To the Editor:
I write to endorse the candidacy of Neal Glick for the Wellesley School Committee.
I am not a parent, and until recently, had not paid attention to leadership in Wellesley’s public schools. One might fairly ask—why now?
For two years, I was involved in the campaign to preserve Columbus Day and Wellesley’s Italian American heritage. During this time, we experienced the systematic and repeated theft of our campaign signs, ethnic slurs, and being called “racist.” More than a fair share of this activity came from students at Wellesley High School and Wellesley College. For example, one group of high school girls, apprehended by the Wellesley Police for sign theft, said that they were only acting on what they were learning in school. What they were being taught at WHS was a politicized view of history that encouraged intolerance and misguided activism.
Now that my eyes have been opened, I am paying attention. As citizens and tax-payers, you should be paying attention, too. Our students are our future—our future parents, legislators, doctors, lawyers, military officers, and creative artists. Their leadership will impact the direction of our nation and its place in the world.
I support Neal Glick because I believe:
- the focus of Wellesley’s public schools should be on excellence in the three Rs
- childhood is a special and fleeting time of life that should be free from the burden of guilt and political bias
- values should be learned at home and as part of a family’s faith tradition
- learning how to think critically and rationally is more important than being taught what to think
If elected, Neal Glick promises to bring a fresh perspective on education in our public schools, with a renewed emphasis on excellence and accountability. If you believe, as I do, that politics have no place in the classroom, then Neal Glick is the candidate for you. Moreover, Neal has promised to listen to the community and to serve as a positive agent for change.
Thank you for considering a vote for Neal Glick and for the kids of Wellesley.
Donna Maria Ticchi
Thomas Road
Let us not forget that Neal Glick was one of the two Planning Board members who opposed the building of the Senior Center in Wellesley. The consistent Planning Board opposition finally led the Board of Selectmen to sue the Planning Board over this issue. The suit was dropped after Mr Glick was voted out of office.
As a retiree, I can only say that the Wellesley Senior Center is a big disappointment. Perhaps Mr. Glick had the right idea in his opposition to it.
I hope with Neal being selected as the school committee, we can start to return “critical thinking” & “academic rigor” to schools. The politics indoctrination such as “DEI” which foster narrow-minded thinking & hatred school environment should never be implemented in school by any political party. Please leave politics belief education to the kids’ parents and the kids’ future life experience will teach them these political relates aspects as they grow up. Let KIDS BE KIDS!
In order for the Wellesley Public Schools to maintain their history of excellence there needs to be a return to the former emphasis on academics and achievement. Our future depends on our children being well educated independent critical thinkers. There is a place for learning about social justice and political expression but public school is not that place. I am voting for Neal because his voice is needed on the School Committee to bring balance and reason and above all a commitment to academic excellence for all students.
Ms Ticchi,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Many of us seniors may not understand the educational problems that we are reading about daily. In are generation we believed in God, Family and America the country defending freedom throughout the world. Our educators focused on the 3Rs, and parents focused on teaching love for each other, family unity, faith in God, and America, our wonderful country, and politics were left at home. It sounds like we need new, and better leadership, and positive change to restore are local educational system.
Thank You for sharing your thoughts on candidate Neal Glick, his educational values sound like they are the recipe for reestablishing excellence in our Wellesley educational system.
This column is spot on. This is a exactly how I feel. I do not have kids in the schools but I see and hear what is going on and it sickens me. Thank you for reading my mind and writing this article. Neal Glick has my vote too.