NEW YORK BOSTON |#Popular: Irish Celebrity Gossip Irish in US Politics Irish Festivals Irish Roots Irish Entertainment Offbeat Irish

Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > South Hadley school board debases the memory of Phoebe Prince

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

South Hadley school board debases the memory of Phoebe Prince

Posted on Wednesday, May 05, 2010 at 03:01 PM

Larger Text

E-mail

23 Comments

RSS

Archives

It is disgraceful that South Hadley School Committee has voted unanimously to extend the tenure of school superintendent Gus Sayer for two years.

But I'm not really surprised.

This school committee is the ultimate 'see no evil' bunch, who are rewarding the school super for allowing a 15-year-old girl to be bullied so badly on his watch.

It fits in with everything else in South Hadley where the victim, Irish girl Phoebe Prince, is now being vilified by rumor and innuendo and her only defender, Darby O'Brien has had his life threatened.

This is not the kind of town you want to bring your kids up in or showcase true American values.

“I’m pleased,” Sayer said last Thursday when he heard he had kept his job .

“I’m glad that they still have confidence in me.”

That's what I call a "great job Brownie" type of endorsement, as when President Bush congratulated his FEMA chief Michael Brown during the Katrina disaster for doing a great job.

So "super job Sayers", for allowing bullying to run rampant in South Hadley High.

And great job School Committee Chairwoman JoAnn L. Jordan for managing an unanimous vote for Sayer and for the following ridiculous endorsement of the year by a member of the school board.

“While Dr. Sayer demonstrates the utmost in personal integrity, he has struggled this year under the intense scrutiny of recent months in the area of public communication.

Despite this, Dr. Sayer has maintained a professional and respectful tone to everyone, including his harshest critics, which speaks to the strengths of his character.”

Parents Luke T. Gelinas and Darby O’Brien who have called for Sayer, former School Committee Chairman Edward J. Boisselle and South Hadley High School principal Daniel T. Smith to resign are voices in the wilderness at this point. It is as if Phoebe Prince's death never happened.

But it did and South Hadley is now officially the ostrich capital of the world.

By re-appointing Sayer the school board has shown just how out of touch they are with reality.

Next year it might be one of their their kids who gets bullied.

Will they love Sayer then too?

E-mail

23 Comments

See all comments

dv727dv | Jun 18, 2010, 01:00 PM EDT

I wonder if the librarian makes donut runs for Gus as well as for the "in crowd??"

Report abuse

dv727dv | Jun 18, 2010, 12:58 PM EDT

Mmmmmaaaarrrrrttttthhhhhhaaaaaa?!?!?!? Martha Cccooooaaakkkkklleeeeeyyyy?!?!? Where aaarrrrreee you?!?!?!? So, South Hadley and wants to cow-tow to the Vermin and the incompetents that make up "school administration" and "school staff???" So be it. It's obvious the Vermin and "families" have the upper hand, and "school administration" is only concerned about sucking a living out of the government trough until they "live" to be 124. Fine. If Ms. Coakley is too busy criticizing those attending Fenway or sucking up to "teachers'" unions, she's part of the problem. If not, she should stop playing Massachusetts' version of "Waldo," and get about the business of doing what the town and/or locals won't do--purging these dregs from any activity involving the welfare of students of any age.

Report abuse

Chemteach | Jun 17, 2010, 09:49 PM EDT

Given the lack of any groundswell on the part of the majority of the South Hadley Community to distance themselves from the behavior and policies of Dan, Gus, and Ed, I think that these individuals are all safe in their jobs. If they did lose their jobs, they would have a difficult time obtaining employment other than of a janitorial nature outside of South Hadley. But South Hadley is their world and their playground and I doubt that they really give a damn what nonresidents think insofar as it does not negatively impact property values or devalue the school system's reputation with college admission officers. They can make horrific gaffs, obviously inconsistent statements, and blame the victim without fear of local repercussions.The South Hadley community seems to reflect the Sociological definition of truth that "what you believe is true, is true is true in its consequences. This town ain't ready for reform as the majority of the citizens liked it just the way it was ante Phoebe Prince.

Report abuse

adrienrain | Jun 17, 2010, 07:40 PM EDT

BTW, I want to express my admiration for Mr. O'Dowd. Most of these cases are swept under the rug - you made sure this one wasn't, and in so doing, you may have saved lives for decades to come. Thanks.

Report abuse

adrienrain | Jun 17, 2010, 07:36 PM EDT

In my experience, for large scale bullying to prosper, some collaboration on the part of people in authority is necessary. I am only guessing (from my percy in California) that for some reason, many in the community looked down on Phoebe or her family for some reason - economic status or what have you. And approved of her tormenters - jocks and their girlfriends. That would make tormenting her acceptable. I have seen it before and fought it before. One thing for parents to realize is that school administrators and teachers are NOT necessarily your child's friends. They may share the same values that make bullying so much fun for the child's peers. They may be trying to gain acceptance in the same community that scorns poor people, political dissenters, those of a different religion or color. Beware and remember that your first duty to your child is to protect.

Report abuse

Leo1066 | May 12, 2010, 04:32 PM EDT

Having seen the community of South Hadley in action, it's no surprised. There are a few good people there and they're known. But it's a town without soul, without conscious, without hope. May they suffer.

Report abuse

irelandlvr | May 10, 2010, 10:22 AM EDT

Please, it's just CYA again. If they let him go, they are acknowledging their ineptitude. By keeping him they are again laying all the blame on Phoebe. They cannot let him go, or they are admitting that they are all at fault. It's easier for them to blame the victim. If you look closely, you will probably find that they have some ties with the bullies!

Report abuse

eileenkny | May 09, 2010, 08:27 AM EDT

It's not only an obscenity, it lowers the bar for other school boards around the country. Our children will have to fend for themselves. How very, very sad for all of us.

Report abuse

FranktheYank | May 08, 2010, 10:06 PM EDT

School boards, or school committees as they call them in Massachusetts, should be required to adopt policies that require the discipline of students who bully other students on or off the school campus. The only criterion that should be required to be met before invoking discipline, after a proper investigation of allegations against a school bully, should be whether the bully's actions have had a negative effect on the learning environment of the victim in the school community.

Report abuse

Searlit | May 08, 2010, 11:02 AM EDT

I agree with you lilyobrien they should lose their jobs. Niall is right South Hadley will become known as the ostrich capital of the world. It's their own doing.

Report abuse

Liamkeyes | May 07, 2010, 12:06 PM EDT

The more i think about it, The Less I think about it!!!

Report abuse

Maerad718 | May 07, 2010, 11:23 AM EDT

Effing ridiculous.

Report abuse

killowen | May 07, 2010, 11:06 AM EDT

Were Phoebe Jewish (never happen0 this situation would be set right in a flash. Pronto. Powerless people will have to deal with justice in the hereafter. A fairy tale they are programmed to believe.

Report abuse

user905596 | May 07, 2010, 10:51 AM EDT

Sayers is fortunate that Phoebe Prince was not a blonde, blue eyed upper middle class young woman.

Report abuse

DeaconJack | May 07, 2010, 10:48 AM EDT

We can do nothing about the "accountability"of the Board. They will have to answer to a grteater power in the end and maybe, in His wisdom He will put them in Phoebes shoes!!!

Report abuse