To the Editor: My name is Nathan Cornell and I am running for the Warwick School Committee because we need different results and more transparency in the process. The majority of the current School Committee has not listened to their constituents, nor
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To the Editor:
My name is Nathan Cornell and I am running for the Warwick School Committee because we need different results and more transparency in the process. The majority of the current School Committee has not listened to their constituents, nor have they worked with parents, teachers or students as they should. If they had, then we wouldn’t be seeing the current problems with consolidation or a rush to consolidate the elementary schools.
I attended Warwick schools from K-12 and am a Class of 2016 graduate of Toll Gate High School. My young age, over 30 years younger than most of the current five members, provides me with a different perspective that I would bring to the committee. I’ve seen the problems with the schools from the inside. I’ve seen how the committee’s decisions have negatively affected students and teachers.
For over two years, I’ve been speaking at School Committee meetings to give my fellow students a voice. I founded a council and later a committee consisting of students from Warwick Vets, Pilgrim and Toll Gate so that we could work together, as we’re all affected by the School Committee’s policies. At first, I was ignored by the School Committee; then, they tried to silence me saying I was a threat to the School Committee, even though I was a junior in high school. However, I kept speaking out.
I reached out to members of the City Council: they listened and, by a unanimous vote, created the Community Outreach Educational Committee, which I co-chair. The committee consists of students, parents, teachers, a member of each of the School Committee, school administration, and city administration, and four City Council members. Since the COE Committee was formed last October, we have attempted to solve problems, including investigating complaints regarding Warwick School’s Special Education Department.
In addition, I have experience serving on the Warwick Students’ Advisory Committee, the Warwick City Charter Review Commission, and the Warwick Schools Public Relations Committee.
I have been campaigning this summer, walking over one hundred miles, meeting people and listening to their concerns. If I have the honor of being elected to the School Committee, I will make sure that everyone with an interest in our schools – especially parents, teachers, and students – will be heard. I believe that everyone should be able to speak their mind without fear of retaliation. Nathan Cornell
Candidate for Warwick School Committee
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Thecaptain
Nathan,
Please answer these questions for me.
1. Do you think that GPS should be installed in the school department maintenance vehicles as suggested by the facilities director.
2. Which school committee members do you feel are aligned with your positions.
3. What do you feel should happen to the home of David Laplante after approximately $100,000 of stolen school merchandise was found in the home and the majority of it was allowed to stay in the premises during the sale of the home.
4. What is your position relative to the wife of David Laplante who is a Warwick Teacher who resided in the home that the stolen merchandise was found in and then the sale of the home was put forth knowing that there was stolen merchandise in the home. Should she also have been arrested and charged in posssession of stolen goods and should they be allowed to collect thier pensions?
Thank you for your time.
Tuesday, September 6, 2016 Report this
Flo5582
I agree with Nathan, that more time should be spent listening to the city's students, parents and teachers. I am Curious though on your thoughts of the other potential candidates strengths and/ or weaknesses. I have not heard much from several of the others running for this position. At the moment I am a supporter of you and David Testa. I believe you could both serve the committee well. To date all I've heard from Mr.Hall is that he will "put our children first" yet I'm not exactly sure what he means or intends to do to ensure that. And again, I make the point that he knows nothing about our schools and how they are run. He appears to be all smoke and mirrors, and catchy slogans. And I have heard little from Karen Bachus and even less from the others running. I would appreciate hearing your thoughts
Thursday, September 8, 2016 Report this
Thecaptain
Nathan,
Still waiting for your response.
Friday, September 9, 2016 Report this
Thecaptain
Oh Nathan,
Your lack of a response and silence is deafening. Where are you????
Sunday, September 11, 2016 Report this
nathancornell98
Dear Mr. Cote, I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. I did not have an account on this page until today. I believe it is important for a candidate to answer to people, so I made an account so I could answer your questions. In response to your four questions:
1. I will have to do some research, however I would consider the Facility Director's recommendation.
2. Karen Bachus
3. That isn't related to the School Committee, so I will have to do some research on that matter.
4. I would find it disturbing if the wife was involved in any way and a person is innocent until proven guilty. Also, the School Committee doesn't have the power to have someone arrested.
Sunday, September 11, 2016 Report this
Thecaptain
Dear Nathan,
For your edification I will provide you with the following information:
1. The "new" facilities director recommended spending approximately $12,000 on gps for all of the maintenance vehicles. In light of the massive theft of school materials perpetrated by Mr. Laplante and found in the home of Mr. & Mrs Laplante, coupled with the numerous video tapes released of school maintenance vehicles driving around wasting time, it was a common sence decision. Which by the way, the same decision has been put forth in almost every district in Massachussetts which has shown incredible cost saving results. Karen Bachus but the "kabosh" on the GPS units along with Mederios, who stated it is a violatioin of ciivil rights. What does gps in taxpayer owned vehicles have to do with civil rights? Again, another ploy to keep allowing union members to not be held accountable. Its a shame you are in her court. What about taxpayer rights?
2. The issue of the theft perpetrated by Mr. Laplante has everything to do with the school committee as utimately, they are in charge of distribution of the budget to the school department. In particular, niether the school committee nor the school department were smart enough to have a "writ of attachment" signed against the property owned by Mr. & Mrs. Laplante who are both employed by the school dept. With a combined income of $190,000 plus benefits and pensions, Mr. Laplante chose to steal from the taxpayers and students, and his wife, chose not to ask questions as to where all of the stolen goods came from. It was not until members of the general public notified the press that the house and its contents of stolen goods was put up for sale and a contract was signed by both of the owners. One could possibly argue that Mrs. Laplante, (warwick school teacher) was unaware of the 306 stolen goods that were confiscated from her home to include all major appliances, decking, granite counter tops, hard wood flooring, cabinets, etc..., however, after the arrest of her husband and the confiscation of $76,000 of stolen goods, how could it be possible that she is innocent when she knew that all of the stolen merchandise that was rigidly attached to the house remained in place at the time that they both signed a sales agreement on the house. Its called knowingly conveying stolen merchandise. Yet the Warwick teacher was not held accountable. Again, it was not until a taxpayer contacted the media to let them know that the Laplantes were quietly selling the house containing all of the stolen merchandise that belonged to the school department and the taxpayers of Warwick. Ms. Bachus did nothing proactively to stop the transaction. The fact of the matter is that upon the arrest of Mr. Laplante, the school department, upon the recommendation of the school committee, should have instituted a "writ of attachment". Again they collectively failed.
3. The school department in conjunction with the school committee went to the police to file a report of stolen goods. The police department did the investigation and made the arrest. How can someone who lives in the house and works in the school department along with her husband have no knowledge of the theft activity and the stolen goods within her own home? The school department should have immediatley fired her as they did with her husband. Ironicly, all of the teachers came to her support. At the school committee meeting when I held up the 7 page list of stolen goods, there was no condemnation of the act from the teachers, only consolation of the teacher that lived in the house full of stolen goods. It makes a great point. The point is union membership before the taxpayer. That my young friend is precisely why the school department is in the predicament that it is in today.
Monday, September 12, 2016 Report this