By Bob Katzen
“Ensuring every student can read is fundamental to all other education goals and right now we are failing miserably. Progress on literacy cannot wait another day. Failure to act is costing our students and threatening their futures.”
— Ed Lambert, executive director of Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, urging legislators to pass legislation that would expand the use of science-based literacy instruction to address the state’s early literacy crisis.
“The total lack of respect displayed by Secretary Santiago towards the single largest veteran’s organization in the commonwealth and the world, the 35-000-member strong Department of Massachusetts American Legion, requests you remove Secretary Santiago from his position of Secretary of Executive Office of Veterans Services.”
— From a letter sent by the Massachusetts chapter of the American Legion to Gov. Maura Healey, urging that she fire cabinet member Jose Santiago, secretary of Veteran’s Services because he has broken tradition with previous veterans affairs secretaries in not attending certain meetings, conventions and banquets when invited.
“[Secretary Santiago] has demonstrated extensive engagement with the veteran community.”
— Response from the Executive Office of Veterans Services, noting Santiago or someone from his office has attended at least 16 events and visits with the American Legion over the past 16 months, nine of which Santiago personally attended.”
“We have the responsibility of ensuring that mental health care is accessible in every community in our state, especially those that have been historically underserved. This investment paves the way for enhanced Behavioral Health Urgent Care services, ensuring extended hours, telehealth appointments and timely care for those in need.”
—Secretary of Health and Human Services Kate Walsh, announcing $2.8 million in grant awards to several community-based clinics to make mental health urgent care more widely available in high-need areas.
“It’s vital that our communities have access to the resources, tools and guidance necessary to protect against increasingly frequent and sophisticated cybersecurity threats. Through these programs, our administration has undertaken a collaborative approach to equip state agencies and local communities with funding to help prevent, prepare for and recover from attacks on our digital infrastructure.”
—Gov. Maura Healey announcing the award of some $7 Million in federal grant funds to local governments and state agencies to enhance cybersecurity initiatives and reduce cyber risk for public agencies statewide.