10 O'Clock News | [Boston City Council delays vote on school reform]

Charles Yancey, Reverend Bruce Wall and Bruce Bolling in the City Council Chambers

[Boston City Council delays vote on school reform]
Original Airdate: 8/3/1987

Length: 00:03:26
Item Type: newstape - edited story master

Go back to main record.

Full Description

1:00:01
Visual: Footage of Reverend Bruce Wall (Twelfth Baptist Church) delivering an invocation before a meeting of the Boston City Council in the City Council Chambers. City Councillors Charles Yancey and Bruce Bolling stand behind him. Shots of the City Councillors in the Chambers. Bruce Bolling presides over the meeting. The other councillors sit behind desks.

Meg Vaillancourt reports that the Boston City Council met to consider the school reform package proposed by Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston). Vaillancourt notes that the package includes the home rule petition, which is the "cornerstone" of school reform in Boston.

V: Footage of Dapper O'Neil (Boston City Council) saying that the Boston School Commitee is "crucifying the teachers"; that the School Committee is giving too much power to the superintendent. O'Neill compares Wilson's power to that of Adolph Hitler. O'Neil says that he will never vote for the school reform package.

Vaillancourt reports that O'Neil was the only City Councillor to say that he would vote against the package; that consensus is never easy in an election year.

V: Shot of the stenographer in the center of the Chambers. Footage of James Kelly (Boston City Council) saying that there is no rush to vote on the home rule petition; that the state legislature will not meet to approve the petition until September.

Vaillancourt reports that most City Councillors agree with the petition; that the petition transfers power from the School Committee to the superintendent.

V: Shots of a School Committee meeting in session.

Vaillancourt reports that the School Committee has agreed to share power; that the proposal to allow Wilson to make personnel decisions has strong backing in the business community. Vaillancourt notes that Flynn's proposal includes changes suggested by councillors; that Boston newspapers called the councillors' suggested changes "absurd."

V: Shots of the City Council meeting; of a newspaper editorial with a headline reading, "Games Councillors Play."

Vaillancourt reports from outside of the City Council Chambers. Vaillancourt reports that the City Council delayed voting on the package; that the Council referred the school reform package to its Education Committee for review. Vaillancourt notes that the Council objected to the package last week. Vaillancourt speculates that the Council did not want to appear to back down from their objections by approving the package; that the Council did not want to open themselves up to criticism by rejecting the package.

V: Footage of Bolling preciding over a vote in the Coucil Chambers. Shot of Joseph Tierney (Boston City Council) addressing the Council.

Vaillancourt reports that politics may be behind the City Council's delay. Vaillancourt adds that school reform is the focus of Tierney's mayoral campaign.

V: Footage of Tierney saying that he will not vote in favor of the package until he has the opportunity to make an "intelligent, informed vote." Footage of John Nucci (President, Boston School Committee) saying that the City Council is delaying on the issue in order to garner attention from the media.

Vaillancourt speculates that Nucci is correct; that school reform is a major issue for voters; that most City Councillors will probably endorse the plan.

V: Shot of students playing ring-around-the rosey at the Jackson Mann Elementary School. Footage of Christopher Ianella (Boston City Council) being interviewed by Vaillancourt. Ianella says that Councillors are practicing the "art of politics"; that the vote will eventually come out in favor of the package.

The Ten O'Clock News Home | WGBH

The Ten O'Clock News Project is a production of the WGBH Archives.
©2003 WGBH Educational Foundation.