Today's Boston Globe editorial on Mayor Tom Menino's education record offers a devastating assessment of the mayor's leadership on an issue that he famously challenged voters to judge him "harshly" […]
Michael Jonas
Michael Jonas works with Laura in overseeing CommonWealth Beacon coverage and editing the work of reporters. His own reporting has a particular focus on politics, education, and criminal justice reform.
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Coakley and Lynch: Come on in, the water is fine
With the news that US Rep. Steve Lynch has joined Attorney General Martha Coakley in taking out nomination papers for US Senate, the first two candidates in the Democratic primary race may be […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
A weak showing for Menino, but does it change the race?
We learned last night why Mayor Tom Menino relishes debates as much as a date with the dentist's drill. But we also learned why none of his three challengers has […]
Posted inHealth Care, The Download
Kerry to face the (town meeting) music
It's John Kerry's turn. The state's soon-to-be-senior senator will follow scores of congressional colleagues who have waded into the uncertain waters of a town meeting that is likely to focus […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Where is Deval’s Valerie Jarrett?
Last Sunday's New York Times Magazine offers a fascinating glimpse into the Obama administration in the form of a profile of Valerie Jarrett, whose official title is senior adviser and […]
Posted inEducation, The Download
Duncan jumps the gun on Massachusetts charter school boost
Gov. Deval Patrick says he wants to double the number of charter school seats in Massachusetts. But there's a big difference between a proposal and a policy or state law […]
Posted inEducation, Politics, The Download
For community colleges, Obama offers a lifeline — and a challenge
It was great to see Boston Globe columnist Derrick Jackson give attention in his Saturday column to President Obama's announcement last week of a $12 billion initiative to support US […]
Posted inEducation, The Download
Charter school lesson: money talks
Dangle $5 billion in the air and people pay attention. Gov. Deval Patrick shook up the state's education landscape today with the announcement that he's filing legislation to double the […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Surprising talk from Charlie Baker about taxes (in 2001)
In 2001, in recognition of CommonWealth's fifth anniversary, we rolled out an issue of the magazine that featured lists of 5's. Heading up our "5 People Who Made A Difference" […]
Posted inEconomy, The Download
Jobs picture in Fall River going from bad to worse
The news that Silver Line Building Products is closing its Fall River plant is a body blow to a region already suffering from the worst employment picture in the state. […]
Posted inThe Download, Transportation
Take the Red Line to….Chinatown?
Harvard economist Ed Glaeser offers a thought-provoking argument in today's Globe that rational planning should dictate that we focus transit spending in densely populated urban areas and not get taken […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, The Download
Are Boston shootings getting drowned out by rain?
The seemingly unending rainfall in Boston has put a damper on lots of fun outdoor doings. Might it also be washing out some activities no one would be sorry to […]
Posted inEducation, The Download
On school reform, time to get on with the show
If education reform in Massachusetts were a theater production, the first 15 years might be regarded as its very drawn-out first act. When the curtain goes up in 1993, there is a flurry […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Cattle call begins for Boston council candidates
They were packed into the Community Church of Boston last night for the first candidates' forum of this year's Boston at-large city council race. And there was a full house […]
Posted inEducation, The Download
Talking the talk on ed reform
Monday, June 22, 2009 Kudos to the Pioneer Institute, which has assembled opinion pieces from a high-profile line-up of education thinkers and doers who provide strong arguments on behalf of […]
Posted inEconomy
Ben Franklin was right
TO BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, the concept of thrift represented a forward-looking way of life in the New World. Franklin believed that by harnessing its twin virtues of industry and frugality, which […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Bunker Hill Day bunk
If the cries of outrage over the possible elimination of Bunker Hill Day and Evacuation Day as paid holidays for government workers in Suffolk County didn't already seem absurd to any […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Are Sal’s pals in trouble?
And by that I don't mean the ex-speaker's three co-defendants (who certainly are) or former aides or other business associates (none of whom have been charged in the case), but […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Sal makes three
Today's federal indictment of former House speaker Sal DiMasi fills out the ignominious trifecta many had been anticipating for several months: three straight Massachusetts House speakers indicted on charges related to activities […]
Posted inEducation, The Download
With charter schools stalled, poor kids lose
State Sen. Robert O'Leary, just four months into his new role as co-chairman of the Legislature's education committee, says he has a lot of homework to get up to speed on […]
Posted inEducation, The Download
Duncan: Federal aid may depend on openness to charters
A timely add-on to our post earlier today on the Massachusetts charter school stand-off: US Education Secretary Arne Duncan made it clear yesterday that federal education aid will depend on […]
Posted inEducation, The Download
Teachers’ unions and Massachusetts achievement gains
Does passage of the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993 and the achievement gains that have followed prove that teachers' unions are not nearly the obstacle to school reform efforts […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Boston’s leadership club
Thursday, May 21, 2009 This Michael Graham column in today's Boston Herald lays out the state of affairs in our capital city so perfectly that there is really nothing to add. The […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Pension commission chair doesn’t mince words on termination benefits
State leaders may be wavering on some aspects of pension reform, but Alicia Munnell, the Boston College professor heading a special commission on the state pension system, is suffering from none of that. […]