Burke: I’ll Stay – Unless I Leave.

by Bill Dusty



Springfield School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Burke was quoted in a Union News Springfield Republican article on Tuesday that he would like to stay on in Springfield for another three years – unless, that is, he decides to take a shot at the state education commissioner’s job.

“I’d rather stay in Springfield,” he’s quoted as saying.

Oh, swoon!

How can we pass up on such an opportunity?

Just this past summer Central High School was placed on probation. And this fall we learned that many of our schools were listed as “dropout factories” in a news story about Springfield’s high dropout rates.

So our school system continues to flail about in mediocrity and we’re supposed to be thankful that Burke wants to stay on? (Unless he decides to go for the state commissioner’s job.) That’s what Kenneth Shea, vice chairman of the Springfield School Committee, thinks. “Burke would provide stability and continuity,” he’s quoted as saying in the article.

Stability and continuity at doing what? Maintaining our current level of failure?

Not all of our school system’s problems are due to Burke – and certainly the culture of poverty and hopelessness in Springfield is a major contributor to our failing students. But this is a superintendent who has a history of wanting to bail out on our city. And even in his latest statement of “loyalty,” he can’t help but fit in the possibility that he might still decide to bolt.

The best part of Burke’s news is that he said that he’d be willing to accept the same 3-percent-a-year raise as Springfield teachers.

If Burke wants to stay on, then he should be the one making concessions. How about no raise until our school standards are up, until our dropout rates decline, and until classroom overcrowding and school supply problems are alleviated?

At the very least, the City of Springfield should shop around in the coming months (Burke’s current contract runs until June, 2008) for possible alternatives.

We owe the parents and kids of Springfield at least that much.

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Posted by on Nov 27th, 2007 and filed under Cities & Towns, Feature Stories, Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

2 Responses for “Burke: I’ll Stay – Unless I Leave.”

  1. Jim boone says:
    November 28, 2007 at 7:18 am

    We need a new leader. We need someone with the personality and enthusiasm to go out there and sell the Springfield Schools to the public, not just manage them. Whether you liked Negroni or not, he cared about our schools and he made students and parents feel good about the progress being made. We need a new person with this type of leadership. It is time for change the voters just said, so lets have some real change.

  2. Bill D. says:
    November 28, 2007 at 10:10 am

    Hey Jim – congrats on your CC recognition award!

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