Hillman visits Franklin

By Erin O'Connor

Staff Writer

WESTFIELD On September 8 candidate for Lieutenant Governor for Massachusetts, Reed Hillman visited the Franklin Avenue School as a campaign stop with seven associates that included State Representative Don Humason and met with Principal Leslie Clark-Yvon. The School is located at 22 Franklin Avenue and is one of fourteen schools in Westfield.

"We want an education plan that allows students to develop to their full potential," HIllman said to a panel of teachers during his rounds in the school.

In speaking with teachers Hillman said he is opposed to the former ways of teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) students.

"As a proponent of the ESL initiative previously on the ballot, we are not in support of going back to the old way where they [students] didn't learn English or much else," Hillman said to the teachers.

Carlene Bannish a former bi-lingual teacher and current fourth grade teacher for the school said to Hillman. "They [ESL] had the option to learn in their native language. The feeling right now is that they are sort of in a difficult position."

Hillman said if elected himself and running mate Kerry Healey would concentrate on recharging an effort for standardized testing in Massachusetts.

"We want to measure how well teachers are doing and how well the students are not doing," Hillman said,"Teachers that are under- performing will be remediated or shown the alternative of unemployment. We would like to see the MCAS scores go up over time," he said.

Hillman said that Healey and himself are in support of charter schools like the one in Dorchester.

"They are very highly structured and disciplined," he said. "We look forward to the day when no parent wants to put their kid in a charter school because public schools are doing as well."

Hillman said that he is an advocate for principals being able to fire under-performing teachers and reward those that are doing well. He also said that himself and Healey are in agreement over raising the student drop-out age from 16 to 18 years of age.

"We don't feel we are challenging the kids. We must challenge the school, the community and the parents to see if we can raise the bar. When they are out of school and college they will have to compete with people working for lower wages," Hillman said.

"As a lawyer I could go on the Internet and have legal work done for me in India," he said, "I would like to see a love and understanding for physical science and a love for the sciences."

One fifth grade student asked Hillman what his job was like and what he had been doing.

"I am retired," Hillman said. "I was in the State Police for 22 years. I have been retired since January. I am hoping to be working for the state. It is a lot of fun. You get to pass laws. I have been campaigning since March. Healey and I are partners, she would be Governor and I Lieutenant Governor. "

Clark-Yvon described Franklin as the poorest school in the district and one of the last of the 'neighborhood schools'.

"An advantage of being in a downtown school is that you can go to lots of places," Clark-Yvon said to Hillman.

Kerry Healey visited the Franklin School February 9, 2005 hours before announcing her candidacy for governor.