LETTERS

To the editor: While I very much appreciate Virginia Buckingham’s commitment to local journalism, and the role that she plays in bringing the Marblehead Current to us each week (I am a regular reader and view the Current as a quality news source and publication), I respectfully and strongly disagree with the conclusion that she reached in her column last week regarding the film “Civil War” (“Everything will be okay”: Civil War nonsense). I saw the film (it is showing at the Warwick) and like Buckingham found it deeply disturbing, but for fundamentally different reasons. The film presents a horrifying but very realistic depiction of the human suffering that would result from a civil war in this country, one that in the film’s storyline stems from a U.S. president undermining the Cons...

To the editor: A large thank you to Janice, Lisa, Doug and Dave from the Council on Aging and Marblehead Community Center for hosting me as I presented an hour-long talk about my 30 years of international teaching and travel. The 75 folks who attended enjoyed the refreshments provided by the COA and the many stories of my adventures. And another thank you to Will Dowd for the article in the Current highlighting my memoir "Boston, Bangkok, Bombay & Beyond: The Journeys of a Physical Therapist." I appreciate the support I have received from my Marblehead community for the many financial, clothing and book donations I share with villagers in Nepal and for the interest in this recent publication. Patricia Sullivan Tedesco Street

To the editor: April is Parkinson's Awareness Month, which provides an opportunity for often less-public but as-important people here in our area and around the world to ask the rest of us to look beyond a diminishing "person-with-Parkinson's" label. Identifying someone only in terms of a medical diagnosis or career doesn't necessarily describe him or her as a person. Among prominently recognized faces from the "Parkinson's world" are actors, athletes, popular recording artists and instrumental musicians, government officials and religious leaders. Their diverse careers share a common and progressively difficult diagnosis, but it does not devalue who they are or were, or their abilities shared with the world. Parkinson's Awareness Month presents gateways for understanding why attitude ...

To the editor: As a 30-year veteran in both public and independent schools, I know well the challenges facing all K-12 educational organizations. Acquiring and sustaining effective school leaders is increasingly difficult. There are countless factors influencing this trend, but Marblehead's turnover at the superintendent level is significant and highly disruptive. The School Committee initiated another round of instability late last summer with their handling of John Buckey's departure. Regardless of the merits of the change, the disruption continues a nearly 20-year trend of turnover and instability. As the School Committee launches its search for yet another interim superintendent, there are numerous risks with their current approach. Foremost, having all five members serve as the...

To the editor: I was heartened to read the warm coverage of former town planner Rebecca Cutting's career in the Current's Feb. 21 edition. She deserves our congratulations for her dedication and contributions to the town over the past 35 years. In particular, I want to highlight Ms. Cutting's achievement in drafting a comprehensive plan to align Marblehead with the MBTA Communities Act. Her approach was inclusive and thorough, ensuring that the plan not only meets legislative requirements but also thoughtfully addresses the specific needs of our community. Observing the contentious debates surrounding the Act in other nearby towns, I am reminded of the unique and welcoming spirit that distinguishes Marblehead. This spirit, fostered by officials like Ms. Cutting, has set a foundation fo...

To the editor: Thinking of the three monkeys with hands over their eyes, ears and mouth. See nothing, hear nothing, do nothing. When it comes to creative thinking, that's what the School Committee machinations seem like to this local observer. Whether regarding the disposition of the long-vacant Coffin School to unburden the school budget of its carrying costs or thinking creatively regarding the school budget to minimally affect students, parents or teachers. A thoughtful letter to the editor of one of the two very good local papers of a few days ago decimated the committee's argument that they might need extra school building capacity "someday," using the bogus argument that the MBTA Zoning bylaw proposal would miraculously generate 900 plus family housing units in Marblehead in t...

To the editor: I wish to outline a leadership approach, proven to be effective for guiding organizations towards improvement and eventually, excellence. Effective leaders steer their teams toward a well-defined objective. For high-performing organizations, this involves establishing clear, measurable performance metrics that reflect stakeholders' expectations. If the Marblehead School Board has these metrics, I would suggest they become more transparent. Admittedly, the challenge lies in selecting these parameters. While 10 may be excessive, three would be ideal, striking a balance between comprehensiveness and simplicity. During my review of the Massachusetts State Board's website, I encountered numerous metrics. However, it's crucial to distill these into the most representative o...

To the editor: Town Meeting Article 49 proposes returning to the one-year Select Board term. Proponents say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Well, with all the financial challenges the town is facing, it is hard to say nothing needs fixing. As just one example, look no further than the January State of the Town meeting when a standing-room crowd of upset residents "lambasted" the Select Board for quarterly tax bills that went up 50% and more. When told that there was nothing the Select Board could do, residents demanded action, accountability and executive leadership. Simply put, with a one-year term, it didn't and won't happen. The Cresap report of 35 years ago predicted this very outcome, stating the Select Board will be ignored by other boards that have the advantage of a th...

To the editor: Two letters to the Current addressing the MBTA zoning legislation, published on April 4 and April 8, besmirch the authors and the town with their personal attacks against town officials and journalists trying to cover important issues. One letter refers to farts, the other to the Founding Fathers. I believe that when John and Samuel Adams, Elbridge Gerry, John Hancock and Robert Paine signed the Declaration of Independence, they had something better than toilet humor in mind. The letter writers' central grievance is that a Current journalist, Will Dowd, did not interview one of the letters' authors in relation to a public petition that person initiated in opposition to the gentle upzoning the town has proposed to comply with state law. Apparently, the searing insight ...