By Dalia Diaz
I did not choose the title of this story to insult the manhood or womanhood of any person. I chose the title to inform our readers that Mayor Rivera has been doing half the work of a Mayor.
Let me explain. The Mayor’s role is to chair the school committee. A mayor also advocates for students and parents, and collectively with whatever board or committee he is charged, hires a qualified and distinct school superintendent with evidence of a good or great prior confirmed work. Moreover, with whatever board or committee he is charged, he must also evaluate the work of the superintendent of schools. Every mayor of the City of Lawrence, prior to Rivera, has filled that role. Every mayor, prior to Rivera, has had to wear that hat – it comes with the territory. However, Rivera does not need to wear that hat and probably, by the way he responds and acts in regards to the LPS, does not want to wear the hat. So he just concentrates on the other side of government (less school) and lets DESE and the receiver do what they like.
This is evident on the numerous meetings with parents and students that occurred a year ago in regards to the receiver eliminating libraries throughout the schools to make more classroom space. His answer, to many of the parents and students that showed up to some meeting last year, when asked about the library all he responded was that he could not do anything because the LPS is under a receivership. That’s his answer every time.
Three highly elected and respected officials just last week, sent press releases to the dissatisfaction of DESE in its search for another superintendent. I rather call it by its proper name “another receiver” because that’s exactly the type of power that is coming into that position, without the authority of the Lawrence School Committee which was elected by its people for its people.
With one swift press release, Representative Frank Moran, Senator Barbara L’Italien, and Representative Juana Matias have made more clamors, on the dissatisfied process and issues associated with school takeover, than Rivera has ever done in all of his five years in office as Mayor. In light of their concern, we join their effort. Please take the time to read my column on page 16 on this subject.
And so, we must all remind Rivera, that he has a voice and should use that voice to advocate that the power be returned to its people. That is because if he does not speak up, he (himself) is making a statement to its Lawrencians, and that statement is we (Latinos) are not educated enough to lead our schools.
He has basically has cozied up with those in powers in order to make his duties as Mayor easier by not having to do the full duties of a Mayor. Think about it. The less he has to do with the LPS, the more he can do elsewhere. Talk about having someone else doing your job!
Every week he speaks about how much he has worked with city finances so that the overseer can be removed from the city, but has not once stated anything about making strides with its school so that the receiver of LPS can be removed. I bet you he does not even have a plan – well a least he has never presented a plan to the people of Lawrence.
