To the Editor:

Betsy (not her real name) Bettencourt wrote another opinion piece to the Goffstown News. Why are you not publishing under your real name since you criticize those who post anonymously at the GRA Website? To date, Ms. Bettencourt has not called me to schedule a time to chat either.

Ms. Bettencourt has been misinformed by Keith Allard. She quotes Mr. Allard in reference to a threatening letter sent by Stacy Buckley to teachers several years ago. The threat was that last paychecks would be withheld. Stacy Buckley was then the Assistant Superintendent of special education. Her name was on the letter. Mr. Allard said the letter was “sent out to teachers following the incompletion of a special assignment that special education teachers were given and receiving extra pay to complete from a grant.” Mr. Allard is incorrect. The letter was sent to teachers before the deadline as a bullying tactic to motivate. And the grant money was for ten hours of labor per teacher. It took five hours per file and most teachers had a caseload of seventeen to twenty. Do the math. Teachers did this extra assignment on their own time and DID complete it before the deadline. The teachers never received a “thank you” from Stacy Buckley or Keith Allard.

I always teach my students to consider their sources when doing research. For instance, Wikipedia.com is not always an accurate source for information. Ms. Bettencourt, you may want to reconsider using Keith Allard and Stacy Buckley as sources of information. Recall that they led the majority of GSB members into shenanigans when they informed them that RSA 32:5 applied to the town of Goffstown. They were wrong then and they are wrong now.

Mr. Allard states Ms. Buckley had the blessing from the former superintendent to send out the threatening letter. Is it ethical to justify inappropriate behavior by saying, “I was just following orders?” Did Keith Allard suggest and make a motion for the GSB to discipline the then superintendent or Stacy Buckley for sending the threatening letter? Some behaviors may not be illegal but a person with character must always ask themselves whether or not their actions are ethical. Sending a threatening letter is not respectful nor is it ethical behavior. 

My concerns are for the faculty and staff at MVMS and the students they teach. As I alleged during my public hearing and in public comment the staff at MVMS are being harassed and bullied as a managerial style. It is calculated and intense. GEA filed eleven grievances last year and five grievances so far this year. Already this year there have been teachers severely bullied, one has resigned as a result of the administration’s unethical maneuvers, another is on medical leave with extremely high blood pressure and yet another was yelled at in front of peers by an administrator.

I invite Ms. Bettencourt, Ms. Whitney and anyone else in town who would like to be involved in this debate to attend GSB meetings as I have done for the past sixteen months. If you care, come on out and get involved.