From the Source; Mel King

Oh yeah. I'm. Going to go. With.

You. All right. Welcome back from the source. I'm your host Robert C. John Jr..

We're continuing our series on the mayoral candidates in the city of Boston this evening we have with us former Representative Mel King. Welcome to from the source. Good evening. Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to be with you. OK. We encourage you to participate out there in a listening audience this is your opportunity to communicate to the candidates to ask questions and to listen attentively to them discuss the issues. This is a very important election facing the city of Boston and it's important that you as citizens as voters be informed so therefore we welcome your calls. Our number is 9 2 9 7 9 3 0. That's seven excuse me that's 9 2 9 7 9 3 0. And you're listening to WSB FM Boston on your FM dial. You know one of the things that we've tried to do in the series is to give the listener. An idea of the background of the various candidates. So tell us a little bit

about yourself. Where were you born where and where you grew up. Well I was born in Boston in the south and as a matter of fact the neighborhood that I lived in was called New York street area and it was one of the first parts of the city to go to because of urban renewal programs and it's probably had a lot to do with my family's about the issue of displacement because my family was moved. Out of that neighborhood. I attended the Boston schools going to the Quincy School going to Abraham Lincoln School which is no longer in existence. As a junior high school. And from there to Boston Technical High School was mechanical. When I first granted. When I went south to college to Clapham college in Orangeburg South Carolina I returned the next year to get a master's degree at Boston Teacher's College is now. Part of UMass Boston it was Boston State College up until about a year ago. After that I worked for as a

teacher in the Boston public schools then worked for United self-injury settlements an agency called Link and I was director of youth work and worked on street corners for 15 years. I became the director of the Urban League. From there. I'm on the faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I was a candidate for school committee and 61 63 and 65 was not successful in getting elected but we raise some issues which are apparent today. In 72 I got elected to the state legislature and served five terms. And as you know I was a candidate for mayor in 1979. I've written a book called chain of change which documents some of the history of Boston particularly the efforts of people of color. To pay for and their development here in in the city of Boston over the past 30 years.

Well you know rushing to say that you are a person who's been boss for for a good deal of time and been involved with Boston politics and neighborhood issues for for a long time and looking at the South End and looking at your neighborhood and the kinds of changes that that it's gone through what are some of the fundamental changes that have occurred from the time when you were a boy a young boy growing up in the south and and the south and the way it is today. Well one of the things that I liked about growing up in the south and one of the reasons why I still live there although it's not as much of the kind of multi-racial and diverse community as it was when I was a youngster. There were people there from 32 different racial ethnic cultural groups and when my youngsters went to. The same school the Abraham Lincoln School. It was called. Little United Nations when I went there it was called the Little League of Nations. When they went there there were some 42 different racial ethnic cultural groups.

And that was very important it helped to enrich my life. You know it's a rich the lives of my children and my wife as well. So that's one thing that I don't think exists although there are still a number of different racial ethnic and cultural groups there. So. That's one thing the other thing that. House change has been the fact that the neighborhood in terms of the income level has gone undergone a change. Urban renewal in itself has created some problems there's been displacement of people who are long term residents of public housing. Cathedral which during the 50s was a good place for a lot of people to live. It does not provide the same level of community that it did before. So we've seen those kind of changes we see the area surrounded by institutions now the expansion

of the Boston University University Hospital complex. We see the Copley Place massive development structure on one side of it. So from that standpoint there's been a lot of changes. So I mean mine our listening audience that you're listening to Melvin who is a candidate for mayor city of Boston. We welcome your calls at 9 2 9 7 9 3 0 7 9 2 9 7 9 3 0. If you'd like to talk to a candidate for mayor please call and if you don't call in just keep listening. Well you mentioned that the multi-racial nature of your neighborhood as you were growing up and Rich your life. How specifically did a richer life. I think that one of the reasons why I can go anywhere and I mean anywhere around the world and be very comfortable is that I learn to

live within to respect the cultures of a lot of different kinds of people. As I said earlier the school that I'm going to have a number of different kinds right in the building where I live. There were people who were Polish For example next door to me were people who were Italian and Greek in Jewish across the street from the I was and so forth and this afternoon it was very interesting to run into some people in the family who live right across the street from me on Seneca street then. I learned about their foods. I was weaned on those 9 year nuts grape leaves and I had pizza that was done the old fashioned way. So in terms of understanding of people in terms of respect for their culture their history and their background in terms of learning and sharing that became very important.

OK let's take a call we have a call. Yes you're on from a source that I have a question please. I have a question please. I think we lost oh yeah I'm trying to sort of have a question please. Oh you're out from a source can I have a question please. OK can you repeat your question. Can you repeat your question. Why don't you educate me. I have three elementary. Why put them in private like me. I mean what are you going to do about it. Well I think you have to make your own choices based on your analysis of of the school system what I can tell you is that as I've gone around

the schools I've seen some examples of administrators in teachers who are working very hard. For example at the Tobin school they have a program in performing arts and they've been doing a very very creditable job with those young people. I've seen some of the things that are going on at the Maquis school and I think that they are working very hard. But I get reports from people that they are. Schools where people do not feel comfortable that their young people are getting the level of education and quality of education that they need and deserve. When you ask what I can do about that. I'm an advocate for public education and one of the things that we will be doing is supporting the new district school committee and the school committee and their efforts to bring accountability in the system. We will try to encourage an approach where people believe that all the young people can learn in school. And if we can get that to happen then we

will be well on our way because there will be no excuse for the kind of attitudes that exist which reflect a belief that the young people can't learn. We will try to make sure that the young people have teachers who have the qualifications. And what I mean by that is that if you have the layoffs and you have a seniority system you might end up with somebody who can bump somebody from a particular classroom who may not be as well equipped. So I want to prevent the layoffs so that we don't have that bumping and that we have people who have the quality but ultimately we're going to have to work together to hold superintendents plane accountable and the school administrators school by school accountable to have a program for each youngster that meets their particular needs. Here I go. With one of my daughters to a principal with a child not learning to read. And all that I thought was an.

Assistant head of the school. Hard to get me and the only thing I saw of the principal was just sitting behind her desk and putting make up on the whole school you constantly week after week. Well I think that's unfortunate I can appreciate both your discouragement and your disillusionment with the system but it is to that kind of accountability that I want to see the superintendent and the School Committee addressed and so for example we need to know how the young people in that school are doing with respect to their ability to read and write and how they compare with young people in other schools given the same conditions. Once we know that then we can say very clearly to the superintendent he should be saying or she to the person running the school. You are not running the school up to the standards that we expect. And if you're not going to do that then we're going to replace you with

somebody who is going to do the job. Accountability is key and that's what we've got to insist on these people are being paid top dollars and if they are setting the top dollars to work in the schools then it seems to me that we can expect no less then our youngsters having the kind of skills that will make them able to be competitive and to move throughout the rest of their lives. I want to thank you for your call. Thank you. OK. Yes you're right from a source listening and talking to every question. Yes I am and I'm like you know what. Thanks Evan. OK. I think that an examination of the record particularly with respect to the legislature will show that I have been involved in the struggles to make the issue of choice one that is available to women in this

in the Commonwealth and to stop the kind of dual system where people's incomes alone will not have that kind of access. I'm very concerned about the issue of equal pay. And in my administration not only are we going to have a Women's Commission that's going to deal with women's issues in city government and in the city. But we're going to deal with the issue of equal pay. We're going to deal with the issue of women being involved at all levels. The issue of affirmative action and it's not just going to be in the city. We're going to make sure that things are available in the private sector as well. We're aware that the Globe series pinpointed the failure of many of the businesses around including the globe to do right by people of color. And we think that the issues. There for women as well in terms of their needing access to good jobs what they want even of safety. Women talk about taking

back the streets taking back the night. I think that the city has to play a role in making sure that that happens. And one of your issues for us is to get men to recognize that women talk about taking back the streets and taking back the night taking it back for men. And so the level of sexist behavior that goes on by men. We're going to have to deal with that and under our administration we're going to work with men not only who are part of city government but men throughout the city to begin to deal with that level of behavior issues of daycare flexi time. Those are things that we're going to focus on in terms of meeting the needs of women. OK. And I think you're right. OK thank you very much for your call. Yes you're on it from the source talking to Mel King Can I have your question please.

Thank you. Have Turned in late so I don't I don't. Have now it's time to hire more police. I'm wondering if part of Mr. K.. Foreman thank you response to thank you. Crime is a major concern of residents of Boston. Anyone who takes the office of leadership before we present a program we must understand the nature of the problem an assessment must be made just about how bad the crime situation is what its origin whether it is likely to worsen reported serious crime in Boston had risen by more than 20 percent between

1970 experts nonetheless agree that accurate statistics on the number of robberies rapes and other crimes. They also point out that very few of the actual property. Now we could go on get into a lot of the background but it seems to me to what people want because they know what the background they're afraid. Because they don't believe they have total access to the city. But I think it's important to understand that putting on the appropriate number of police is important and I want to do that. Before that however I think we need some analysis whereby we have the police and the people in the community sitting down and laying out a program based on the particular needs of each community

what they need in East Boston may be different from what they need in West Roxbury or South Boston or the south. And if that is the case then working together with the police on that issue is critical. Now I'd like to take time on this because it is a significant issue. Now once we do that then it's a question of getting the attitude of the police such that they don't come out to communities and when people call them and say well what do you expect you live in a high crime area. We're supposed to serve people and in serving people we're not supposed to castigate them for the community that they live and we're supposed to be working with them around solving their problems. And so the attitudinal issue is important for us to deal with because you want a positive relationship between the police and the and the citizens in the city of Boston. The question of how they relate to people of color how they relate to people because of this sexual preference how they relate to people and the issues of class how they

relate to women. All those things we want to deal with in terms of the training we have. The key person that we have to deal with and that is Superintendent Jordan. I'm on record already saying that I'm going to get rid of Jordan. I don't want to Superintendent finds out about a crime problem on Sonoma street or anywhere by watching TV. I think that's a disgrace and people don't have confidence in Jordan's ability to run the police force in a way that we don't have the problems that we're facing in the city of Boston. I know police who work. But feel that their hands are tied and not being allowed to do their job of dealing with the drug problems that exist in the city of Boston I want to drug free city. And I think we can get it with the appropriate leadership in the in charge of the police. I think However what's most

important is prevention and prevention comes in free ways. First is having people who are police on the street the police on the street. They're highly visible. Second is a jobs program. And one of the reason why I've been pushing the bison jobs watching people program is because I believe that if we increase the employment opportunities in the training and opportunities for people in the city of Boston that you go a long way toward dealing with the issue of crime. The next thing is to do something about the young people who are on the street corners. I worked on street corners for 15 years and I know what to do about the problems that they are facing. They are about self destruction and with that community destruction. And I believe by putting people right on the street corners working with them that we can turn them on and around so that they can be about positive self development and can play leadership roles in the community and lastly is the issue of schools. The analysis is clear and it says that there is a direct relationship between

juvenile deliquency Lincoln City and street crime and problems and school failure. So when you do something about the schools you do something about crime. OK. Could you hold on it. Perhaps call in after we take a few more few more questions OK. OK all right thank you very much. Yes you run from a source talking to MLK. Can I have a question. When you hear it it's a pretty good deal until I think that frankly good people too much money to cover the crap that I want to know about you know I'm trying to say that what I like. Well thanks for that question because what we're talking about is ongoing in Powerman process. I've been very impressed as I've read for example Jefferson because

in his day. It was to break up the structure of government so that the units were smaller and so they broke up the states in two counties. Now if you think about it a number of people in those counties is not much more than what we have in some of the. Neighborhoods in the city of Boston. And as I've thought about it I said well it must be a significant approach to put the power into the hands of people in those communities. Now we started off by going first for District representation so that there would be a city councilor coming from the districts where people could hold him accountable. And so we'd have both at large and by district or city councils. And whenever we get to hold an election obviously then we'll be able to put that into practice. Now the next step in that is out of my history and background around

the concept of community development through community control. That I think people can best develop their communities once they are in control over the resources that are necessary to affect that development. So we're going to have the election of neighborhood councils or area councils and I note that the referendum question that they are getting people to sign to have such a thing. And I'm pleased to see that because it's a recognition on their part of the importance of the decentralization model that we are putting together. But we need to figure out with people which services make the most sense for them. For example we have community schools right now and there's an elected board to these community schools. And yet we have a Parks and Recreation Department. Does it make sense to have those two or can they be pulled together and run by the people in the

community. The question of snow removal getting the streets clean Many people say that they don't get this no snowplows from their streets or they're getting their streets clean. It will make a difference. Don't you think if your neighbors are responsible for making that happen use you a plan to use you in the role of the Redevelopment Authority. All of those things can come under that community based group and it will make it available. I will make that available for the community so that they can really work on development. OK thank you for your call. I remind you that you're listening to WSB FM Boston from the source. I'm your host Robert C. Johnson Jr. and my guest this evening is Mr. Melvin Cain who is a candidate for mayor of the city of Boston. If you'd like to talk to Mel King you can call in at 9 2 9 7 9 3 0. That's 9 2 9 7 9 3 0.

Let's take another call. You're on from the source can I have your question please. Oh yes. Her correct course. Well. My name is Brian calling from Dorchester. All right in the same community. People. Are talking to me. Few things. Thank you Brian. The issue that you raise is

one that I've come to learn and to understand more about. I need to learn more as we go along. One of the things that I think it's important to begin with however is to understand what we mean when we talk about people who are disabled. The issue of being handicapped because in one way or another all of us have a disability. But we're not handicapped by that disability. The fact that people wear eyeglasses is a disability at one level but they're not handicapped by it because. The fact that they have an eye problem seeing problem but because they have glasses we have found a way to overcome their handicap. But what we have not done until people who were disabled got organized in their own interests was to do a better job

removing their handicaps that prevent people who are disabled from having access. And I think people need to understand that distinction. The fact of the matter is that people with different disabilities can have access. If we remove the things that handicapped them for example. Even though we now are making the sidewalks assessable to people who are in wheelchairs we have people who handicap them by parking their automobiles in front of them. Yes so. So I think it's important that we were down at the Park Street Station with a demonstration the other day because people who are disabled don't have access to the TV whether it's to the trains or to the buses in one of the things that happen is a person who was blind fell in a shaft because the elevator was not there. And it wasn't the kind of

concern at the T that was necessary and the people had to go out and demonstrate in order to get the service to get the justice that they deserve. So to start it off I think we need a serious education program in the city of Boston in this country around the distinction between disability and the fact that the system handicaps people who are disabled and under our administration we're going to make sure that we do the education program. But we're going to remove those barriers that handicapped people we're going to have people who would use who have a disability one level in our administration who are going to help us to understand and to work through so that they have all the access that they deserve. OK thank you very much Brian and continue to listen and call in later on. OK. OK thank you.

A year on from the source I have a question please. OK I like to be like whatever the intention be. The parking facilities in the downtown. Can you elaborate when you say on the parking facilities you talking about buildings or active place. In the downtown places just. Well I think that the one thing I want to look at is what the need is. And also to try and tie it up with the issue of adequate mass trans potations I think the city is choked with automobiles and we've got to figure out an effective

strategy to deal with that. The fact that we do have parking lots and parking facilities that are already overextended says something to us about the need to to for out alternative approaches for people to get into into the city. However I just want to be on record as saying that I don't believe that we need to use the parking ticket and fines as a way of raising revenue for the city. I think we need to figure out a strategy where people are able to come in and find a space if necessary do their shopping and then to be able to move on and so we have to deal with people who are quad meters as well because that's part of the problem. But I think ultimately the solution to it is balanced development. I think there needs to be access to business development in

Dorchester and Hyde Park in Charlestown and Roxbury all across the city so that people can get served. It's close to home as possible and not be stymied by having to come in to downtown choke it up and find that you don't have access to packing. OK thank you very much for your call. Okay thank you. Okay. You're listening to from the source on WSB FM Boston ninety one ninety one point nine FM on your dial. We're talking to Mel King this evening. Candidate for mayor of the city of Boston. You can call in and talk to Mel King at 9 2 9 7 9 3 0 9 2 9 7 9 3 0 0 opportunity to talk to the candidates and ask the kind of questions that you think are important to find out what your candidate has to say about those issues. Let's take another call here on from the source. I have a question please.

Thanks. Well under our administration we're going to first of all make sure that the housings intensity gets built. We're also going to take all of the vacant or abandoned buildings in that neighborhood and make sure that it is available for families whose incomes are low and moderate. We're going to try and expand on the franking model that's a sweat equity self-help model that we have seen instituted in the in the south and there are additional vacant spaces vacant lots in the south and we're not just talking about the South End but across the city. We're going to turn those over to community based groups to for them to be able to develop housing. We're going to look to state 7 0 5 funds

which is the state public housing program and see if there are ways in which we can make housing available for families whose incomes are low in that way. But I want to tell you this that. We're going to continue to push for rent control and a push for condo control so that people aren't displaced from their homes. But the money to do that is not going to be easy to come by. As long as we've got the kind of administration in Washington that exist at the moment. And one of the things that we're going to have to be about in this city is to join with mayors and legislative leadership in Congress across the country to get a housing subsidy money from the federal government. And what that means is that we're going to have to stop them from putting the money into the war budget and get them the money. Put the money into human needs. Putting it in the human destruction. We want it into human development.

And as mayor I'm going to play a very very strong role in pushing people in this country to move in a direction of getting rid of that administration and getting one that's going to be responsive to people's human needs. OK thanks. Thank you. OK thank you for your call. We're going to take a short break. Stay tuned and keep the calls running. Get a piece of paper the number is 9 2 9 7 9 3 0 I'll give you that number when we come back. But get ready to call participate. Talk to Mel King. We'll be right back in a minute. WNBA fan is looking for music announcers news writers and announcers and development staff. If you have previous experience in radio and have some time to give to public service radio please call nine thousand nine hundred seventy nine thousand nine hundred Monday through Friday from 9am till 7 p.m. for more details. Daily on ninety one point nine FM in addition to special programming folk in it.

U.S. News sports and weather. You can hear an interesting and entertaining features like another opening another show take a look at the latest plays local theater and dance form and you'll also hear Commonwealths Journal both sides now and much more. I'm ninety one point nine FM. Listen to us we listen to you on ninety one point nine FM WMD. Welcome back to from the source I'm your host Robert S. Johnson Jr. this entire this entire month that we are we are interviewing the mayoral candidates and this evening we have former representative mayor former Representative Mel King. We welcome your calls at 9 2 9 7 9 3 0. Let's take a call right now. You heard from a source we have a question please. Yes. Ok I meant to hit the button that had to do with you know boycotting the upcoming.

Debate debate here on a 20 foot one and I was wondering could you elaborate. Yes I'd be glad to. I am very sorry and said that the league has chosen to pursue this course and I find it very strange behavior on their part because I don't know that you can call it a debate when you don't want to hear all sides. I don't think they serve the electorate well when they censor the two candidates who are legitimate candidates who have done all the things that the rest of the candidates have done to qualify. I participated in a program which is a taping for Channel 56 which will be

on Sunday night where all the candidates were there was very well handled by the hostess. It was a technique where questions were asked the candidates got a chance to ask each other questions and the person store did a very good job of. I'm sorry Judy Jarvis did a very good job of. Holding all the people who are on the program to be issues. And I think that's what's key. And all of the people who are legitimate candidates ought to come out and I'm a particularly sensitive sensitive to this issue because as a person of color we're always in situations where we can be devalued and to say we don't count is a matter of fact the editor of one of the newspapers has taken attack as a rationale for going to support another candidate. And there are many people who do that and they discount you.

So I don't believe anybody ought to be discounted in particular the fact that these people both have something to say. You don't have to agree with all of what they say but I can tell you that there were things that they are raising that are particularly significant to be heard in this campaign. OK thank you very much for thinking and I agree with Leon that really individual nothing to make should be included. Thank you very much. OK thank you for your call and keep listening. Thank you thank you. All right let's take a let's take another call. Yes you're in from a source you're talking to milking the name L.. If you are a male when do the Roxbury that second the lamb that I have somebody abandoned buildings at the

community burnt for Sharon's purpose. Well one thing that is important to register at this time is that the issue of arson is not one that just affects the areas that you designated as over News Boston they have concerns about as well. Lots of people in Dorchester you know the Fenway where I was a representative did an excellent job and I work with an organization called Stop symphony turned its Organizing Project. We met call meetings to deal with the issue. And as a result of it has stopped in the fan way. So one of the first issues is working with people and getting them organized to confront the issue of a second has to do with taking advantage of what we've learned over there because they've done what we

call an analysis which shows that you can almost predict when a building is going to be torched and the ingredients are very easy to understand. Do the owners of the buildings owe any taxes on it. Have they recently been sold and the insurance. The premiums are very high. Third have they been in housing court selling the sale of the building been a vehicle for them to escape dealing with the demands that have been put on by the housing court. Has there been turnover in the in the building. Those are some some cues and when you see those things happening. If you can see the gasoline and then the match being struck. So we're going to do that kind of analysis. On all buildings and as a result of that I think you'll be able to

put together an effective Asin program but ultimately you have to take the profit out of some of the legislation that we've been able to get through attempts to address that. You make sure that when those conditions exist that I've talked about for example of taxes owed and they have collected money from the insurance company. Then they got to go by the tax office first. So if we make those kind of things happen then I think we have. An excellent shot but I think the best way to do it is to put the buildings in the hands of the people in those communities and if we're able to do that then I'm convinced the people who care for the buildings will get them fixed up and getting them fixed up. And you won't have the problem. Thank you. You're welcome. OK thank you. You're listening to from the source.

Ninety one point nine on your FM dial the number here this evening is 9 2 9 7 9 3 0. My name is Robert C. Johnson Jr. and I'm talking to Mel King candidate for mayor of the city of Boston. We have about 15 more minutes so get to your phones and call in and talk to the candidate. Find out the things you've been thinking about. Never had a chance to talk to him directly. You got that chance. So calling it 9 2 9 7 9 3 0. Yes Mel I'd like to say you know on this program for 45 minutes now we just ended it. That I'm impressed with the audiences you have out there. You go to some of the university stations. And you have the talk programs but you don't get the number of people who are calling So you've obviously got a good signal and people are in touch with this program and I'd like to commend you for that and commend the people out there who are asking some very very cogent questions about this campaign.

Thank you very much for the great comment. Station is a community oriented station and it encourages support from community residents and we help there continue to lend their support. I have a couple questions dealing with human rights as you know Boston has been plagued by racial violence. What would you do to combat racial violence in Boston. I think that. The approach that you take when you ask the question is one that we need to to examine. Because. I think it doesn't let us get to the to the root of the problem. Yes we need to deal with racial violence but it seems to me that you have to deal with racism in Boston. And people have to talk about racism as an issue in this city because failure to do so means that you are only going to talk about the problems when there are attacks on people. And to me that's short sighted anyhow because we ought to be talking about dealing

with any violence that affects people in the city. But what I understand by that and as I look back at the history of Boston it's very interesting that it comes now that people want to talk about racial violence and don't want to talk about racism. It is the racism that has existed in the city of Boston for a long long time. That has led to the problem with the schools. It has led to the problem with housing. There is lead to the violence that exists now. And if people want to deal with racial violence then you've got to go back and as I said get to the get to the root. It's looking at this book called debate and understanding and I want to commend this to two people that was done by the Boston University Martin Luther King Jr. Center a division of student

affairs. It's a journal study of minority Americans economic political social and religious development. But it's major thing is racial relations in Boston. The problem and its resolution. Now you have to go back. And think about the fact that in Boston up until the judge's decision less than. 5 percent of the people who were teachers in Boston were people of color. I don't know if there are any who are who are Asian or or Latino but nonetheless a Puerto Rican That was a problem. And that's a result of racism if you take a look at the number of people who were in administrative positions before the judge's order. There weren't hardly any. I think there may have been two or three people who are who are principals. Or in school administrators. Physicians if you look at the

housing situation in the city of Boston public housing was segregated purposefully consciously And so when you talk about neighborhood schools then you already had a situation where magic existed that they were segregated. And so you had to have segregated schools if the young people went to the schools in the neighborhoods around the public housing development. I was a Globe series just recently on the fact that. People of color were not. In jobs at significant levels and including the globe and including the university systems and the colleges here in the Commonwealth. And that a situation after 20 years of struggle around the civil rights issues. So. People will say they want to talk about the attacks and we need to deal with

the attacks we need to deal with them forthrightly. We're going to have the community disorders unit not just at headquarters. We have to have one. In every district throughout the city. We have to build the kind of relationships with people in the city. The mayor has got to come out and be very very specific and basic in terms of dealing with this issue speaking out the kind of people you hire in your administration have to be people who are going to speak out on this issue as as well. The issue of housing going to make sure that because people of color have a. 85 percent chance of being discriminated against when they go for housing that makes them hostile and angry. So we're going to deal with that. I talked about working with youth on the corners and hiring street workers to deal with that so that we can turn them from self-destructive in community destructive behavior. Well in doing that in the

past we were able to work with groups and to bring them together with other people other groups and to get dialogue going amongst them in the city. Those are just a few of the things. But it's going to start by getting people to understand the evil in the sickness of racism in this society because a failure to do that will not get us to the place where we can deal with the violence. OK thank you very much for that response. We have another question here from the source. We have a question please. Yes I'd like to keep the public good. System that we have here for our American teachers layoff and in fact I am a single parent with 12 year old happened to be in the public school and I feel that many programs are being

cut back to this advantage and the other kids in the disadvantaged then I feel that our American education for our young and I think that this is the momentum that we face here in the city of Boston and I'd like to know that to marry any number that I would feel. That I happen to have. OK thank you very much for your question Mr. King. Well I think the gentleman is correct in saying that the issue of public education inequality schools are an extremely significant issue here in the city of Boston. Let me try to quickly

express what I think is important for us to deal with. And I want to begin with his first question which says something about the layoffs and cutbacks. I'm committed to try to make sure that there aren't the layoffs of teachers because I and I'm talking about from the standpoint of the needs of the youngsters and that is for them to have quality qualified people in the classrooms people who can in fact do what is necessary by way of having the appropriate skills that the young people need. Second we need an accountability process for Spring Lane. And each of the administrators in each school building. And that means that they have to hold their teachers accountable and that there's a program for meeting the educational needs of each youngsters of the youngsters in each school. Basic So that is a climate where there is a belief that

all of the young people can learn. Now one other thing we do is we say to parents listen we're going to put together a program so that young youngster will be brought up to the appropriate grade level and that they will be able to read a third grade level if they're in the third grade before they go into fourth grade and that we're not going to give social promotions and we want that agreement but in exchange for that we want them to know that their youngster is going to be given that skill. And so we're going to say to the teachers you're accountable now if the youngster isn't getting that skill because we're going to work it out so that that program works for the youngsters. And then you cannot blame the teacher from the past by saying that you didn't do the job because the job wasn't done by the teacher who the youngster had last. So we've got to stop that buck passing and we've got to get an accountable approach. I don't care what kind of school we organization plan you have if you

don't have an accountability process and if you don't deal with the malice that exist in the schools and the problems of racism which affect people in the schools then it's not going to be any real change. OK. Thank you. We try to get a couple of more quick calls in before we leave this evening. Let's take another one. Yes John from a source. Hello. Yes you're on the air. I want to know what. We have. I think the best crime prevention program because that's what you want you want to prevent crime and that has to do with getting jobs for people. The enforcement of the Boston Giants were Boston people program doing work with young people on the street corners. We know who they are and doing something affectively about the schools because we know that juvenile delinquency is directly related to school failure. We want to put

police on the street. Their presence so that you understand and see them we want you working with them and saying to them Look this is the problem. This is how we want you to work with us to address them. And so that we have the kind of positive relationship between the community and the police. We want training for police but most importantly we're going to change the leadership and get a new commissioner one who is committed to dealing with the crime and making your streets safe for you. OK thank you ma'am sorry we have time but we are to just stay tuned next week at the same time when we'll be interviewing another another candidate at this point I'd like to say. Thank you for being with me this evening and being with you in the listening audience I'm sure that you've learned a lot from calling in and listening to him answer questions. I'd like to remind you that this is Boston

ninety one point nine on your FM dial. Thank you very much Mel for the thank you very much I was hoping you'd give me a thank you station for participating in for help. Thank you. BFM from a source saying goodnight. Why three more now that you all LOL. Exactly. And let me point out my many ways I know you know about it.