Hitting A Square Corner on Wednesday

For John, BLUF:  This is not good.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Motion seeks Lowell school superintendent's firing

From The [Lowell] Sun, by Reporter Rick Sobey, rsobey@lowellsun.com, 14 July 2018.

Here are the second through fifth paragraphs of the story:

A motion on Wednesday's School Committee agenda, filed by members Jackie Doherty and Connie Martin, would terminate his contract "for good cause."

They also submitted a joint motion to place Khelfaoui on paid administrative leave.

The third and final joint motion dealing with the superintendent position would appoint Assistant Superintendent Jeannine Durkin as acting superintendent.

Ending his contract would require four votes on the seven-member committee. School Committee member Gerry Nutter would be the third vote. Mayor Bill Samaras, who has generally supported Khelfaoui, could be the crucial swing vote.

This does not look like it will end well.  Even if there is not a vote to oust Dr Salah Khelfaoui it will be notice that a strong minority of the School Committee doesn't like him and has him on notice.  The Superintendent, in turn, will have an eye on a good exit strategy.

In the mean time, I have not heard anyone talk about the critical issues, which are:

1. Upping MCAS Scores
2. Increasing Graduation Rates
3. Finding a way (or ways) to provide vocational education for those wanting it but not going to Greater Lowell Technical High School, and,
4. Seeing if there is a more effective approach to education than the nearly 200 year old system, developed for a different time.

Regards  —  Cliff