Speakers Discuss Effects of NCLB the Process
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Today: l hill Snow Showers THE TUFTS High 33 Low 22 Tufts’ Student Tomorrow: Newspaper Mostly Cloudy Since 1980 High 33 Low 20 VOLUME LIV, NUMBER 57 DAILY TUESDAY , DECEMBER 4, 2007 Patrick’s bond bill brings Green Line extension one step closer to completion BY BRUCE HAM I L T O N to seek federal funding,” he said. “We’ll con- Daily Editorial Board tinue to pursue it until either we do secure it or there wouldn’t be any other options.” Following years of delays and constant As it appears this will not delay the proj- lobbying by local officials, the Green Line ect, Patrick’s bill has been very well received extension project got a boost last week with by city officials. Gov. Deval Patrick’s announcement of a $2.9 “We’re all very excited about it,” Champion billion bond bill that authorizes state fund- said. “It has always been a logical and very ing for construction. prudent idea to extend the Green Line into Once the work is completed, the Green Somerville and Medford.” Champion called Line will stop in Medford and Somerville. the extension one of the most important According to Somerville’s Executive transit projects in the region. Director of Communications Tom The commitment to funding was “an Champion, the bill sets forth concrete guar- important message to hear,” he said. antees for a project that has long suffered City officials here have been determined setbacks. Originally slated for completion in their push to get the state to honor its in 2011 as a means of offsetting increased commitments to the Green Line. Champion traffic and environmental stresses resulting said the project is of dual importance, as from the Big Dig, the date was later pushed it relates to “environmental justice” and back to 2014. “important economic development.” Recently, local politicians feared further Because of the environmental impact of delays of up to two years when Patrick said the Big Dig and the hassle of increased traffic he intended to seek federal funding for the flow in Medford and Somerville, the exten- construction. sion’s completion has been a high priority LAURA HILL/TUFTS DAILY There was not much opposition to the for both cities’ governments. Alicia Kersten discusses No Child Left Behind. concept of seeking extra money, but the In 2006, the Conservation Law project’s supporters adamantly opposed Foundation, a New England-based envi- any setbacks that might have accompanied ronmental advocacy organization, sued the Speakers discuss effects of NCLB the process. state for failing to uphold its commitments. BY BE nn E tt KUH N Junior Alison Gross, a member of “Going after federal funds created the That case was settled out of court when Daily Editorial Board Education Action!, gave opening remarks possibility that there would be further then-Gov. Mitt Romney promised the 2014 about NCLB to a filled Alumnae Lounge, delays,” Champion said. completion deadline. Four individuals of varying professional first outlining the case in its support. Last week’s announcement, however, On Oct. 11 of this year, Patrick said he backgrounds and experiences with the No “Proponents of the law praise No Child allows the $600 million project to begin with would honor Romney’s deadline, according Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act sat on a panel Left Behind for its accountability measures or without federal assistance, as it includes to Champion. Last week’s bill was a more last night about the effects of the legislation and say that holding schools to a high stan- authorization for full state funding and aims specific step towards fulfilling that promise. on local public schools. Education Action! dard of learning achievement will help close to keep the 2014 deadline. Champion commended Patrick’s efforts, sponsored the discussion. the [achievement gap],” she said. According to Erik Abell, a spokesperson for and said the bill “confirms that he really is NCLB, signed into law in 2002, is a fed- Next, Gross explained some opposing the state’s Executive Office of Transportation, determined to see this project through.” eral education reform bill aimed at achiev- views: “Critics respond that the overriding Patrick’s administration will still seek federal Abell agreed. “The governor has com- ing accountability in public education by premise of the law is likely flawed, that schools funding. mitted to the Green Line project and has mandating that states develop standards and are under-funded and that the assessment “As [the bill] was drafted, it would provide made tangible steps towards realizing that basic skill assessments in order to receive full state funding for the project; however, federal funding for their schools. see NCLB, page 2 that does not prevent us from continuing see GREEN LINE, page 2 Boloco to take points next semester Brown advocates for divestment from Iran Boloco will join the Senate survey. The survey’s BY EL I ZA HOWE Merchants on Points (MOPs) results were released on Nov. A N D ROB SI L V ERBLA tt system by the start of next 14 and showed Boloco pre- Contributing Writer semester, according to store vailing with 62.5 percent of and Daily Editorial Board manager Sal Airo-Farulla. the vote. “We had to give ourselves Since then, senators have As new intelligence unearths a date to go by and that been working to make the doubts about Iran’s desire to seemed to make the most transition a smooth one. build nuclear weapons, state sense,” he said. Sophomore Senator C.J. Sen. Scott Brown (LA ‘81) tried At that time, it will fea- Mourning said she is happy to rally on-campus support for ture expanded hours, staying with the progress to date. divestment legislation. open until 10 p.m. Sunday- “Everything’s been going In an appearance last night Thursday and midnight on fine. We’ve contacted in Eaton Hall, Brown advo- Friday and Saturday. [Boloco], they have all the cated for a plan that would Boloco will also deliver paperwork. It’s just a mat- withdraw the Massachusetts’ from 7 p.m. until closing on ter of making things offi- Pension Reserves Investment weekdays and after 1 p.m. cial,” Mourning said. “There Management Board’s (PRIMB) on weekends. haven’t been any roadblocks funding for corporations that “That’s initially; we’ll see in our way.” do business in Iran. This would how it works,” Airo-Farulla When Boloco assumes the lead to around $1.1 billion said. sixth MOPs slot, Tufts stu- worth of divestment. If there is enough demand dents will be able to order “The biggest problem that we for delivery, he said he will from a full roster for the have and that I have with what’s look into expanding the first time since Domino’s got going on in Iran ... is on the one delivery times. kicked out of the system this hand we talk tough, but then we He is also considering fur- summer. turn around and we fund these ther lengthening the store’s Airo-Farulla said he is look- companies,” he said. hours. “If there’s a really big ing forward to taking orders Supporters of a firmer policy response, we almost have on points. “Are you kidding towards Iran received a jolt yes- REBEKAH SOKOL/TUFTS DAILY to push [the closing time me? I’m psyched. I couldn’t terday as reports came out that State Sen. Scott Brown speaks about divestment from Iran. back,]” he said. be happier,” he said. “It’s the country may have stopped Boloco was elected to the definitely going to be a huge its attempts to build nuclear Brown, a Republican, hopes “These countries that are MOPs system after beat- plus.” weapons as far back as 2003. the divestment would encour- sponsoring terrorism aren’t ing Pizza Days in a Tufts However, they remain con- age the Iranian government to using the money for their Community Union (TCU) —by Rob Silverblatt fident that the Tehran regime spend its money more appro- supports terrorism. priately. see BROWN, page 2 Inside this issue tuftsdaily.com Today’s Sections A recent study finds that psy- The women’s squash team earned Op-Ed 9 choanalysis theories are almost its first victory over Bowdoin in News 1 as dead as Sigmund Freud in 20 years behind victories from its Features 3 Comics 10 psychology classrooms. bottom five. Arts | Living 5Classifieds 13 Editorial | Letters 8 Sports Back see FEATURES, page 3 see SPORTS, back page 2 THE TUF T S DAILY NEWS Tuesday, December 4, 2007 Panelists support bill that would restore benefits to legal immigrants Divestment plan faces opposition from state officials BROWN continued from page 1 people,” he said. “They are taking land from their farmers [and] they are not doing anything to protect their envi- ronment.” Brown’s remarks came a month after Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed a bill supporting the divestment of pension funds from Sudan. Brown initially pushed for a more TIM STRAUB/TUFTS DAILY expansive divestment that would extend A group of experts came to Lane Hall would restore state-funded cash aid and Panelists came from the Massachusetts to Sudan as well as North Korea, Iran last night to talk about immigration food stamps to legal immigrants, some Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy and Syria. reform. The topic of the panel discussion, of whom lost these benefits when then- Coalition, the Massachusetts Law Reform Now that the Sudan legislation has which was sponsored by National Student President Bill Clinton signed the federal Institute, and the Community Action passed, he has shifted his focus primar- Partnerships, was the Act to Restore Safety Welfare Reform Act in 1996.