For MASSPTA

There is a quote of Eleanor Roosevelt on my file cabinet at home that reads: "Do one thing every day that scares you."  I guess I have done that for today, but tomorrow is another day. Together let us all continue to advocate for the principles of equal educational opportunity that unite us, and together we can fulfill the vision articulated by Governor Patrick of educating the whole child in Massachusetts whether that child is from Holyoke, New Bedford, Brookline or Wayland. It is not acceptable that a former classmate of my daughter who completed the METCO program in Brookline schools K-8 and then went on to a Boston public high school recently told me that all of her math classes had 40 students in them and that in the 10th grade she was taught the same curriculum she had covered in the 7th grade in Brookline.  Let us dedicate ourselves to closing the opportunity gaps that are still so glaring in this Commonwealth.

Finally, if I had my druthers, I would have fed all of you after this swearing in, but had to agree to the rules of no food in this room....so my apologies. As a Jewish mother, that is not my style, but hopefully we will break bread together at other happy occasions.

Thank you for coming and have a great afternoon! Ruth Kaplan, 6/19/07