Pattern at AMSA charter school

The Advanced Math and Science Academy (AMSA) in Marlborough is, according to the MWDN, being sued by former teacher Robert Gallagher, who claims AMSA coerced him to help them remove students with special needs. AMSA has denied this.

The Mass. Dept. of Education (DOE) data for 2006-07 shows an interesting pattern for AMSA. It shows that AMSA has far fewer of the groups of students who tend to score lower on MCAS than its sending districts or the state as a whole.

AMSA has only 5.1 percent students with special needs, compared to 22.5 percent for Marlborough, 20.3 percent for Hudson, and 16.9 percent statewide. AMSA has no students with limited English proficiency, compared to 11.4 percent for Marlborough, 4.9 percent for Hudson, and 5.6 percent statewide. AMSA has only 5.6 percent low income students, compared to 26 percent for Marlborough, 14.3 percent for Hudson, and 28.9 percent statewide. Though AMSA has minority students, most of these are Asian students, the only minority group which scores higher on MCAS than Caucasian students statewide.

While some may think having a charter school targeting gifted students is a good idea, state regulations specifically forbid it. The charter school practice of removing children with special needs and sending them back to their home districts is well known to public school districts and was cited in a federal audit. Meanwhile, charter schools consume a disproportionate amount of state school aid to cities and towns to educate only the students they choose. This takes funds away from the majority of students who are not attending the charter school.

BARBARA ROSE, Hudson

Questions for critics of SMOC suit

I am thrilled that mediation between SMOC and the town seems to be moving along. This seems like the best way to fix a situation that should have never happened. I am certainly not happy that my tax dollars are going to lawyers instead of schools, fire fighters, police, library and other town services that we depend on.

I think we should find answers to the following questions in order to figure out how we got into such an embarrassing mess with a lawsuit hanging over us:

Do you know folks who have been badmouthing SMOC and their clients, the disabled? Do you think this is responsible behavior? Do you think this is right?

Do you know that there are laws such as Fair Housing Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act, the federal Rehabilitation Act and the federal Civil Rights Act which protect the disabled?

Did you know that there is no law which stops Framingham from hosting groups like SMOC who have sites that help disabled people? Did you know that there are residents of Framingham who are in need of human services and are thrilled that the services are here for their families?

Do you want to fight SMOC's suit to the Supreme Court? Are you willing to bankrupt the town to do this?

Did you know that the Planning Board and the selectmen ignored the advice of the town attorney concerning actions that they took? Do you think that the court will think this was prudent action? Do you think that Framingham is being sued for maybe some good reasons? Do you think Framingham is 100 percent innocent of any discrimination against SMOC? Have you read the SMOC suit to know what Framingham has done against SMOC?

Do you think that SMOC had nothing better to do than sue Framingham for no good reason? Do you think this reflects well on the town? Does the suit make property values go up or down?

I suggest that you think seriously think about the above questions.

HERB CHASAN, Framingham

Promoting a 'homosexual ideology'

Regarding "Lexington families appeal school sex case" (Dec. 6), the initiating curriculum from which the children's books emerged is the curriculum from the Massachusetts LGBT Early Childhood Education Initiative - Making Room in the Circle, which was introduced by Emmy Howe, one of the main organizers of the initiative, who was hired by Lexington Public School system.

Bay Windows reported that Howe said: "schools need to accept that whatever feelings of individual parents, same-sex marriage is the law of the land." ("Show and Tell: Educators say the pre-school set needs straight talk on gay issues", by Ethan Jacobs for Bay Windows, 6/22/06.)

"King and King" and "What's In A Family?" were used to promote this curriculum. The Parkers and the Wirthlins objected to these being used for their kindergarten and second grade children, saying it violated their Constitutional rights to the free practice of their religion. What books are being used to promote the curriculum glossary terms "transgender," "transphobia," "transsexual" and "two-spirit - a gift from the Creator, that gift being the privilege to house both male and female spirits in their bodies," (Making Room in the Circle glossary)? This court case brings to mind the prophetic words of Pope John Paul II, regarding the current promotion of the homosexual ideology, in his book, Memory and Identity, p. 11: "It is legitimate and even necessary to ask whether this is not the work of another ideology of evil, more subtle and hidden,perhaps, intent upon exploiting human rights themselves against man and against the family." Rejecting these parents' rights will be a destructive act against many families.

ALICE SLATTERY, Framingham

Keep religion out of presidential race

God save us from presidential candidate Machiavellian flip-flopper-in-chief, Mitt Romney. Why is God so easily and, indeed, necessary to infuse in the American electoral debate? Why cannot the separation clause of the U.S. Constitution be absolute and unalterable? I see the marriage of religion and politics as a distinct liability in the American political arena today as well as an egregious Constitutional assault. In history, the alliance of faith and state spelled trouble and still does. In this country right wing Christian and other religious zealots have gained a seat at the table of power. Candidates, especially Republicans, must cater to their base which is made up largely of fundamentalist faiths even ones which sometimes harbor cult-like beliefs. They hold the rest of us hostage and crush debate, scientific truth and cultural advancement.

Religion is not truth. Religion is about belief. If there are six billion people on this planet then I submit there are probably six billion different conceptions of what God is or isn't. Contrary to what Mitt Romney says, the two - religion and science - often in history have not been compatible. I see our culture drowning in the quicksand of religious fanaticism which drags the advancement of humankind with it. From stem cell research which could help people to the absolute and unalterable truth of evolution, religion, in my opinion, has suppressed veracity, caused great harm, been responsible for great division and is guilty of much destruction. For once can we please elect a leader who understands the necessity of church/state separation so that all of us can enjoy the fruits of what reason and science can bestow.

NATALIE ROSEN, Framingham