Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The reason: Irish prime minister, the speaker, has supported slight changes in Ireland's abortion laws in the wake of a woman's death after being denied an abortion.
Cardinal Sean O'Malley said in a statement today that he would not attend Boston College's commencement because Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny is scheduled to speak and: ...the Catholic Bishops of the United States have asked that Catholic institutions not honor government officials or politicians who promote abortion with their laws and policies. The proposed Irish law would allow abortion if the mother's life is threatened. The bill was introduced after international outcry over the death of Savita Halappanavar, an Indian woman who died in an Irish hospital last year after being denied an abortion. Halapppanavar was told by a midwife at the hospital that she could not have an abortion because Ireland was "a Catholic country." O'…
Monday, April 29, 2013
The 137th Annual Boston College Commencement will be held on Mon., May 20, 2013.
Boston College will welcome Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny as its 2013 featured commencement speaker, according to a recent article published in the Boston College Chronicle. BC president William P. Leahy will present Kenny with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the ceremony, which will be held on Mon., May 20 at 10 a.m. in Alumni Stadium, the Chronicle reported. Kenny has served as Taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland since March 2011 and is the leader of the Fine Gael political party of Ireland. According to the Chronicle, his political career has spanned nearly 40 years. In addition to Kenny, BC will present honorary degrees to James A. Woods, the founding dean of BC's Woods College for Advancing Studies; Wayne Budd, former U.S…
Friday, March 29, 2013
Budget cuts and a surging student enrollment means tough choices will have to be made.
Brookline parents are fighting to save school enrichment programs, which could be eliminated due to budget cuts according to the Boston Globe. The Globe reported that Superintendent Bill Lupini proposed eliminating these programs last month for next school year. The town is facing a surge in student enrollment, and increase in teacher pay, and possible sequester cuts for special education. Lupini said that the program could be partially spared if it were privately funded. The proposal puts Brookline’s Enrichment, Challenge and Support Program in danger. This program helps teachers provide challenging curriculum for high-achieving students and those who learn at a different pace in kindergarten to eighth grade. Cutting the Enrichment, …
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
The Catholic college threatened to crack down on condom-dispensing students. Is the school right to defend its beliefs or is it stifling student rights?
Some Boston College students are in hot water with the university this week. The Jesuit school sent the students letters threatening them with disciplinary action for handing out condoms on campus. The students, who are part of the group Boston College Students for Sexual Health, were giving away condoms from their dorm rooms, according to boston.com. The rooms were called “Safe sites.” But the school has a policy against the distribution of contraceptives on school grounds. Representatives for the health group said the move comes as a surprise. The university has known about the program for years but did not act until now, according to organization chair Lizzie Jekanowski. Boston College, meanwhile, said the move was made to help …
Saturday, March 23, 2013
One nearby school district thinks so.
Ipswich school officials have decided to fold the district's Middle School Honors Night into a wider school assembly this year, saying it made students who weren't honored feel left out, the Salem News reported this week. The Ipswich Middle School principal reportedly sent parents a letter explaining the decision, saying having an exclusive honors night can be emotionally damaging and can impact a student's academic growth. "The honors night, which can be a great sense of pride for the recipients’ families, can also be devastating to a child who has worked extremely hard in a difficult class but who, despite growth, has not been able to maintain a high grade point average,” the principal's letter read, according to the Salem News. Instead…
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
The town tweeted it's decision in the wee hours Tuesday morning.
Winter's last gasp is playing havoc with Brookline parents' schedules Tuesday morning. The town's public schools are closed Tuesday. While surrounding communities annouced their closures Monday evening, Brookline opted to wait. The decision to shutter the schools for the day was tweeted at 4:40 a.m. Tuesday morning (the town's Twitter time stamp is set to Pacific time, so it reads 1:40 a.m.). While classes are canceled, the School Department's central office and all school offices will be open during regular business hours on Tuesday, according to the department website.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Due to the expected winter storm on Tuesday, the state announced that the MCAS English Language Arts Composition test for students in grades 4, 7 and 10 has been postponed until Monday, March 25.
Since much of Massachusetts is expecting a winter storm on Tuesday, and with it the possibility of numerous school closings or delayed openings, the MCAS English Language Arts Composition test for students in grades 4, 7 and 10 has been postponed until Monday, March 25, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced on its website. Originally this composition test was scheduled for Tuesday, March 19, but in an effort to make sure all schools administer the test on the same day, "all schools must administer the ELA Composition test to students in grades 4, 7, and 10 on Monday, March 25, including schools that are not affected by the weather," according to a memo from Elizabeth Davis, Associate Commissioner of …
This is the second survey about guns in the community from Brookline High School teacher Elon Fischer.
Elon Fischer released a second survey on access to guns in the community. With 119 people taking his survey on guns in Brookline Public Schools as an initial test for responses, Fischer released a new one on access and availability, asking if there are guns in your home, and what percentage of Brookline homes have guns in them. Take the time to take this survey and get involved in the on going dialog. Here’s how you can join the conversation: “We’re eager to see if it can work—that is, if this might be a way to hold a meaningful conversation about a crucial public issue, a conversation that will engage the thoughtful students and adults of the Brookline community,” Fischer writes.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Take this survey to help a class of Brookline High School kids witha public speaking project.
The survey above was provided by Brookline High School Public Speaking teacher Elon Fischer.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Brookline Schools are open today. Tough break, kids.
To the dismay of many Brookline children, school is open today. The roads are pretty slippery and there are reports that the Brookline and Boston area could get up to 18 inches of snow. On the one hand, conditions for driving and walking are less than favorable. On the other hand, students, teachers and school faculty probably do not want to be in school until mid-June. What do you think? Was there too much snow for school today? Gab about the weather with your neighbors in our comment section below.
Mary Lawrence
12:26 pm on Thursday, May 16, 2013
If the Cardibakwould allow a woman to die of pregnancy related complications in the 21st century he is complicit in a murder! No woman should be expected to be a martyr to such a situation. more ›