Letter: CASD board member addresses CCIU issue

To The Editor, I want to correct a number of misconceptions surrounding the School Board’s decision to not engage the CCIU in our search for a Superintendent.  The following represents my opinion and has not been endorsed by either the Board or the District. The Board had, in fact, anticipated utilizing the services of the CCIU in our search.  However, during our interview with them, CCIU personnel...

Art Watch: Karen Delaney

Sparks fly with Delaney’s welded steel sculptures By Lele Galer, Columnist, The Times This week’s local art watch celebrates the unique steel works of noted local sculptor Karen Delaney. For the past twenty years, Karen has been creating magnificent steel sculptures from here to Prague, and has also continued to teach and volunteer in the arts as well. She is “inspired by architecture and forms...

Op/Ed: Lessons from CASD: School policies can promote a culture of discrimination

By Solomon Hunter and Rhonda Brownstein, The Education Law Center When one or two individuals in an organization blatantly act out in discriminatory ways, it’s easy to imagine that dealing with those individuals, primarily by removing them from the organization, solves the problem. The message, often, is that these individuals were outliers and in no way reflect the views of other members of the...

Letter: Real change needed for CASD

To The Editor, In reference to the Coatesville Area School District, I have been very much involved with the present controversy and currently represent several of the employees. I want to step back and share my thoughts as to what should be done if there is going to be serious and permanent change. 1. There has to be adoption by the School Board and hopefully some day by the State Legislature, rules...

Art Watch: Katee Boyle

The art of visual storytelling By Lele Galer, Columnist, The Times Katee Boyle is a local painter who describes herself as a “visual storyteller.” Though born and raised in Chadds Ford, Katee spent much of her adult life as a student and artist in New York. This week’s local art watch  focuses on  some of the recent images that Katee has been working on. Katee received her BFA with honor...

Como set damaging tone for Coatesville schools

Racism, sexism apparently coexisted with nepotism, favoritism By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times The now-infamous cell phone – which allegedly spewed vile sexist and racist text messages – may have set the tone for the administration of disgraced former Coatesville Superintendent Richard W. Como: When it rang, those within earshot heard the theme from “The Godfather.” Interviews...

Letter: creating a brighter future for Coatesville schools

To The Editor, We are all saddened by the events  at Coatesville Area School District (CASD). As a proud alum of Coatesville, it is hard to once again hear this great school district’s name being drug through the mud. Unfortunately, we in the CASD have become accustomed to our superintendents leaving, and the School Board treating us like we are the enemy. I have taken the full brunt of that hostility...

Is there hope for a pension fix in the legislature?

New proposal could form framework for at least a partial fix By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Is it possible that a small glimmer of hope toward finding a real, workable solution to public pension mess is inching forward in the state legislature? As you’re probably aware, spiking contributions to state worker and teachers’ pension funds have hamstrung the state and local school districts,...

Op/Ed: Need to end culture of acceptance

Coatesville text message scandal offers opportunity to  improve tolerance By Terence Farrell Chester County Commissioner Chester County Commissioner Terence Farrell Now that a little time has passed and passions have cooled somewhat in the CASD text message scandal, it is worthwhile to consider what went wrong, how healing can occur, and what each of us might do to foster an environment in which...

Letter: Enemies of the people

To the Editor, U.S. legislators in opposition to the President of the United States and his effort to help some 30 million Americans achieve the peace of mind to have health care available to them and their families have reached the limits of their audacity. Eighty Republican Congressmen signed a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representative demanding that he begin the process to shutdown the...