Michelle Wu loves feel-good initiatives that give away free stuff, and by no means worries about the fee to taxpayers or companies.
But her determination to exclude hundreds of constitution, parochial and METCO college kids from her free museum weekends program is mean-spirited and divisive – pitting households towards one another.
Wu is mayor of Boston to everybody who lives within the metropolis – not only a choose few who get an training she deems politically-correct or union pleasant.
She might not have supposed it that means however her transfer to reward solely Boston Public Schools youngsters with free passes has left low-income households in constitution faculties and within the METCO program with no place to go.
These are households that may’t afford personal faculties and certainly can’t afford a weekend journey to the Museum of Science or the New England Aquarium. Taking a household of 4 to the Aquarium prices greater than $100 whole in ticket costs.
Wu introduced throughout her State of the City deal with to waive admission charges at numerous museums and establishments for BPS college students and as much as three relations on the primary two Sundays of every month by at the least August.
So far, this system has drawn 2,500 college students and relations to the establishments and museums — however many hundreds extra might be served if Wu opened up the plan to all college students in Boston.
Two metropolis councilors have proposed simply that – including constitution, METCO and parochial college college students to the “BPS Sundays” pilot program.
“There are over 20,000 Boston children who are enrolled in charter and parochial schools, and who attend the METCO program that should have access to the same wonderful opportunities as our BPS students,” City Councilor Erin Murphy mentioned.
The Wu administration sounds open to increasing this system ultimately however the time is now to do it. Wu shouldn’t want to attend for City Council approval or to see how the pilot program is working. She can proper this error instantly.
Wu is mayor to all in Boston – and that features hundreds of children who’ve chosen for numerous causes to not enroll in Boston Public Schools or can’t get into the examination faculties.
The solely cause Wu didn’t embrace constitution faculties within the pilot program is politics. Charter faculties are a politically-divisive concern and lots of liberals like Wu view them as threats to public faculties.
But in actuality, constitution faculties are public faculties, too.
Families enrolled in constitution faculties — lengthy the bane of highly effective Democratic unions — are searching for a greater option to educate their kids than BPS, which is riddled with poor-performing excessive faculties and violence.
Kids within the METCO program are bused to suburban faculties outdoors of Boston. But they’re nonetheless thought of Boston public college college students – by everybody however Wu apparently.
They stay within the metropolis and should take pleasure in Boston’s nice cultural establishments as a lot as another child. They shouldn’t be punished by Wu.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”