Editorial: MassHighway and the public's mistrust

February 5, 2010

This editorial first appeared in the Daily Hampshire Gazette.
If there's one thing that's sure to make Pioneer Valley motorists cringe these days, it's news of another multi-million dollar, interstate highway construction job.

Pelham Fire Department seeks backup from town

February 5, 2010

To the Bulletin: The personnel of the Pelham Fire Department are submitting this letter on behalf of Fire Chief Raymond Murphy. We have noticed Chief Murphy has made numerous recommendations to the town regarding budgetary and equipment requirements to ensure the proper operation of the Pelham Fire Department. The majority of these requests have been routinely declined; furthermore, the town has made decisions regarding the operations of the Fire Department without consulting Chief Murphy.

Central office tone deaf to music department needs

February 5, 2010

A recent decision by the administration at Amherst Regional High School to eliminate the Jazz Workshop class and band director position, leaving the band program in the hands of the choral director, is very disappointing to me and should be to many others in the Amherst community.

A Sideways Glance: Talking about the schools

February 5, 2010

Joel Wolfe is a teacher and assures us that criticizing him is not teacher bashing. I found that really offputting. There is nothing quite like giving a good bash to a teacher to start the day. It gets the juices flowing and gives you a sense of accomplishment and the feeling that all is right with the world. But he might be wrong. Criticizing him actually might be teacher bashing. There is really no way to know without outsiders with no vested interest in the outcome being brought in to evaluate the question. Since recruiting such a delegation seems unlikely, I am going to go with my gut feeling that criticizing him qualifies as a legitimate bash. So, to work with it.

Letters

February 5, 2010

To teachers: Do the right thing

To the Bulletin: Amherst officials and unions would be advised to take note of a recent contractual agreement that occurred in Longmeadow.

Editorial: All eyes on Young

January 29, 2010

Hadley residents have good reason to be proud of their schools and their superintendent, Nicholas Young. On Feb. 12, he will be honored by the American Association of School Administrators as Massachusetts superintendent of the year

Amherst Center: Preserving what we've built

January 29, 2010

Joni Mitchell sang, "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone." As context for the upcoming override decision, we asked recent Amherst Regional High School grads now in college to tell us how well our high school prepared them for college-level work and how they felt budget cuts might affect future students. Here are some of their responses. For the full list, visit www.voteyesforamherst.org.

Let's talk about the schools

January 29, 2010

The election to the School Committee of Catherine Sanderson, Steve Rivkin and Irv Rhodes has caused a great deal of sturm und drang in town. There has been a lot debate but little agreement on issues such as per student spending, trimesters, the new ninth-grade science requirement, the two forced study halls per year that other districts avoid, and a possible override.

Letters

January 29, 2010

Free Gaza now

To the Bulletin: I am writing in response to Joseph Kushick's letter to editorial in the Bulletin of Jan. 8, titled "The other Gaza Outrage," in which he attacks me for attending the Gaza Freedom March and for being insensitive to the suffering of Israeli children under kassam rocket attacks.