For two weeks, from January 19th to February 2nd, I was out of school. My educators were on strike, negotiating with the Newton School Committee in hopes of settling a contract. For the first three days, I felt promise. While little ground was made during negotiations, I felt proud of…
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On January 19, 2024, after months of unsettled educator contract negotiations with the Newton School Committee, the Newton Teachers Association announced a strike. The sudden shut down of schools presents challenges for students, families, and the community, and parents may struggle with how to explain what’s happening to their children.…
I don’t think I would know anything about the NPS/NTA contract negotiations if it weren’t for The Lion’s Roar newspaper. As young(ish) students, we are privileged enough to believe that “ignorance is bliss” when we see our teachers “coincidentally” wear blue shirts on Tuesdays, or rally outside of the building…
I have studied Newton’s zoning since January 2020 and am concerned that the proposed Village Center Zoning is too dense, too intense, and too tall. Village Center Zoning has only recently been connected with the Massachusetts Housing Choice Law (MBTA Communities Law), which intervenes in municipal zoning to promote multi-family…
I support the Village Center Overlay District (VCOD) proposal. To make this decision, I did some homework. I poured over VCOD-related materials: plans, letters, testimonials, videos, and pondered one-on-one discussions. It took a while to sort through the details including the various models and the proposed modifications for different village types.…
Newton’s Parent Educator Collaborative has been working over the past three years to bring together NPS educators, parents, community members, and city leaders for authentic and constructive conversations about how to support Newton Public Schools, especially in challenging moments. The Collaborative’s priority right now is to highlight for the community the…
Most people want an inviting neighborhood feel to our village centers. We want them to have a sense of place, to be attractive, convenient and to have small local stores and eateries. However, real estate investors see great profit potential in Newton’s current Zoning Redesign proposal for redeveloping our village…
On June 26, the Newton City Council’s Zoning & Planning Committee will hold a public hearing public hearing on proposed new village-center zoning. In anticipation, some residents have expressed the fear that by allowing multifamily housing to be built by right in and near village centers, the new zoning will encourage…
The great economist John Maynard Keynes wrote: “The ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood. Indeed, the world is ruled by little else. Practical men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any…
Newton’s plans for an new artificial turf field at Albemarle and to replace artificial turf fields at the high schools are incompatible with its “green” reputation. Surprisingly, in spite of expert testimony and scientific evidence that artificial turf causes health and environmental harm, Newton is proposing to spend $6,872,000 (*)…