the letter as I requested and also posted it on Scribd. You didnt take down the Scribd letter until you were told to do so. You never even bothered to inform me that you had written about me, and of course you would never inform me that you had posted private, legally protected information about my child on your blog and on Scribd.

Had it not been for the actions of another parent who contacted me, I would never have known about any of this.

You obviously have no regard for my familys privacy or safety, and am sure you have no respect for anyone elses rights as well.

You no longer have my permission to use any part of the letter or its contents, and you are to remove it immediately. You are also to remove immediately remove any writing, on any platform, that makes use of what is contained in the letter. That means this blog post and all comments. You are also to refrain from discussing the letter or its contents with anyone.

You are to do this immediately.

You are a real piece of work, Gail. You should be ashamed of yourself, but I have no doubt your massive ego and complete disregard for the effects of your actions on others will allow it. Your behavior and actions are truly sickening.

You must also reveal how you obtained the letter. You have my email address and can let me know in that manner.


October 28, 2013

Id like to thank all the people on this blog who were concerned about my familys privacy and safety, and for the privacy and safety of all students. I very much appreciate your concern.

I also look forward to discussing what should have been the subject of this post the very real issues with some of the material used in high school history courses. Its unfortunate that weve been distracted by the privacy violations committed by Gail (perhaps that was the point). I have a lot to say about the matter and will post later today, under the blog Group launches campaign (Oct. 23rd).

Joanne PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

Actually in reality the Privacy Violations were committed by whoever gave Gail that information. I highly suggest that you get call the NPS superintendent and make sure that your childs information is no longer emailed out. His office needs to figure out who violated the law.

If they dont comply I would highly urge you to get legal counsel.

Janet Sterman PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

Im not surprised if Gail and Greg cant comprehend the value of privacy as they have spent their careers exposing private matters (coupled with their nasty opinions) in trade for advertising dollars. State and federal laws exist to protect the privacy laws of individuals against corporations, public authorities and social lynchings.

Isnt it the role of elected officials to protect their constituencies, not to make an example of their personal agendas and opinions?

Demonizing the complainants is offensive to the very core. Blaming the any member of the Newton School Committee for your actions is about as low as it gets when defending your actions, Gail. Please go and enjoy this beautiful day.


October 28, 2013

Even if Gail herself did not break any laws, there is certainly a cause of action for invasion of privacy against her. Morally, of course, her actions are repugnant but what one would expect from a Tab editor (the Tab being the paper that, when an elderly Holocaust-era survivor said that the intimidation and indoctrination she saw in Newton reminded her of her childhood in pre-Nazi Germany, reported her sentiments as a hurled accusation of antisemitism towards School Committee members. The current Tab editor, Emily Costello, not only defended the reporting, she reneged on repeated promises to issue a correction).

We shouldnt even be having this discussion. Gail, youve been asked to remove this post. Why do you refuse to do so? Are you deliberately trying to put children in harms way?


October 28, 2013

I just read Gregs comment that unlawfully publishing the letter was a great public service. Does he not understand that my family was threatened by a stalker and releasing this private information puts my children at risk? Apparently its fine with Gail and Greg if my children are maimed or killed as a result of this great public service.

They couldnt care less. Its not their children at risk; it doesnt matter what happens to anyone elses family.

Words cannot express how sickened I am.

Joanne PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

Kerry Hire an Education Lawyer- what they have done to your family is wrong. If the person that leaked this is a NPS employee they should be fired today if it is a SC member as suspected they should submit their resignation Today.

The Mayor and the Superintendent need to deal with this TODAY.

It could be any one of our children in the NPS whose information was breached. They broke the LAW.

Greg Reibman PERMALINKOctober 28, 2013Sallee:

Were I a moderator on this blog, I would immediately (and I mean this minute) redact all mention of the parents and childs name, instead of perpetuating the abuse that has already occurred to that particular familys right to privacy. I would not remove the references to the content and would hope that the direction of the discussion of the 16 people who have participated before me in their 59 comments would return to the content and context of the posting.

Unless Im missing something the childs name only appeared on the now-redacted document, never on this blog itself.

Meanwhile, the parent has openly participated in this discussion and has shared her concerns about the overall issue at hand many times, including at School Committee meetings and, if Im not mistaken, in The TAB.

So Im not seeing why the parents name should be redacted from a conversation she has been so closely and publicly connected to.

Im glad that most participants here recognize the value of keeping the findings of the investigation public. As Gail had noted earlier, what if the ruling had gone the other way and the state found fault with the school curriculum? Would the same people who are suggesting that this report had never been made public still feel that way?

As someone who had no stake in this issue going into it, Im glad I had a chance to read the contents of that letter. Id be interested in hearing any logic-based arguments as to why this decision should have been kept secret.

Joanne PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

Greg the problem is not with the finding of the DESE it is with releasing the letter from with the Students name on it. The problem is with whoever released this Confidential Document to Gail. They could have told her the same information without revealing who had requested the investigation or releasing the letter.

Twist it as you wish your informant still broke the law.


October 28, 2013

@Joanne: I was addressing the people, including the parent involved, who are suggesting that the contents of the letter should never have been made public.


October 28, 2013

Who is GSSWriter who uploaded the letter to Scribd. If the Village 14 Blog is addressed with legal action on this privacy threat, the source of this Scribd document and its likely association to Gail S. Spectors posting on this blog will come into play.

Question to Spector, how did you get your hands on this private document sent to Kerry Hurwitz with copies sent to David Fleishman and Cynthia Bergan, Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent, respectively, to the Newton Public Schools? Why socially lynch Ms. Hurwitz using it as evidence on an altogether different matter in defense of advertisements done by Americans for Peace and Tolerance? They are unrelated.Janet Sterman PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

@Greg

You can get off your Great Public Service cross anytime now, someones going to need that wood

Lisap PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

Greg,

Ill try to frame this concisely and with brevity since this is a blog. The DESE tries to assist parents when they have concerns and disputes relating to their particular childs educational program and experience. A significant point to keep in mind with these proceedings is that only the parent or someone with the parents express written consent may file a complaint pertaining to the childs educational program.

The regulation against which the matter was evaluated is entitled Access to Equal Educational Opportunity and it was examined in relation to two standards: The first standard requires that public schools, through their curricula, shall encourage respect for human and civil rights of all individuals, regardless of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation. The second standard requires teachers to review all instructional and educational materials for simplistic and demeaning generalizations, lacking intellectual merit, on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin or sexual orientation. In reviewing the materials, the evaluation addressed whether this particular child was denied access to equal educational opportunity, or whether the material in this particular childs class used simplistic and demeaning generalizations, etc. This is very different from holistic review of the curriculum.

By analogy, in the context of special education, parents frequently have disputes with the system concerning the educational programs and services provided to their own child. When a hearing officer for the Bureau of Special Education Appeals renders a decision on a complaint arising from a due process violation, they are answering whether the special education services to the specific child have provided that child with a free and appropriate education. A determination that the district has not violated any special education laws or failed to provide that child with a free and appropriate education has no relevance to any other student in the district. It is simply a ruling related to the parties involved in that dispute. Thus, it has very limited precedential value. To further this analogy, special education decisions are published by the DESE but when they are published they never include any identifying information concerning the child or the childs parents. Further, at the request of school districts their published decisions often do not identify the school district involved. I hope this helps.


October 28, 2013

So Janet, Ill put you on the list of people who didnt want to know that the state reviewed complaints about Newtons history curriculum but found no problems. Perhaps if you had children in the schools, youd feel differently.


October 28, 2013

Lisap: It does help thanks. But at a time when my citys reputation is being challenged with ads in both daily papers, the leading Jewish newspaper and the local paper of record, I want to know if the allegations have merit. I understand that the complaints may not be exactly the same (although I have a hard time understanding exactly what the ads are alleging) but it is more information than I would have had otherwise. Im glad to have read this.Lisap PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

Just a little more information about the complaint resolution process copies and pasted directly from the DESE Program Quality Assurance Services:

When Someone Who Is Not the Student or the Students Parent Files a Complaint

Sometimes a complainant is not a student or a students parent,2 but is an educator, community member, or someone else. In those cases, the Department cannot continue to talk with the complainant about a specific student unless the students parent has given his or her written permission to do so. Federal and state laws require the Department and school districts to keep education records about students confidential unless the students parent has given permission (also known as consent) to let someone else have access to them. 3 The parents consent must be in writing, and needs to include:

The records or information that may be disclosed by the Department and the school district;

The purpose for which the records or student information can be disclosed; and

The people to whom disclosure can be made. 4

As you can see, privacy and confidentiality in the dispute resolution process is clearly addressed. To see this info on the DESE website and to review the footnotes, go to: http://www.doe.mass.edu/pqa/prs/#3


October 28, 2013

You are completely wrong, Greg. Participating in public discourse does NOT make it o.k. for you to share private, legally privileged and unlawfully obtained information about my family to the world at large, especially when you are fully aware you are putting them at risk.

We live in whats called a democracy. It means that people are free to share their views without fear of retaliation from government entities. Congratulations for doing your part in making the U.S. a place where government is to be feared, instead of (as it still fortunately is) a place where the government is subject to the will of the electorate.

I dont know whether you consider yourself a communist or a fascist, one is as bad as the other. I do know that you are truly evil and ugly, both inside and out.


October 28, 2013

Wait a minute So Greg here is telling us that in order for him to discern if the ads have any merit, ads which claim that Saudi antisemitism has found its way into Newton schools, and that Christianity and Judaism are unfairly disadvantaged and Islam is unfairly privileged, that he is going to rely upon a state agency whose very definition of its investigation excludes finding on such concerns? But will surely, in Gregs mind be more forthright than the school board which defended the Saudi funded text for over a year before ditching it and calling it, not racist but simply outdated..

Do I have that right, Greg?

Charles Jacobs


October 28, 2013

Where is the public service in releasing where GSSwriter (AKA Gail S. Spector) who posted this blog thread, this PRIVATE LETTER to a citizen of Newton originated?


October 28, 2013

One comment on procedure for handling communications.

I think that it is bad policy for the SC to be the agent for releasing NPS documents to the media.

In all cases, the procedure should be for documents to be released to the media through the communications department in NPS.

In this case, if that approach had been followed, NPS staff would certainly have redacted any protected information and then posted the document on the NPS website for anyone to see.

Then we would not have a problem. That is what we should do in future.

I think that one of the problems here was that a torrent of calls was unleashed on Matt Hills and the Superintendent and that would try the patience of any reasonable person, especially for Matt where the phone number was his home phone number, and from that people could figure out his home address.

The Newton police have been involved as there is a threat factor. I am informed that there will be a police presence at the next SC meeting.

I feel very concerned about the security elements to this and regard the approach taken by Charles Jacobs as extremely unwise. In trying to inflict damage in such a manner, folks often draw fire upon themselves. I have never seen such an approach lead to solutions.

The only caveat I would apply to all of this is that if NPS had all of its teaching materials online for all to see (modulo copyright restrictions) then a major complaint of the Jacobs outfit would never have arisen.

And we should never be charging folks to see teaching materials. We should simply scan them and post them on the web where they should have been in any case.

All content online!

Total transparency on what we teach!

No confusion which can morph into flaming media battles!

Hoss PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

Lisap Assuming the superintendents office forwarded the ruling (letter) to the SC w/o redacting the student name (and did so outside a closed mtg), is that a mistake in your view? If not, i.e., if SC members can read private info outside a closed mtg, why cant the member share it with constituents?

I believe the mistake was only by the school admin offices and the resulting errors, if any, are their doing not anyone sharing. Notice the standard confidentially footer (which as no meaning in law, I dont think) anticipates the content might get in the wrong hands. They send knew the risks! There are ways to make confidential material available w/o any ability to forward, copy or print secure websites that corporations use for protected data


October 28, 2013

The SC is routinely updated on confidential matters and the relationship between the NPS admin and the SC is very strong in this area. People havent forwarded or leaked stuff in the past.

I know that this document did not come to Village 14 from the superintendents office. It came from the SC.

It should have come from the NPS website.

I think we shall learn from this.

It seems that when we approach an election stuff pops up which is important, but I do hope that the community stays focused on the votes they will take on November 5th and pays total attention to the contested races.

Sallee Lipshutz PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

@Geoff: Are you referring to a particular School Committee race? Has some challenged (or unchallenged) SC member taken a stand to which you can refer us for illumination? Its difficult for someone outside the school world to pull the fabric of this mantle apart.


October 28, 2013

Geoff: Why did we publish Matt Hills contact info? Because its on the SC Contact Us page.

You excuse Matt because he is frustrated? How about our feelings? Geoff: your Supt. of the School Committee is telling people that its fine to teach students the racist lie that Jews kill Arab women in jails, is merely a Point of View to be debated and is not a deliberate lie to harm Jews.

Everyone on this list could come up with a dozen biased points of view that would be never be tolerated in the school system. We have a Superintendent of Schools who is telling us that its ok to debate if Jews kill women in jails. Yet would he ever allow students to debate if women can do math as well as men, if blacks have higher crime rates, if Islams precepts that forbids non-Muslims to have self-rule in Arab realm are the cause of the Israeli-Arab conflict, if gays ..? etc

The leader of our school system is saying its ok to treat Jews differently than other people, and you are expressing sympathy with the SC members who defend this approach?

Im disappointed. Especially as you support our demand for transparency. You know what we went through for over a year. You were there. What else could we do but make this more public? You tell me, Geoff.

Sincerely,

Charles Jacobs


October 28, 2013

I was wondering what Sallee was wondering Geoff. We dont have any challenges to sitting SC incumbents so I dont see how this is an election issue. Im not aware of Albright or Steenstrup having commented on this issue. Please clarify.

Also Geoff, you now you seem to be suggesting that the SC released this as opposed to your early claims of a rogue leaker. Have you altered your position on this? If so, what lead you to change your position so dramatically?


October 28, 2013

My lack of clarity. I should have said it came from a source on the SC.

An SC member released this information, not the SC.

Margaret and Andrea have not commented.

My comments were intended to say that we might have a thing going on over this, but our attention should not be devoted to this at the expense of big issue races.

This was an oversight by an SC member. The student name should have been removed.

Gail should have noticed that and blacked out the student name before publishing it.

Case closed. Next time NPS should do the news releases.

Now, on to Charles:

Very bad Charles! You cannot act so innocent. You know that although Matt Hills home phone number is on our web page and so is public information, associating it with the rest of that ad content was designed to cause Matt pain. Nothing more. Nothing less.

You could have made your point, without the phone numbers. But you had to go there.

This does not advance your cause. Quite the contrary.

I never saw a solution come out of such an approach.

Ever.

But then Ive always gone for positive engagement and my approach to all of this would have been simply to accelerate putting all of our curriculum materials online where they should have been in the first place.

No copy charges. No appearance of hiding stuff.

If we put all of our stuff online, would that help? I could get behind that.

And please no more taking out ads with peoples personal contact information!

Hoss PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

Geoff Epstein Its off topic, but how could we put copy-written material online with open viewing?


October 28, 2013

Greg,

Ive asked you for four days now to take down the private and unlawfully obtained information you published about me and my family without consent. Youve been told many times by many people that your actions are illegal and dangerous. None of this has had any effect; the information is public and apparently remain so. Nothing that anyone says or does makes any difference to you.

What gives you the right to put my children in danger, Greg? Do you want them to see them dead? Thats certainly how it seems.

Dont give me any of this in the public service b.s. You know full well that if that was your purpose, you could have fully redacted the document. (Not that it would have made it o.k., but at least I wouldnt be concerned about my familys safety). The fact that you published a private, legally protected document along with information (my and my childs name and address) that was in no way necessary to include with the letter shows full well that you acted with the specific intent to cause me, and my children, harm.

Did you really believe no one would realize that?

Admit it, you published my childs name and address to punish me. Way to go, big shot! You Tab people really rock first a frail, 83-year woman, now a child. You really know how to choose victims. Only those unable to defend themselves need apply.

What a bully you are. You try to hurt me by harming my child. Youre not even enough of a man to admit it. You must be very frightened to be unable to confront me from even the safety of your computer keyboard. I guess Im just too powerful and scary. Well thats the way us Jews are, Greg, we have secret powers others arent aware of. Youd better watch out.

Now you claim that you just HAD to put my kids at risk because my citys reputation is being challenged with ads in both daily papers, the leading Jewish newspaper and the local paper of record. What, youre afraid your property values will go down? If this is your big concern, you not only dont get out much, you dont even leave your bathroom in the morning. (Well, you ARE full of ****). The leading Jewish paper well its the only Jewish newspaper here, but why let that stop you from sounding like a pretentious ass? The local paper of record? you mean journalism school reject Chloe, who cant get the simplest, most verifiable facts straight because her real interest in life is buying shoes? Or Emily Kick Me Costello, who will publish anything as long as the moneys green? Yep, someone insulting your city (really? you think you own us now?) is a good reason to violate the law and chuckle down with your girlfriend because you got someone good by screwing with her kids lives. You certainly are clever, you.

What makes you even more pathetic than would ever seem possible is that you are apparently trying to retaliate against me for putting up those awful, property-destroying ads. You stupid fool, Im not even the person who did that. God, you are such an idiot. And I sure would like to ask God why he made someone like you. She sure does have a strange sense of humor.

So here we have it cant write, cant report, lower than a worm, hates kids (thatll get you far in this country), and funny-looking to boot. Id feel sorry for you, but youre too much of a jerk. In addition to being truly evil, youre a coward and a bully as well.

Dont expect pity when this comes back to bite you. I wont feel a bit sorry for you. Neither will anyone else.

Jane PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

Geoff -There is no evidence that a School Committee member released this information and youve provided none. For all we know, it could have been you who released the information youre a School Committee member. For you to make such an accusation against your colleagues without evidence is totally inappropriate. This information could have come from a number of different sources, including someone at DESE.

If this is your idea of positive engagement, Id hate to see you go negative.


October 28, 2013

Geoff: you still havent explained how you could be so outraged that a committee member released this and now act like it was no big deal? What changed?


October 28, 2013

@Kerry: the material would only have been unlawfully obtained if it was stolen or obtained in some way that was illegal. Thats not the case.

Also, I have not worked at the TAB for nearly two years.


October 28, 2013

Matt Hills just acknowledged at the School Committee meeting that he was the School Committee member who sent the media the document, which he had confirmed was public. He wanted the public to know what the DESE had ruled on the curriculum. He did apologize to the family for not redacting the childs name.

I, too, am sorry that I did not redact the students name sooner. I did not notice the childs name on the document until it was pointed out on the blog (which I didnt read immediately). As soon as I was able, I redacted the students name and address. Had I been able to redact sooner, I would have done so. I stand by my decision to post what I knew was a public document.

Lisap PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

I stand by my decision to post what I knew was a public document.

Gail, thats a statement of opinion, not fact.

JLF PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

Matt Hills just let the public know that he was the source who provided the letter to the media. He apologized and said he didnt realize that the name should have been redacted. This is a pity. Matt is a member of the School Committee. The copy of the letter was sent to the SC from the Superintendents office. Matt explained at SC tonight that he sent it merely because he wanted the public to learn of the DESE decision that there was no problem with the curriculum.

Is this any of his business or his call to make? The DESE decision is public, but it is for the Superintendent or his delegated communications manager to release the document to the public. All that is relevant to the public is the finding, not any personal details of the complainant. Matt did this without running it by the Chair or the Superintendent because he has been attacked on this subject at school committee meetings and in the recent weeks, by the vitriolic ads placed in the local newspapers. I think the ads are disgusting and not the way to resolve differences, but I am very disappointed by Matts actions.Gail Spector PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

Lisap:

I stand by my decision is an opinion? I dont think so.

Lisap PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

Gail, no silly

what I knew was a public document. Thats your opinion. Thats Matts opinion. That is a conclusion. That is not a fact.

Gheesh, I didnt think I had to explain that.


October 28, 2013

I knew what you meant. Just couldnt help myself.

Tell me: What makes it a fact?


October 28, 2013

Of course youre not sorry, Gail. The information is still up there.

Take it down, issue a public apology, and recompense me for the hours of worry, work, and emotional distress youve caused. Then you can be sorry.


October 28, 2013

Im just thinking out loud here and not directing this at anyone in particular. But if there was some information out there that I didnt want people to know about, I wouldnt spend all my time calling attention to that information.

Of course this is just hypothetical. Sorry to go off topic.


October 28, 2013

How about this, LisaP? According to what Matt Hills said tonight at the School Committee meeting, the DESE said it was a public document.


October 28, 2013

Jane,

I knew who released it to Village 14 but could not divulge that. No accusation. Just the facts.

Hoss,

I said further up: modulo copyright in which case a reference could be provided to the materials, e.g. book, pages etc

Greg,

I dont think that SC members should forward stuff they receive from the admin, as is, if there might be an issue. I think that we can improve the procedure so that in no case, ever, does an SC member receive something from the admin which is not already posted online.

Then there would be no problem.

My big concern was that the memo from David Fleishman went without review to the media and caused a problem. Protection of students privacy is a big deal for me. Thats why I had the big reaction. My priority is students.

There is a simple solution to prevent this and my advice to Matt and Claire is to implement it.

Matt apologized for the mistake, which was entirely appropriate. It was a genuine oversight.

Now we should prevent such a thing happening again.

Greg PERMALINK

October 28, 2013

@Geoff: you knew who leaked the memo and yet you called for an investigation?

And youre the transparency guy?

Geesh.


October 28, 2013

Greg You cant leak a public document.


October 29, 2013

Matt Hills apology is not enough.

Both Fleishman and the Mayor have the authority to remove him from his position, and that should be done. He should not be allowed to hold public office in Newton again.

I have some more ideas on what should be done, but Ill keep them to myself for now.

BTW, Matt Hills never apologized or attempted to contact my family at all.

Hoss PERMALINK

October 29, 2013

Geoff Epstein said: I think that we can improve the procedure so that in no case, ever, does an SC member receive something from the admin which is not already posted online.

BINGO!

However, there will be occasions in constituent service where an elected member asks a question to administration (schools, City Hall) and gets an answer that the member wants to pass along (be it helpful, or a stupid remark). That is all fair and honest! These are oversight positions, not part of the team. Legitimate private must be in closed meetings.

Lisap PERMALINK

October 29, 2013

According to what Matt Hills said tonight at the School Committee meeting, the DESE said it was a public document.

Gail,

Like many large bureaucracies, the accuracy and reliability of the answer you get depends upon who you talk to to. I have had several cases with DESE and Im going to leave my answer at that except to say that I am deeply saddened by this entire mess.


October 29, 2013

Greg,

I did not know which SC member until yesterday. But I knew it was an SC member.

My position has been consistent.

Leaks of student information must always be investigated.


October 29, 2013

The bottom line here is that Gail had an axe to grind against Kerry and Jacobs who dont fit her Newton liberal self-image. She did a stupid and rash thing in exposing this issue and moreover in not forewarning Kerry at least that there would be a blog about it. She knows for sure that shes in the wrong but shes too stubborn to admit it and will keep fighting and arguing.


October 29, 2013

@Barry:You dont know Gail Spector as well as I do. Im confident she would have posted this even if the state had found problems with the curriculum. In fact, Id bet my house on it.

Anyway this thread has more than outlived its usefulness. Comments are closed.

The Mass .Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education ("DESE") ruled it is NOT a 'public document'; and public records law has a specific exception for school records. This is easily found on the Internet or by calling the relevant agency. LisaP, a frequent commentator, is an attorney; both readers and Ms. Spector are aware of that.

My concerns have nothing to do with Islamic or any other type of propaganda, and have never spoken or wrote about propaganda as an issue. My concerns regard inaccurate and biased materials used by students in public schools.

I am careful to avoid having my name in public view after being told by police in 2010 to avoid publicity, after a stalking incident. Spector was or should have been aware of this.

I am not involved in any controversial issues, nor do I believe that expressing concern about inaccurate and biased materials used in my childs school is controversial.

I am not a member of Open Newton Schools or involved with them in any way. I do not know what its objectives are and have not expressed support for them. I had no involvement with the advertisement published by Open Newton Schools. Spector is aware of all of this.

This link is to an advertisement published by Open Newton Schools. As noted, I have no connection with the organization or the advertisement. This sentence suggests that I commissioned the advertisement after the Complaint was dismissed by the DESE, which is patently untrue

I wasnt too concerned about the confidential information being published yet, because I naively assumed that anyone would take down material that endangered children.

Mr. Epstein was a School Committee member when he wrote this

It was NOT redacted.. The black box that blocked the confidential information from view took several seconds to appear, giving ample time to view it.

This is completely untrue - the DESE has ruled on this. Even before the ruling, the fact that the Statement of Concern is not public was clearly set forth on the DESE's website and available by telephone. Every single person who commented knew that; Spector continues to deny it.

Reibman is co-publisher of village14

Mr. Hess-Mahan is an Alderman and attorney who practices education law. The readers and publishers of this blog are aware of this.

Reibman is a publisher of village14

Releasing confidential information is illegal, and both the people who released it and the publishers of the blog are aware of it. And putting a family in danger is hardly a "public service".

The information was NEVER removed by village14. In fact, some of it is still on the

village14 post and comments

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im mischaracterizing

letter doesnt

new world

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