SCOT LEHIGH

Encouraging words from Patrick on schools

By Scot Lehigh | December 9, 2005

IF HIS Wednesday night fund-raiser at the Fairmont Copley Plaza is any indication, Deval Patrick is lighting up liberal activists. My question, though, is this: Is the former assistant US attorney general, who is now running for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, independent enough to speak necessary truths to his party's constituency groups?

Let's take education, an issue vital to a state that makes its living on its brains. Sadly, the state Democratic Party has written into its platform opposition both to MCAS as a graduation requirement and to lifting a state cap to allow more charter schools. Those issues are cardinal concerns for the teachers unions.

In the spring, Patrick seemed somewhat dubious about the MCAS. But when I sat down with him recently, the candidate said he backed the test.

''I support the MCAS as a graduation requirement," he averred. ''I'm there."

That includes support for a science test. Still, Patrick says, our schools must do more than just prepare students for taking the MCAS. That means more school time. Indeed, he said, he had just elicited groans from students at the Marlborough Middle School by telling them that he supported not only the MCAS, but a longer school day as well.

The candidate said he wants more schools like Boston's Samuel Mason Elementary School, an award-winning Roxbury pilot school that offers early childhood education for 3- and 4-year-olds, has full-day kindergarten, boasts small classes, and features after-school enrichment programs.

''When I was there, I felt like I was walking through my education policy," said Patrick.

Problem: By vetoing a proposal by Allston's Gardner School to become a pilot school, the president of the Boston Teachers Union has effectively frozen the process that could produce more of those innovative public schools in Boston.

''It's a mistake," said Patrick. ''It frustrates me."

But even with that BTU boulder blocking the path to more pilots, Patrick says he doesn't favor lifting the current cap on Commonwealth charter schools, the inventive public schools that operate independently of traditional school governance -- and which provide an important educational alternative, particularly for urban kids.

''I am just not persuaded that in every case, or in enough cases, we have been importing those lessons" from charter schools, he said. But what if the reason promising charter initiatives aren't being adopted is the rigidity that union contracts often impose on the traditional public schools?

''I have heard that," acknowledged Patrick, repeating his praise for the more flexible, collaborative, decision-making process of pilot schools. I note, again, that in Boston, union opposition has frozen the pilot process.

''You want me to pick a fight with the BTU," he said, good-humoredly.

No, but I'd like to see candidates resolute enough about educational improvement to push hard when and where it's needed. And Patrick's caution on charter schools, plus a recent rethinking of his previous call for higher pay for the best teachers -- a reconsideration that followed a meeting with union officials -- has raised some doubts.

But Patrick also volunteers that he finds it counterproductive to have teacher contracts so detailed that they stipulate exactly how many classes may be taught before a break in a teacher's day, and so forth. It is frustration with that sort of thing that leads people to want the freedom of charter schools, he says.

''Come on," he said. ''Have a conversation. But don't turn that into a bargaining issue. . . . I am very interested in changing it."

Bottom line: Is he tough enough to be an effective agent of educational change?

''Oh, yeah," Patrick declared. ''People often mistake my mild manner and kindness for weakness, and frankly, people who make that mistake. . . . "

He thinks the better of a steely finish, and starts again: ''The goal is consistent excellence, pre-K through public higher ed. And whatever combination of creative ideas and strategies that advance that, I am open to. And they don't all have to be blessed by one or another constituency for me to be interested in them and to make them a part of the package that I'm trying to lead."

So am I convinced?

Not fully. Not yet, anyway.

That said, I am encouraged by much of what I've heard. Patrick has clearly thought a lot about the topic.

He understands the importance of high standards, more school time, and more flexibility, and he at least acknowledges the sticking points.

And that's a good start.

Scot Lehigh's e-mail address is lehigh@globe.com.