“Insulting, Typo-Ridden Wasted Energy,” Says RIDE Spokesperson of Latest Teachers Union Attack
Friday, March 26, 2021
The spokesperson for Rhode Island Commissioner of Education Angélica Infante-Green called Providence Teachers Union head Maribeth Calabro's latest attack on the education commissioner "insulting and typo-ridden" and "wasted energy."
Calabro on Friday morning accused Infante-Green of "lies and manipulation" -- and engaging others in maligning union officials, in the latest battle between Providence teachers, who currently want to see a moratorium on allowing any new public charter school seats, and Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) and charter school officials who support the approved opportunities for families.
"We’ve already addressed many of these wild allegations and those included in the [no confidence] vote in a joint statement earlier this week," said RIDE spokesperson Emily Crowell. "The accusation that parents who are advocating for their children are 'carrying the water' for our priorities is insulting and this typo-ridden attempt to attack members of the community who support this work is wasted energy that could be better spent on our kids."
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTKeith Oliveira, who is the head of the Rhode Island League of Charter Schools, hit back on Friday as well.
"I haven't had one conversation with Commissioner Infante-Green or Superintendent Peters about their contract negotiations. I am speaking as a lifelong Providence resident and parent," said Oliveira.
"As a former school board president, I'm also very familiar with the PTU's obstruction and self-serving resistance to student/family interests under Calabro's leadership," he said. "She certainly is no Steve Smith."
Smith was the former head of the PTU.
Latest in Back-and-Forth
The PTU recently voted no-confidence in Infante-Green and Providence Schools Superintendent Harrison Peters.
They issued the following joint statement of that vote.
"This is a classic tactic that’s been used by union leadership during collective bargaining negotiations and we aren’t surprised to see it here in Providence. We won’t be distracted. Our focus has been and will always be doing the hard work of transforming our schools so we can meet the needs of every Providence student," they said. "The status quo has not worked these past 30 years and we won’t let another decade of PPSD students be left behind. Rhode Island, and Providence in particular, has been a national model in reopening schools during COVID-19 because of collaboration at all levels. We look forward to continuing to work hand-in-hand with the countless teachers who are committed to making the necessary changes that we know will best serve the needs of our students."
In 2019, the Wall Street Journal called Providence Schools an "education horror show," after a report by Johns Hopkins stated that the city's schools were among the worst in the nation.
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