Actually, I’ve never met her, so I don’t know if she is little or sweet (but I think so) and old is relative, but here is the letter from Mary Botelle. In the last post, I referenced this letter that destroys the NEA’s bogus complaint filed with the Labor Relations Board against this blog – describing how it “should be considered a form of intimidation to suppress freedom of speech.”
The teacher’s union has wasted your tax dollars for 7 months with this frivolous complaint and they unceremoniously dropped it on April 4th (did I mention it has been 7 months). Coincidentally, doing so on that date meant that it would not be available for the Chariho itinerary that was posted for the public. It was slipped into our packet on the day of the meeting.
Mrs. Botelle is also one of the people who showed us how poorly the Chariho Act had been put together – actually it was put together three times and we still don’t have a completed version – (Deb Carney is also a champion in this regard) – and yes, by the same solicitor who was representing Chariho against the NEA. The solicitor Barry Ricci suggested that we hire.
Thank you, Mrs. Botelle – God bless.
Chariho School Parents' Forum 
God Bless Mrs. Botelle. SHE is a real “class act”.
Comment by Dorothy Gardiner — April 10, 2008 @ 3:14 pm |
Hi!
Mrs. Botelle can hold her own and is smart in addition to be a class act. Complaints are not always valid and legitimate. I suspect Bill Day won’t “mouth off” much on that one!
Regards,
Scott
Comment by Scott Bill Hirst — April 10, 2008 @ 5:09 pm |
I saw the meeting last night, and several things stand out. WHERE was the rest of the school committee when it came to the defense of Mr. Felkner? WHY hasn’t Bill Day been fired? How can anyone in his position and Mr Ricci allow private information to be bandied about? We hear so much about “privacy” and “protection of rights”, and now we hear that the CHAIRMAN of the school committee has broken that requirement! I understand that there is a sense of anger because Bill has challanged the school committee. BUT if this happened to Bill, it can happen to any of you. Lies, rumors, mis information about you and your child. Has your child participated in any “social quiz” recently? What might he or she have written or answered? Might you want his/her comments or secrets exposed? His/her behavior discussed at Wests Bakery? Private or personal information discussed? Why not? If it happened to Bill, we are all “fair game” since neither any member of the committee nor Mr Ricci has addressed this issue, which could be a very serious legal matter. So, here is where I now stand, with the full knowledge that the behavior of the school committe represents a sordid chapter in the history of CHARIHO.
Dear Bill,
I may only be left with a dream, that good public education is a right of all children, and the taxpayers who pay for it. I can see myself leaning towards vouchers if no other remedy is available. I state this partly because I firmly believe that the duty of parents is to provide a safe, appropriate education for their children. If the public schools fail them, then we will have no choice but to go to a voucher system. However, I do believe that then, the public schools will fail unless the unions, the school committee and parents force compliance with their wishes. Sadly, we must start with the school committee, and since most people with a bit of intelligence can see that this business is NOT running well. And the school system should be run as a business! I think we have already lost our public school system.
Your campaign for better education may just have to become a campaign for a voucher system not by choice, but by necessity. Then, perhaps, the public school system will become a better run business, and meet expectations. Then, we might return to being considered a “Mecca” of educational strength. Then, we might not have to import intellect from India, China, and other foreign nations, but “grow our own”. Now that would be something great! We, the voters, sure are not doing a good job, and we are falling into the pit, we just may need a voucher system to turn this around.
Comment by Dorothy Gardiner — April 11, 2008 @ 3:42 pm |
Dorothy, thank you for the kind words. You have been fighting for the kids longer than I – so you know how much it means to hear the support.
Comment by Bill Felkner — April 11, 2008 @ 4:22 pm |
It was a frivolous complaint from the get go and a slap down to ‘play ball’ with the committee and administration. Great to see someone of Mrs. Botelle’s sense of community as was her husbands way through the years step forward. Its a shame the money that was wasted by the dog and pony show that could have gone to the ‘children’. It is as some say sincerely (and not by those who want to use children as pawns to get their way when they say its) ‘about the children.’ Kudo’s Mrs. Botelle and thank you from the communities and thank you Mr. Felkner (who has a sincere interest being a father,husband, a social conscious of doing right and being taxpayer like the rest of us) who wants the best and not substandard education for ALL THE CHILDREN ALL THE TIME.
Comment by James — April 14, 2008 @ 5:34 am |
Have you all noted the DATE on the NEARI letter? It took a “Little old lady”, writing to NEARI to notify them that she knew what they, were up to< Seems like the school committee and Mr Ricci were up to the same bad behavior, too.
Where the heck was the attorney we all pay for? WHERE were the rest of the school committee members during this entire process? (Recall, they would not let Bill attend the meeting regarding this “litigation”, and the lawyer for the school committee had read it???) Since Mr Ricci kept the letters and other information cloaked in secrecy, is this (the fact that it was a frivolus complaint NOT litigation)the REASON he tortured Bill for so long. No information, nothing to let Bill know that this was not litigation, just foolishness. HOW MUCH DID THIS COST ME??? I do not want to pay for the petty behavior of Mr Ricci and Mr Day.
Comment by Dorothy Gardiner — April 14, 2008 @ 6:50 pm |
She may be a “little old lady” but she is as intellegent today as she has always been and can still teach a lot to those younger than she is. She was always a class act and a perfect lady, a wonderful role model for many of us just a few years younger than she is. When it comes to Chariho and knowledge no one knows more than she does. Good for you Mary that you are still in there fighting for what it right.
Comment by Jerri Aldrich — April 14, 2008 @ 11:18 pm |
Hi!
Nice to see your blog Jerri.
Jerri is our former Hopkinton Town Clerk and a former Chariho School Committee member. Her son James LaBrosse has been working on educational issues for Hopkinton.
The sad commentary is the need for basic fairness of getting information to the public and understanding issues better of school committee members. Take the current bond referendum situation. Whatever the merits of of needed school repairs, the attitude of the school establishment in addition to the economic times works against any bond’s success. A number of people vote because of the affordability issue alone regarless of merits of a proposal.
Frankly, in regards to Bill Felkner he is a RECOGNIZED leader in the state regardless of what his local detractors say. The Ocean State Policy Research Institute which he leads has a number of prominent and eminent people involved with it including Rhode Island First Lady “Sue” Carcieri.
Always remember this school committee members can speak to the public through letters to the editor and other means. On the transparency issue alone the question could be asked to school committee members: What are going to do to make Chariho affairs more transparent and available for the public?
Regards,
Scott
Comment by Scott Bill Hirst — April 15, 2008 @ 11:04 am |
As they say in the upcoming NFL draft . . . your on the clock. After this great display of embarrassing the Towns that pay the bills and wasting kids money, its safe to say, Barry Ricci is on the clock.
Comment by George — April 17, 2008 @ 8:41 pm |
It’s embarrassing by many standards in the tri towns (even sub standard) that this guy is of some way connected to children or to wanting to help children. It makes one want to, as you American’s say puke. You couldn’t hire a sheep or goat?. All your towns lads should be embarrassed.
Comment by Ian — April 17, 2008 @ 10:07 pm |
How about a Deer?
Comment by Dorothy Gardiner — April 18, 2008 @ 1:33 pm |
I am not familiar with Mrs. Botelle’s experince with the Chariho School Committee, but what I cannot understand is why Mrs. Botelle was not voted in as School Committee Chairperson! What an intelligent, distinguishable, and popular woman. There is no one that is so legally informed or is as supportive of our school district as Mrs. Botelle. She has my vote. If she does not appear on the ballot, write her in!
I personally have the Superintendent’s job earmarked for Mr. Felkner. He is the person who has the knowledge, th intellect, the understanding of what the is required to operate a well-run school system, and we like him!
He listens and is always politically correct in his responses! Who says we, the taxpayers, cannot get rid of Ricci before he retires with our tax money and runs off into the sunset, snickering the entire time.
(Has anyone ever noticed that Ricci always has a tan? I can not think of any other superintendent that has a year round tan. (It is just an observation!)
Ricci was an elementary principal, kicked out of another school system and some how managed to slither his way into our district. We never voted him in! How can that be legally acceptable? We must have some recourse. Mrs. Botelle and Mr. Felkner, come to the rescue of our children.
Comment by Kathy — April 19, 2008 @ 11:15 am |
Ok, editing corrections for the comment above:
1) Add an ‘e’ to the second paragraph, second sentence, fourth word from the right to form the word “the”;
2) Same paragraph, same sentence, take out the tenth word “the” completely, and;
3) Add another parentheses after observation “…observation!))” in the fourth paragraph.
Sorry for the mistakes. That is what happens when one cuts and pastes!
Comment by Kathy — April 19, 2008 @ 11:30 am |
You don’t have to apologize Kathy. We all do it. Besides, we knew what you meant. Glad to have you join us in our lovely debates and conversations.
Comment by Lois Buck — April 19, 2008 @ 5:45 pm |
Mrs. Botelle kicks butt! Richmond and Charlestown should be so lucky to have a resident like her!
Comment by Truth or Consequences — April 22, 2008 @ 12:48 am |
[…] time. When the NEA filed that bogus complaint and was sent whimpering when Mary Botelle gave them a talkin’ to. We registered the highest I had ever seen with about 900 hits. Today, we closed out the 24 […]
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