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Candidate meets with teachers, administrators

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



SPRINGFIELD According to School Committee candidate Victor Davila some teachers and principals feel a "disconnection" between themselves and the School Committee.

Davila has been on a "listening tour" of the city's schools. He has visited 12 of the city's 43 schools so far.

Davila explained during a Wednesday afternoon interview on Hot Talk with Tony Gill on that he undertook the tour because "a good leader listens to people before making decisions."

He has found concerns about the physical condition of the school buildings and the heating systems. He noted that, during his visit to the Dorman School, it was so warm that some students were "panting."

"This is not an atmosphere conducive to learning," he said.

The change in where students should cross roads and whether or not there are crossing guards is also a major issue. Davila credited School Committee member Antoinette Pepe for addressing this problem.

Buses that run late are another issue, as well as potential over-crowding of school buses, he said. Davila observed a bus in Lower Liberty Heights bound for the Mary Walsh School that picked up 47 students at its first stop and then had two more stops before it arrived at the school. Davila believes that some parents are bringing their child to the nearest bus stop rather than letting them walk and wondered if some sort of identification badge is needed to keep walking students off of the buses.

Vandalism is also an on-going problem and Davila said that a return to the community-policing model would address this situation. He noted that two new windows at the Dorman School were broken within two weeks of installation.

He noted that teachers have expressed their frustration with Superintendent Joseph Burke with a 'no confidence' vote and added that, if Burke is an impediment to the contracts talks, Davila would call for his removal from those talks.

The candidate also said that he has mixed feelings on the newly implemented boundary school program.

While he agrees with the concept of neighborhood schools, he is concerned about making sure under-performing schools receive the resources they need to succeed.

"We have to succeed. Failure is not an option," he said.