Economist Thomas Granneman addresses the audience at Hunking School. (Cindy Driver photograph for WHAV News.)
As Haverhill readies its school budget for the year beginning July 1, 97.9 WHAV will rebroadcast the April forum, “Reach Higher: Haverhill Community Discussion on School Success,” late Monday afternoon during drive-time commuting hours.
A common theme emerged during the forum that the city must pay more to achieve better education results. During the forum, economist Thomas Granneman referred to the city’s “culture of scarcity” that has held back spending.
Granneman pointed to a variety of statistics showing Haverhill’s student dropout rate is higher than other Gateway Cities—former industrial communities—and other similar-income cities. The city also spends less. While the city does spend more every year, he said, the hikes have not kept up with increasing student enrollment and inflation. He estimated Haverhill needs to spend 7.4 percent every year for the next five years to match other Gateway Cities, or 8.5 percent more to match similar income Gateway Cities. Haverhill currently spends 18 percent less per student than the state average.
Two weeks ago, Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini unveiled a $185.7 million city budget, giving the schools $5.3 million more in the year ahead.
The forum, sponsored by the Haverhill Education Coalition and Northern Essex Community College, airs at 4:30 p.m., Monday, over 97.9 WHAV.
What’s going on here?
Haverhill Education Coalition is a special interest group made up of far left wing liberals who believe that increasing taxes and spending is the solution to everything.
This was NOT a forum ! It was a presentation designed specifically to spread biased propaganda. That propaganda was formulated to make the argument that taxes and spending need to be raised. Citing biased “economists” as so called experts in a attempt to influence the uninformed with numbers to support their claims is classic manipulation of the truth.
The question has to be asked….Why is WHAV rebroadcasting this segment? Why the headline promoting it is being rebroadcast? This fake forum has already been reported on here. Has the station made the decision of interjecting itself into this issue and supporting the efforts of the Haverhill Education Coalition, instead of just reporting on it? Rebroadcasting this clearly politically biased dog and pony show would suggest it has.
Sorry, but this is very disappointing.
Yes, but it is led by a “Do you know who I am” eCONomist who doesn’t like answering hard questions.
Meanwhile, classrooms are stuffed with over 30 kids, a fantastic learning environment. Mayor Jimmy’s vision of adding more of the low income, wards of state, uneducated populace, and stuffing them in buildings may sound nice from the humane/housing crisis, but it does in fact have consequences, school performance being one of them.
In the end, I’m sure this eCONomist along with his colleagues always check the box when it comes to voluntarily paying more in state and federal taxes. You know, in the name of paying their “fair share” and ideology, especially in a city as poor as Haverhill.