Recommendations for Worcester 2021 Municipal Election: Racial Justice is on the Ballot

We believe that racial justice is on the ballot this year in Worcester’s municipal elections. This is enormously important to both of us, because we seek social structures that are equitable where all of us can flourish together.  For many of us, especially those of us who can pass as white, events of recent years have resulted in newly emerging or growing awareness of the power and impact of white supremacy in US society.  Institutional policies and practices that advantage white people have long been obvious to most people of color.  While we remain multi-issue active and concerned progressives, our message this year consciously places a lens of racial equity at the center of our recommendations.

Our recommendations, in a nutshell:

For Mayor
Joe Petty

For City Councilor At Large (vote for up to six)
Guillermo Creamer

Khrystian King
Thu Nguyen
Joe Petty

(We also urge you to NOT vote for Moe Bergman, Donna Colorio, and Kate Toomey.)

For District City Councilor
Sean Rose in District 1
Johanna Hampton-Dance in District 2
George Russell (unopposed) in District 3
Sarai Rivera (unopposed) in District 4
Etel Haxhiaj in District 5

For School Committee (vote for up to six)

Laura Clancey

Jermaine Johnson

Jermoh Kamara
Sue Coghlin Mailman
Molly McCullough
Tracy O’Connell Novick

Here's a deep dive into our thinking: 

During the last couple of years many of us have struggled to get our minds around how racial injustice is systemic, and how it plays out in our own communities.  Like many of you, we have engaged in a learning process.  For us, it didn’t start so recently, because we have engaged with these issues for a long time, but our learning broadened and deepened.  We have learned both from focused study and from being present with local and regional activists of color on the front lines of fighting their marginalization. 

Summing up our understanding in a few key points:

• Race-based injustice is embedded in the status quo, as explicit racially discriminatory policies in housing, education, and worker protections decades ago set in place disparities in generational opportunities for building and passing on wealth, as well as disparities in who gets healthy places to live and access to many other resources.

• Messages and narratives that economic and education status equal merit, conveyed sometimes overtly and sometimes subtly, often lead to looking down on people who have been marginalized, blaming them for the barriers they face, and assuming that they need to be “saved” by people in various helping professions.  

• People who are most impacted by injustices know what they need and their voices must be at the center of movements for change.

• People of color (especially Black people) are perceived and treated by many white people as threatening in all kinds of public spaces.  We have all heard of instances where white people have called police on Black people doing everyday work, leisure, or recreational activities.  The resulting police encounters are always traumatizing and sometimes deadly.  Police are hardly ever held accountable for their actions and misconduct in these encounters.

• As long as the status quo hums along, these disparities are perpetuated and continue to harm people.

• Ultimately, policies that create and maintain this inequity are bad for all of us.  Heather McGhee, author of The Sum of Us, is a pioneer in teaching how this works.

• Real liberatory change happens when people get together across lines of difference, led by people who are most impacted by these disparities, to work for a future where all members of society have a fair pathway to success.  Our society cannot seriously begin to offer equal opportunity and justice for all until disparities are addressed and steps are taken to remedy them and compensate for damage they have caused.

There has been some modest movement toward racial justice and accountability in Worcester in the past year, mostly in response to public pressure.  Most of the advocates and activists we have worked with see them as baby steps.  The areas where movement has begun include: elevating the office of diversity and inclusion to a cabinet-level position in city government, proposed civilian oversight of police practices, acknowledgement of need for school safety practices that do not involve police, moving toward new leadership of the School Department, and accepting change in how the School Committee is elected to allow more equitable representation.  While not an explicitly racial justice issue, we see the institution of comprehensive sex education in Worcester Public Schools as an important change in the right direction; it has broad support among our racial justice partners. 

Organizations led by and serving people of color have expressed priorities for the School Committee election.  

Some city officials and elected leaders have joined local activists in pushing for such changes, and others have resisted them.  Some candidates this year offer fresh perspectives and commitment to equity; we want leaders like this and urge you to vote for them.  We want elected leaders who will move beyond baby steps to developing a comprehensive racial equity vision and action plan.  We oppose candidates who have resisted and obstructed this positive movement.  Some incumbents have mixed records on this.  And a few new candidates are engaging in fear tactics to quash any momentum for change. 

We want to be clear that centering a racial equity lens does not mean we support every candidate of color over every white candidate.  That is not the case here, as two of the candidates who we oppose are people of color and a third candidate of color is someone who we neither support nor oppose.

In this time of high stakes and intense polarization it is important for us to say that we do not think of elected office or other leadership positions as a reward for being competent, hardworking, or a nice and friendly person.  Neither do we think this is a time to vote for someone because you went to the same school, know their family, or because they belong to your ethnic or religious group.  We believe that leadership needs to be placed in the hands of people who will listen deeply to the lived experience of others and who will act with courage to try to improve society.  We know that it is highly likely that there are candidates who you know and like who we are urging you to oppose.  All of our votes are by secret ballot.  We have chosen to be public in our advocacy, and you are free to join us in that, or not.  Fundamentally, we ask you to consider that this is a time to make your vote count on the side of racial justice.

Profiles of candidates we support, in contested elections:

City Council At Large:

Guillermo Creamer is running for office for the first time but he has already displayed leadership on a national scale.  He fought successfully for paid compensation for interns in federal offices, opening the door to a far more diverse pool of young people to build leadership potential through these placements.  Guillermo sees his youth as an asset, bringing his perspective from growing up in a low wealth immigrant family to his dedication to making Worcester more equitable.  He also brings expertise from his current professional work furthering civic engagement among young people to strengthen our democracy. 

Khrystian King has consistently and often against great odds fought for equity and accountability.  He brings his experience as a union leader and a social worker to his City Council leadership, pushing for policies that support rather than further marginalize people who are struggling.  He supports practical proposals for affordable housing and transit, healthy neighborhoods, and increased city services that benefit everyone.  He has led many successful efforts to bring more equity and compassion; for example, last year’s initiative to transfer funds from policing in Worcester schools to the hiring of two additional social workers. 

Thu Nguyen brings a wealth of experience as a community activist and youth worker to a first run for office for City Council.  As a leader in Mutual Aid Worcester, Thu raised over $75,000 to support families struggling with COVID-19 and help small businesses adapt during this crisis.  Thu has been active on front lines of racial justice for many years, is dedicated to opening doors for all voices to be heard, and emphasizes the need to make government more honest and transparent.  (Bonus: watch this video about Thu made by our young friend Ora Lin who found Thu’s candidacy inspiring!)

Joe Petty deserves our support for both Mayor and City Councilor At Large (Worcester’s city charter requires separate votes, so be sure to vote for him in two different places on your ballot).  Joe is a low key, behind-the-scenes leader.  His quiet style is unusual in this social media self-promotional era but it is suitable to Worcester's City Manager form of government.  Joe has been courageous and successful in rounding up the votes on the School Committee (for not renewing the superintendent’s contract, for a national search for the next superintendent, and for the long overdue sex education curriculum).  On the City Council Joe has also knit together a majority coalition on key issues of race and policing.  Re-electing Joe to his position as Mayor is especially crucial because under Worcester’s charter the Mayor chairs the School Committee and serves as one of its members.  His main opponent for Mayor is Donna Colorio, who opposes most of the key initiatives that will move the school system toward equity and justice. 

District elections:

Sean Rose’s re-election to the City Council representing District 1 is vitally important.  Sean is an easygoing, thoughtful person, more interested in results than credit.  Until recently he seemed to be less upset around police misconduct and institutional white privilege than we are.  We are hopeful that his new feistier tone will stay with him beyond election day.  Sean’s opponent, Rick Cipro, is a Worcester police official who has administered a Facebook police support group rife with racist, sexist, and homophobic comments.  We have observed Cipro deny the existence of racism in Worcester’s police department and attempt to publicly humiliate a Black former officer who lodged discrimination complaints against the department.  His campaign messaging features dishonest attacks on Sean Rose’s positions and record.  If elected, Cipro would be forced to recuse himself (to not vote or speak) on any matter concerning his own department.  As a city employee, he should be prohibited from voting on the contract of or to evaluate the city manager, both key aspects of a City Councilor’s job.  

Johanna Hampton-Dance is running for office for the first time, bringing a fresh perspective and the motto that “your voice matters.”  Her decision to run for office came from hearing from her neighbors that their voices were ignored by city government.  She promises to fight for the issues that Worcester residents care about most: housing, policing, jobs, and taking care of our youth and elderly neighbors.  She brings her lived experience as a home health aide caring for elderly residents and the mother of a young Black man with health challenges. 

Etel Haxhiaj is a community leader whose passion for justice is both fierce and compassionate.  She was a refugee from Albania as a teenager and recognizes the challenges that marginalized people face.  Etel is determined to create a city where everyone is welcomed and treated with respect, where everyone’s voice is heard, and where everyone can thrive.  We have known Etel for nearly a decade and have gotten to know her well through working closely with her on a variety of issues, including racial justice, environmental sustainability, and access to housing.  Etel’s passion is matched by a breadth of experience serving the community:  as a youth mentor, legal advocate, social worker, and community organizer.  She has served on the board of the YWCA and its Racial Justice Task Force as well as on advisory committees to the City Manager.  She listens to community members and collaborates with them to bring smart and practical solutions to local problems.  Etel’s organizing experience has taught her how to build coalitions to get things done. 

We want to give a quick shout-out to George Russell in District 3 and Sarai Rivera in District 4, who are both unopposed this year.  Sarai, a close ally of ours, has fought for  equity over and over, working both publicly and behind the scenes for the changes we need.  George has nearly always brought a voice and vote for equity.  

School committee:

Jermaine Johnson brings experience from his career as a social worker to his first run for public office.  He was inspired to run for the Worcester School Committee when he saw the impact of the pandemic on his own family and the families he serves.  He saw the school system failing many families, and is dedicated to ensuring “that school buildings are safe and healthy, our kids receive social and emotional health support, and that no kid is left behind post-pandemic.”  His years of mentoring, coaching, and directing an agency make him well-qualified to serve on the School Committee. 

Jermoh Kamara is a remarkable candidate whose life path is a tribute to intelligence, education, and determination.  Jermoh and her parents came to Worcester from her native Liberia when she was 11 years old.  She graduated from South High and went on to earn a bachelors and a masters degree from Providence College.  She works for the YWCA of Central MA running their Health Equity program and has served as an adjunct professor at several Worcester colleges.  Jermoh has earned the endorsement of a majority of the Worcester delegation to the State Legislature.  Her early principled call for new leadership for the Worcester Public Schools demonstrated her courage and leadership even before being elected to office. 

Sue Coghlin Mailman brings business acumen, a commitment to and focus on vocational and technical education, and non-profit and philanthropic board experience to her first-time candidacy.  Sue’s own post-secondary educational path as a mom included night school and stints at Quinsigamond Community College, Assumption, and Worcester State.  Sue has played a central volunteer leadership role at the YWCA of Central Mass, United Way of Central Mass, QCC, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, and on the Worcester Democratic City Committee.  She is proud of the family business that she has led for 20 years, Coghlin Electrical Contractors, and of its unionized workforce.  She has been outspoken in her dedication to a racial justice agenda. 

Tracy O’Connell Novick is an outstanding asset to our community.  A former public high school English teacher, Tracy now works professionally for the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.  Her work puts her at the nexus of a network of the most talented education leaders in the Commonwealth and gives her firsthand knowledge of the best practices.  She is a policy wonk who understands education budgeting and policy in enormous depth.  Two of her three daughters are recent graduates of the Worcester Public Schools and the third is a high school student there now.  In our view, Tracy has been on the “right” side of almost every important policy issue during her time on the school committee.

We believe that both Molly McCullough and Laura Clancey, who we did not support two years ago, have demonstrated their openness to learning important lessons about equity and have voted courageously to move the school system in the right direction on key issues. 

Why we oppose some candidates:  It is important to note that four incumbent members of the current City Council (Bergman, Colorio, Mero Carlson, and Toomey) have almost always voted together as a block regarding issues of race (for example, consent agreement around Worcester School Committee restructuring), and of policing (for example, School Resource Officers (SROs) and civilian review of police misconduct accusations).  Fortunately, in recent months, they have been on the losing side of those votes.  

Shanel Soucy has been an outspoken opponent of comprehensive sex education, spreading misinformation about the curriculum in order to get parents to opt out of the program.  In addition, because of her disparaging statements about homosexuality on social media, we believe that, if elected, her presence on the School Committee would endanger LGBTQ youth. 

See above in Sean Rose’s profile for why we oppose Rick Cipro.  Gregory Stratman, who is Etel’s opponent, has also engaged in dishonest and fearmongering attacks.  A key aspect of his platform is more policing. 

A quick note on candidates we have neither supported nor opposed:  Perennial candidate Bill Coleman and his informal running mate Peter Stefan have each raised and spent literally no money on the campaign.  They have hardly campaigned at all and Stefan has even failed to attend candidate debates.  Regardless of the merits of their candidacies they simply cannot be taken seriously as contenders for office.  District 5 incumbent City Councilor Matt Wally is running for City Council as an at large candidate.  Wally has generally voted the right way on issues we cite but has been dismissive of the concerns of his constituents in Lakeside Apartments, and has not been a leader on equity issues.  

Thank you for your patience in reading through our blog!  We invite you to contact us if you would like to discuss any of what we have shared.  If you find it useful, please feel free to share it with your family, friends, and associates. 

As we say in the campaign business, Many Happy Returns!

Margot Barnet and David Coyne

p.s. Early voting in Worcester has already started, going on through Oct 29. Here is all the information about Worcester's many voting options.  

Worcester's 2021 Preliminary Election

Greetings in the midst of a second difficult year!  We hope you and your family are safe and well. 

This year Worcester only has two districts where there are enough candidates to require a preliminary election:  District 1 and District 5.  There aren't enough candidates running at-large for City Council or for School Committee (which is currently all at-large) to require a preliminary.  The preliminary election is coming up very soon (September 14th, with early voting this week).  You can use these maps to determine if you live in either District 1 or District 5.  Below you will find a link to other voting resources.   

Although they usually draw a small turnout, municipal elections really are important.  They can determine whether or not our city sets priorities and policies based on striving for equity, transparency, inclusion, and environmental sustainability.  City government sets property tax rates and largely controls our public schools, traffic and parking, road and sidewalk conditions, snow removal, public safety, parks, trash removal and recycling, water supply, and sewage removal and treatment. 

In District 5, where we live, we have the opportunity to advance a remarkable candidate to the general election in November.  Because we care so deeply about Worcester’s future, we ask you to join us in voting for Etel Haxhiaj for District 5 City Councilor.  (Her last name is pronounced Ha-gee-eye). 

We have known Etel for nearly a decade and have gotten to know her well through working closely with her on a variety of issues, encompassing racial justice, environmental sustainability, and access to housing.  Her passion for justice is both fierce and compassionate.  She herself was a refugee from Albania as a teenager.  She recognizes the challenges that marginalized people face and she is determined to create a city where everyone is welcomed and treated with respect, where everyone’s voice is heard, and where everyone can thrive.

Etel’s passion is matched by a breadth of experience serving the community:  as a youth mentor, legal advocate, social worker, and community organizer.  She has served on the board of the YWCA and its Racial Justice Task Force as well as on advisory committees to the City Manager.  She listens to community members and collaborates with them to bring smart and practical solutions to local problems. Etel’s organizing experience has taught her how to build coalitions to get things done.  Her presence on the City Council would be a game-changer in a very positive direction.  You can learn more about Etel on her web page and her campaign Facebook page.   

The top two of four candidates will advance to the general election on November 2^nd.  It’s really important that Etel not only finish in the top two this month -- we need her to come in first, as this is a big push for momentum in the November contest. 

In District 1, we recommend re-electing Sean Rose, by far the best of three candidates. Learn more about Sean on his web page and Facebook page.  

This year, both early in-person and no-excuse mail voting are available for the municipal election.  Preliminary Election Day itself is Tuesday, September 14^th.  On this page of the City of Worcester's site you can find official information about all of the voting options, including your polling place for September 14th and the early voting locations and dates.

Thank you for your consideration!

Margot and David 

p.s. If you agree with our recommendations, we encourage you to share all or part of this with people you know who live in either district.

Recommendations for 2020 Democratic primary

Dear friends,

It’s election time again!  This year everything is different, and many of you are already receiving your mail-in ballots for the September 1^st primary.  Several of our friends have actually called us asking who to vote for!  So here are our recommendations for the Democratic primary (there are only a few contested races), as well as some useful information about when and how to vote and how you can help get out the vote for the November election in states where there is rampant voter suppression.

U.S. Senate:  Re-elect Ed Markey (and help with his campaign if you are so inclined)

Many of you know us as long-time environmental justice advocates.  This is a major reason we are supporting returning Ed Markey to the Senate.  Ed’s co-authorship of the Green New Deal arises out of decades of fighting for a clean environment and against climate change.  The brilliance of the Green New Deal idea is that it prioritizes a just and fair transition for all workers.  Investing in clean energy solutions, like wind, solar, and geothermal power, will allow us to create millions of jobs, reduce America’s reliance on foreign oil, and keep the United States competitive in the global clean energy race.  Ed has already introduced legislation to make this vision a reality.  The Boston Globe cited this as a key reason for their endorsement:  “Markey is poised — and arguably more prepared than any other politician in the US government — to fill in the conceptual aspirations of the Green New Deal resolution that he cosponsored with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with practical policies and to get them passed in Congress.”

Both as a senator and as a member of Congress, Ed Markey has led the way in many other important areas including gun safety, free public transportation, protecting civil rights of gay, lesbian, and transgender people, welcoming refugees, saving equitable access to the internet, access to health care, and limiting nuclear weapons testing.  Even in this contentious environment, Ed has been able to work across the aisle and get some of this important legislation passed into law.  He has been out front in fighting for protections for working people during the COVID pandemic.  You can learn more about where Ed stands on a multiplicity of issues here. 

We have always supported candidates whose commitment is to be a true public servant, and have not doubt that this is true of Ed Markey.  By contrast, Markey’s opponent in the Democratic primary, Joe Kennedy III, seems to be running mainly for his own personal ambition of moving up to the Senate.  He has not articulated any clear reason for running at this time and against a dedicated and effective Senator who shares most if not all of his positions, and in most cases, got to them first.  Here is a thoughtful analysis of Kennedy’s claims as a challenger.  (However, if Joe K. wins the primary, we will certainly support him in the November election.) 

Governor’s Council: Vote Paul DePalo

Most people don’t know very much about the Governor’s Council and why it is important.  This very part-time body, with only eight elected members, is chaired by the Lieutenant Governor and approves or rejects the Governor’s judicial nominees and nominations of some other officials.  Recent events have made even more clear that judges matter.  

Paul DePalo, a former schoolteacher now working as an attorney with experience representing children in juvenile court, is running to bring a community perspective to this office.  Paul will work to approve judges who will end the trauma to prison pipeline.  He will fight for judges who will affirm gender equality, find help, rather than incarceration, for troubled youth, and enforce worker rights and civil rights.  Paul ran two years ago and lost to the Republican incumbent in a very close race.  At this time there is no Republican candidate for this position so the winner of the Democratic primary will likely win the seat.  Sadly, Paul’s opponent in the primary boasts support from organizations representing state police and correction officers and some of the most reactionary voices in our area.   Learn more about Paul here. 

Register of Probate

A few of you have asked us about this race, and we don’t have a lot of information or a strong opinion about the primary.  We weren’t even knowledgeable about what the position entails; you can learn more about that here.  The incumbent Republican, Stephanie Fattman, was backed by a lot of dark money in her first election and has a lot of money in her campaign account, so we are concerned that she will be hard to beat.  The two potential challengers, facing off in the Democratic primary, are John Dolan (web page here) and Kasia Wennerberg (Facebook page here).  It appears from her page that a couple of our good friends are supporting Wennerberg, but Dolan seems to have a more robust and better funded campaign. 

Election information:  This year, because of the pandemic, mail-in ballots are available for all registered voters.  You may have already applied for and received yours, but if you have not, you can do so here, with directions on how to submit your application here.  The deadline to register to vote in the September 1 primary or to change your party enrollment has been extended; it is Saturday, August 22.  There will also be early voting from August 22-28 (this page has Worcester's schedule; for other cities/towns you can check this page closer to the primary date.) 

If you want to help get out the vote in swing states and combat voter suppression in November you can sign up with an organization called VoteForward.  VoteForward provides activists with names, addresses and a data-driven proven template to write letters to voters in important states. Letter writers will save their letters and send them right before the election so that voters receive them at the perfect, most-strategic moment. This is a perfect way for your group to stay active during social distancing. Writing letters is both a safe, remote activity and proven effective!  It’s a way to make an impact from home and can also be a great activity to do “together” over video chats. It’s easy and rewarding.  Here are quick and straightforward instructions on how to get started and how to mail your letters.  They have also run several tests and this particular letter format is proven to increase turnout! 

Thank you for allowing us to share our opinions about elections with you.  We are honored that many of our friends actually ask us for them.  We also appreciate that some people who like us and who we like don’t share our views.  Whether you agree with us or not, please be sure to vote!

 Sincerely,

Margot Barnet and David Coyne

Recommendations for 2019 Worcester Municipal Election

This year in Worcester’s municipal elections (Tuesday, November 5th) there are seriously contested at large races with more viable candidates than in recent years.  We have preferences in all or almost all of these races but we are choosing to limit our recommendations in order to focus on the candidates about whom we feel most strongly, and in particular on the need for dramatic change on the Worcester School Committee.   

In each of the at-large races, you get to vote for up to six candidates.  If you vote for more than six (this would include a symbolic/tribute vote for recently deceased longtime School Committee member Brian O’Connell) your entire ballot for that race will be disqualified.  

We are proud of our adopted city and we recognize with great appreciation the many excellent and dedicated teachers in our public schools.  The context for our views and recommendations for this election is the extraordinary failure of the Worcester Public School Administration and the Worcester School Committee.  For us, and for many of our friends and allies, this takes the form of heightened public awareness about many problems, including:

1. large differences by race and ethnicity of out of school disciplinary suspensions;
2. failure of WPS to provide comprehensive, LGBTQ inclusive, and age appropriate sex education;
3. failure of WPS to provide consistent and appropriate support to English language learners;
4. failure to provide proper goals and guidance for evaluation of the superintendent;
5. the renewal of the superintendent’s contract with a poor process that lacked transparency;
6. failure to facilitate culturally appropriate communication among school administration, teachers, staff, students, and their families;
7. the renewal of a school bus contract with a company that has a terrible track record and at a cost significantly above an in-house option.

You can find a fairly detailed history and analysis of the unfolding of some of these issues in our previous post from before this year’s preliminary election.  

We would most especially urge you to vote AGAINST incumbent School Committee members Dianna Biancheria, Molly McCullough, and John Monfredo because, on issue after issue, they have been part of the WSC majority who are responsible for the failure to hold the superintendent and administration accountable.  

Also, we are disappointed that first-time candidate Laura Clancey has failed to express outrage or even disappointment at the many failures of the current School Committee, Superintendent, and Administration.  We urge you to vote AGAINST her candidacy as well.

On a positive note, we would most especially urge you to vote FOR incumbent School Committee member Jack Foley who has served with integrity for two decades.  We support him most especially because of his consistent calls for accountability and transparency, and his willingness to criticize policies and their implementation, the WPS Administration, and his WSC colleagues.  

Most especially we would urge you to vote FOR challengers Dr. Cara Berg Powers, Jermoh Kamara, and Tracy O’Connell Novick.

Dr. Cara Berg Powers knows the Worcester schools both as an alumna and as a parent.  She has worked closely with urban youth for over a decade, she has made it her business over several years to thoroughly understand education policy, and she has in-depth knowledge and ideas about how to meet complex needs of a diverse student body.  Her viewpoint is to treat all children as if they are your own. She has knocked on thousands of doors all spring, summer, and early fall; and has listened to hundreds of parents and other concerned community members. She has specific plans to make sure these voices continue to be heard.   

Tracy O’Connell Novick combines an exhaustive knowledge of education policy and funding streams with a fierce dedication to equity for all students.  As a Field Director with the Massachusetts Association of School Committees Tracy is very knowledgeable about who is doing what and about what works and what doesn’t.  She knows what is possible and what kind of educational opportunities we can be expected to provide for our students. She is a prolific writer and a policy expert. We can count on her to use her deep understanding to hold the school department and its leadership accountable. 

Jermoh Kamara is the one candidate in the School Committee race who we did not know at all before and who has impressed us a lot.  Her own life story as a refugee, Worcester Public School success story, emerging education and health professional, and community leader is inspirational.  Her campaign has surprised many, including us, earning significant endorsements from organizations and officials and displaying real depth and sophistication.  We did not endorse her candidacy before the preliminary election but we do now with enthusiasm. Her election would add much to the School Committee in so many ways.      

There are some resources besides our recommendations that you can access to help you evaluate the School Committee candidates.  Worcester Education Collaborative has an online forum (scroll down after clicking the link) in which each candidate was invited to comment on several questions.  The Worcester Education Justice Alliance has prepared a report card with 27 questions reflecting the organization’s values with each respondent’s responses.  You can read through these if you wish and come to your own conclusions about the candidates.  

For City Council at large we are particularly enthused about and urge you to vote FOR the candidacies of Etel Haxhiaj and Khrystian King.  

Etel Haxhiaj is a first-time candidate for public office.  We have gotten to know her over the last several years as a leader in a variety of social justice settings.  Her passion for justice is both fierce and compassionate. From her personal experience as a refugee from Albania as a teenager, she recognizes the challenges that marginalized people face.  She is determined to create a city where everyone is treated with respect, where everyone is welcome, where everyone can thrive. Etel has worked in the state Attorney General’s office as a consumer advocate, served the City of Worcester as a volunteer on two different committees, assisted homeless families with the Central Mass Housing Alliance, and now works for Mothers Out Front, where she organizes mothers to fight for a liveable climate for all children.  She states, “As a single mom of two boys in Worcester Public Schools and as a community organizer, I am deeply invested in the issues that affect working families, our children, and economically vulnerable communities.” She would be a fearless, remarkable, and positive addition to the Worcester City Council. (In case you are wondering how to pronounce her last name, a phonetic spelling would be Ha-jee-eye.)

Khrystian King is an incumbent member of the City Council, a longtime social worker with the Commonwealth’s Department of Children and Family Services, and a leader in his union.  Khrystian has particularly distinguished himself as a courageous leader on the Council around environmental issues including recycling, on immigrant and refugee issues, and on worker rights and protections including the fight for a $15 per hour minimum wage.  He has been a consistent voice and vote for justice on all fronts, and we believe he should be returned to the Council.  

We like Mayor Joe Petty.  He is a nice guy who stands with the right people and for the right things most of the time.  We have supported him in the past and at this juncture we are again recommending that you vote for him, both for City Council and for Mayor.  But we must honestly say that we do so with significant concern and reservations. We feel that Mayor Petty in this current term, in his role as chair of the School Committee, failed to provide leadership that was needed at critical moments.  His failure to do so made it possible for others to do real damage, both through their actions and by blocking data and transparency. We believe that with a new and better School Committee Mayor Petty will be on the right side of important questions.  In any case, we hope he will choose to step up and to lead more actively where it is so critically needed.

We also would specifically urge you to vote AGAINST at large City Council candidates Donna Colorio and Tony Economou. 

Donna Colorio claims to be an independent voice when, in fact, she is the elected chair of the Republican Party of Worcester, a Tea Party/Trumpian.  She participated in local voter suppression efforts, opposes reproductive choice, actively supported Geoff Diehl against Elizabeth Warren in 2018, and chairs the local Republican City Committee.  We don’t need her anywhere near city government. 

When on the Council previously, Economou consistently sided with business interests over those of residents.  He is determined to change the tax rate to make it less favorable to homeowners. We think that is a bad idea, and that his overall approach to policy is detrimental to our vision of a city that values equity.    

In summary, we urge you to vote FOR:

Etel Haxhiaj, Khrystian King, and Joe Petty for City Council

Joe Petty for Mayor

Cara Berg Powers, Jack Foley, Jermoh Kamara, and Tracy O’Connell Novick for School Committee 

and to vote AGAINST:

Donna Colorio and Tony Economou for City Council

Dianna Biancheria, Laura Clancey, Molly McCullough, and John Monfredo for School Committee

Feel free to share this with others who might also be interested.  Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2019 and polling places are open from 7 AM - 8 PM.  You can find out where you vote here.  You may not be allowed to read this message on your phone in the polling place but you can print this out in advance and have the right to bring it with you and to read it when you vote.  

We realize that these are complicated issues and everyone has their own thoughts, feelings, and perceptions about them.  We are very willing to discuss them further – feel free to contact us. 

Sincerely,

Margot Barnet and David Coyne

Recommendations for 2019 Worcester preliminary election -- 2nd installment (School Committee)

Sadly, we believe that the Worcester School Committee needs a significant shakeup.  In our three decades in Worcester we have never before been as disappointed as we are now with the incumbent members of the School Committee.  It has become increasingly apparent in the last year that, despite the sincere efforts of many excellent and well-intended educators, our public school system is failing many of our students; we can and must do better; but most of the current School Committee members have opted for business as usual with a little bit of lip service to improvement. 

Tuesday’s preliminary election will remove only one of the 13 candidates; you get to vote for up to 6. 

Of the five incumbent members of the school committee seeking re-election, we feel strongly that only Jack Foley deserves our support.  The field of challengers this year includes some candidates with a wealth of experience and many with perspectives that need to be heard.  Among them, our strongest recommendations are for Cara Berg Powers and Tracy O’Connell Novick.  (Full disclosure:  we have both volunteered a lot on Cara’s campaign.)  It appears that Laura Clancey is the one challenger who is most in line with the incumbents and that the business-as-usual establishment is backing her.  We feel she would not be a good addition to the body.  Among the other five, it is not clear who are the strongest voices, and all would be an improvement over the incumbents. 

Why Cara Berg Powers?  She knows the Worcester schools both as an alumna and as a parent.  Cara has worked closely with urban youth for over a decade, she has made it her business over several years to thoroughly understand education policy, and she has in-depth knowledge and ideas about how to meet complex needs of a diverse student body. Her viewpoint is to treat all children as if they are your own.  She has knocked on thousands of doors all spring and summer and has listened to hundreds of parents and other concerned community members; she has specific plans to make sure these voices continue to be heard.   

Why Tracy O’Connell Novick?  She combines an exhaustive knowledge of education policy and funding streams with a fierce dedication to equity for all students.  She knows what is possible and what kind of educational opportunities we can be expected to provide for our students.  We can count on her to use her deep understanding to hold the school department and its leadership accountable. 

Two major issues have exemplified the need for change on the School Committee.  

1)      Sex education.  Comprehensive, age appropriate, evidence-based sex education saves lives, empowers young people to take charge of choices that profoundly affect their futures, and has been shown to reduce teen sexual activity.  By state law, any such program includes a parental opt out provision.  It is unconscionable that in Worcester we have none of it in our public schools, while the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases has been rising dramatically since 2015 and Worcester’s teen pregnancy rate is significantly above the state average.  The Worcester Impact on Sexual Health (WISH) Task Force was convened in 2017 to find an appropriate curriculum for Worcester schools. 

Composed of a broad base of community groups and health organizations, WISH engaged in an exhaustive and community-based process, eventually recommending three viable curricula.  One of these was deemed to be a political hot potato because it was associated with Planned Parenthood.  The curriculum that was ultimately recommended was scuttled by School Committee members.  Chaired by Brian O’Connell with additional members John Monfredo and Molly McCullough, the subcommittee that was supposed to hold a public hearing on the curriculum abruptly cancelled the meeting when the hearing was to take place.  O’Connell and Monfredo went public with criticisms of the curriculum, convincing Superintendent Binienda to pull it.  McCullough did nothing to blow the whistle.  In contrast, Jack Foley criticized the cancellation of the hearing.  You can read more details of how this all happened here and here.  This is beyond lack of leadership.  It is moving us in a regressive, dangerous direction.  At a public forum earlier this week, we heard Senator Harriette Chandler speak passionately on this issue:  that it is unconscionable to put political pressures before the lives of children.  We agree with Senator Chandler, and that is one major reason we recommend replacing these incumbents. 

2)      Racial disparities in educational opportunities and discipline.  These issues are by no means unique to Worcester, but we need better leadership to address them.  We have been involved in the local struggle around this perhaps more closely than many of you, so we will share our experience and perspective.  There are several links to go into the weeds. 

Both anecdotal reports of students’ lived experience and data collected over the last several years shows that public schools around the country, including the Worcester Public School system, have not lived up to their obligation to many of their students.  Worcester’s school population is about 70% students of color.  There are marked disparities between white students and students from communities of color in both educational achievement and the way they are disciplined.  In 2017-2018, Worcester’s students were predominantly Latino (42.9%).  English Language learners (ELs, students where English is not the predominant language in their homes) comprised a third (32.8%) of our student population.  Our ELs have the highest dropout rate at 5%, followed by Latino students, of whom 3.4% dropped out of school.  Latino students have the highest chronic absenteeism (19.9%) and disciplinary exclusion (11.5%) rates.  These numbers come from Massachusetts’ Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).  All of this suggests that Worcester Public Schools are failing our students of color, particularly our Latino students and English Language learners. 

The Worcester Coalition for Education Equity (WCEE) was formed to address these issues, calling for several steps to remedy the problems.  They hoped that school department leadership and its elected oversight body – the School Committee – would receive feedback and constructive suggestions for improvement with open minds and an eagerness to address the issues.  What they encountered instead from the School Department was defensiveness, withholding of key data, and disregard for the expertise of community stakeholders from different racial/ethnic groups. 

When WCEE issued a statement outlining the problems, offering a range of constructive action steps, and calling for the School Committee not to renew Superintendent Binienda’s expiring contract, several School Committee members responded with defensiveness and outrage.  Dianna Biancheria told Hank Stolz that WCEE was “pointing fingers” and “throwing a log on the fire;” saying that she didn’t know who the statement came from even though it came out with 23 signatories on it several days before this conversation.  (Hank also spoke with Isabel Gonzalez-Webster, who laid out how WCEE came to its recommendations, so you can hear why WCEE felt the need for action.) 

What followed got convoluted with a lot of people getting upset about accusations of racism, even though WCEE tried to keep the focus on structural racism and what could be done about it.  Mayor Petty tried to defuse the situation by issuing this statement accepting many of the recommendations of WCEE.  The School Committee, clearly unwilling to outright vote against renewal of Superintendent Binienda’s contract, could have taken action steps to actualize Mayor Petty’s statement.  They could have given her a one-year contract with specific benchmarks to meet the conditions outlined, with further renewal contingent on meeting them.  But that wasn’t what happened.  Instead they extended her contract for three years, with a substantial raise, with no conditions written into it.  The vote was 5-2 (the Mayor gets a vote) with Petty, O’Connell, Monfredo, McCullough, and Biancheria voting in favor, and Jack Foley and Dante Comparetto voting against.  (Dante Comparetto is not seeking re-election.)  Members of several communities of color felt that this had been a slap in the face.  We agree and believe that the School Committee members who voted in the affirmative should not be re-elected. 

If you want to learn more about the candidates’ views, you can browse the Worcester Education Collaborative’s online candidate forum .

To clarify our recommendations, you can vote for up to six candidates in the preliminary for Worcester School Committee on Tuesday, September 10.  Polls are open from 7 AM to 8 PM.

We would enthusiastically urge a vote FOR:

Cara Berg Powers

Jack Foley (incumbent)

Tracy O’Connell Novick

We sadly but strongly urge you to vote AGAINST:

Dianna Biancheria (incumbent)

Laura Clancey

Molly McCullough (incumbent)

John Monfredo (incumbent)

Brian O’Connell (incumbent)

Finally, we believe that all of the remaining challengers in this race would bring an improvement over the incumbents we have recommended against.

We realize that these are complicated issues and everyone has their own thoughts, feelings, and perceptions about them.  We are very willing to discuss them further – feel free to contact us. 

Sincerely,

Margot Barnet and David Coyne

Recommendations for 2019 Worcester Preliminary Election - first installment (City Council)

Some people wonder if municipal elections are important.  Some might say there is not a progressive way to fill a pot hole or to collect garbage (we would disagree); but surely there is a progressive way to promote affordable housing or to bring about greater equity in the public schools.  Especially now, with cruelty and scandal stripped bare every day on the national scene, our answer is a resounding, “YES,” local government is where the rubber hits the road.  In our blog from a year ago, commenting on state elections, we wrote, “…we feel that it is crucial to use whatever power is available in state government to address the problems we face and hold a firm line on further erosion of human rights.  We need leadership.”  We believe strongly that this is also true of municipal government. 

This year we have a larger than typical field of candidates running for both City Council At-Large and School Committee.  This post will focus on City Council.  Stay tuned for a separate one on School Committee in a few days. 

The preliminary election on Tuesday, September 10^th will narrow the 15 candidates seeking At-Large positions on the City Council to 12, since according to the City’s charter the final election must have no more than twice the number of candidates as positions to be filled.  There are no district City Council races which require a preliminary election.  In the At-Large race, you get to vote for up to 6. 

One incumbent, Konnie Lukes, is not seeking re-election.  This means that at least one person not currently on the Council will be elected.  Theoretically all of the seats are “open,” since we do not have staggered terms.  It is unusual in this system for incumbent at-large councilors to be defeated, but it can and does happen. 

Our very strongest recommendation for your vote this year is Etel Haxhiaj.  We have gotten to know Etel over the last several years in a variety of social justice settings.  Her passion for justice is both fierce and compassionate.  She herself was a refugee from Albania as a teenager.  She recognizes the challenges that marginalized people face and she is determined to create a city where everyone is treated with respect, where everyone is welcome, where everyone can thrive.  Despite being under 40, Etel has a wealth of experience in public service.  She worked in the state Attorney General’s office as a consumer advocate, served the City of Worcester both on the Community Development Block Grant Committee and the Citizen’s Advisory Council, assisted homeless families managing The Village at Central Mass Housing Alliance, and currently works for Mothers Out Front, where she organizes mothers to fight for a livable climate for all children.  She states, “As a single mom of two boys in Worcester Public Schools and as a community organizer, I am deeply invested in the issues that affect working families, our children, and economically vulnerable communities.”  We think she would be a fearless, remarkable, and positive addition to the Worcester City Council.  (In case you are wondering how to pronounce her last name, a phonetic spelling would be Ha-jee-eye.)

In our assessment, Etel’s strongest competition for the “open” seat will likely comes from Tony Economou, who previously held the District 1 seat on the Council, and Donna Colorio, a former School Committee member.  We urge you NOT to vote for either one of them. 

When on the Council previously, Economou consistently sided with business interests over those of residents.  He is determined to change the tax rate to make it less favorable to homeowners.  We think that is a bad idea, and that his overall approach to policy is detrimental to our vision of a city that values equity.    

Donna Colorio participated in local voter suppression efforts, opposes reproductive choice, actively supported Geoff Diehl against Elizabeth Warren in 2018, and chairs the local Republican City Committee.  We don’t need her anywhere near city government. 

As to incumbent councilors, we feel strongly that Khrystian King should be returned to the Council.  He has been a consistent voice and vote for justice on all fronts.  Other incumbent at-large councilors have mixed records, and we are not making recommendations about them at this time. 

We have tried to do our due diligence regarding other challengers for the Council.  A couple of the new candidates don’t have a web page, campaign facebook page, or twitter account, and we can’t find out anything substantive about them.  This suggests to us that they are not taking the race very seriously.  This includes Sean Parretti-Noone and Ralph A. Tiscione, Jr.  A few others do have campaign sites.  James Bedard is a friend and we share a fundamental political outlook, but he doesn’t seem to have put serious work into his campaign; his web page just went up in the last day or two.  Evan Corrigan has a Facebook page and a twitter account, and his motivation seems to be only that he wants to be on the City Council; there is no evidence of him standing for anything.  Jesse Gibson has a web page where he raises some important issues about racial disparities, but he is a graduate of (Jerry Fallwell’s) Liberty University and that raises a red flag for us.  We would not vote for him unless we saw a statement that he does not share its point of view of Christian hegemony married to unfettered “free” markets.  Owurakwaku Poku Sarkodieh has a web page (which I had trouble finding, probably because of the complexity of his name; google just his last name and you will find it) and might be worthy of consideration if he makes it past the preliminary.  Bill Coleman is a nice guy and a perennial candidate who consistently fails to put together a serious campaign.  Unfortunately there is no evidence that that will change this year.

If you want to get into the weeds like we do, you can take a look at candidates’ financial records on the web site of the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF).  City Council candidates are classified by OCPF as “depository candidates,” which means that they have to file a financial report showing donations, expenditures, and cash on hand every two weeks.  Click on “Browse Registered Filers & Reports” to find out about a specific candidate.  There are multiple ways you can use the search function on this site; check them out. 

Please feel free to contact us if you have further questions; and to share these recommendations with people you think might be interested in and benefit from them.  (A link to this post is the most efficient way to do that.)

Thank you for allowing us to share our opinions about elections with you.  We are honored that many of our friends actually ask us for them.  We also appreciate that some people who like us and who we like don’t share our views.  Whether you agree with us or not, please be sure to vote!

Sincerely,

Margot Barnet and David Coyne