In today's Boston Globe, Jim Peyser evokes some painful Beantown memories of Babe Ruth and Johnny Damon and then proceeds to smash an excellent point, Bucky Dent-style, over Fenway's Big Green Monster. Peyer's point is that just like the horribly mismanaged Red Sox were willing to part with superstars (who then were snatched up by the most dominant sports franchise in world history, the NY Yankees), the education reform scene in the Commonwealth is allowing/encouraging its best and brightest thinkers to bolt for Gotham.
And in a move that is sure to please the mothers and significant others of the people he is talking about, Peyser names names: Brett Peiser, Doug Lemov, John King, Evan Rudall, Michael Duffy, Josh Phillips, etc. All established careers as top-notched educators in Boston and were lured to greener educational pastures within a stone's throw of the House that Ruth Built.
So three questions emerge:
1. Since the barrier to their growth/happiness in Boston involves policies that are anti-entrepreneur and pro-same-old-same-old, when are strong leaders like Gov. Deval Patrick going to stand up and stop the brain drain by making Massachusetts a place where people with great ideas can actually implement them? Who is going to take the blame if the remaining homers like Mike Goldtsein get a better offer someplace else?
2. As we approach the final 365-days of the mayoral administration in NYC that created the climate in which all of these great folks were lured to the Big Apple, how long will it be before we start reading stories about how the best and brightest reformers in NYC are, in turn, being lured elsewhere because future mayors will erect similar brain and talent walls?
3. When Bostonian Chris Gabrieli is in NYC for our happy hour Tuesday night, will someone make a move to kidnap him and keep him within the confines of Manhattan, thus dramatically increasing our chances of extending school days in public schools for kids who need the extra time because they are 4-, 5-, and 6-years behind where they need to be academically?