Superintendent Tommy Chang Issues Statement on Idea of Arming Teachers in Response to Mass Shootings

Superintendent Tommy Chang Issues Statement on Idea of Arming Teachers in Response to Mass Shootings

Chang Stands With Mayor Walsh, Calls Idea "Illogical"

BOSTON — Thursday, February 22, 2018 — Today, Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Tommy Chang issued the following statement in response to comments made by President Trump, who spoke publicly yesterday about arming teachers with firearms as a way to avert school shootings. STATEMENT FROM SUPERINTENDENT TOMMY CHANG: “The mere thought that teachers should be armed in order to ward off violence is utterly illogical and will only result in making our students and teachers less safe. “The real issue at hand continues to be access to guns. In Boston, we have some of the strictest gun laws in the country. We have a Mayor and a Police Commissioner who are fighting federal proposals that threaten to move us backward, such as the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. Just last year, we hosted the New England Regional Gun Summit right here at the Bolling Building to work with our neighboring cities and states on preventing the illegal flow of firearms into our city. “When it comes to school safety, we know that our focus should be on violence prevention and creating a culture of inclusion in all of our schools. We are providing regular training that’s rooted in best practices to ensure the safety of our students if a situation were to occur, not wasting our time training educators how to carry and use a firearm. Our priority in Boston will always be the well-being of our school communities, and bringing guns into schools is simply not the answer.” BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Last month, BPS announced a partnership with the Sandy Hook Promiseorganization, founded by courageous parents who lost children in the Sandy Hook shooting. This free initiative aims to help foster safe and welcoming school climates, along with teaching school communities how to spot the warning signs to prevent a tragedy. Sandy Hook Promise is working with BPS on the “Know The Signs” program, which educates students and teachers on how to identify signals that a student may commit a violent act. 80% of school shooters tell someone of their violent plans, and 69% tell more than one person. 37% of threats of violence occur electronically, and 28% of those are done via social media. 70% of people who commit suicide tell someone of their plans or give a warning sign. 1 million students are harassed, threatened, or cyberbullied. BPS is working with Sandy Hook Promise to develop an anonymous reporting app for students that would allow them to report concerns about safety or threats to commit violence or suicide. BPS is in the early stages of development of the app. It will not be available until at least next school year. During the first week of February, BPS participated in Sandy Hook Promise’s “Start With Hello Week,” which teaches students how to be more inclusive and connected with one another. Because social isolation is a predictor in school violence, this effort helps students be kind to one another and build a more supportive and inclusive environment. Another Sandy Hook Promise initiative which we will implement is Safety Assessment and Intervention, which teaches adults how to identify, assess, and respond to threats of violence of at-risk behavior before a tragedy takes place. Signs of Suicide is another Sandy Hook Promise initiative, which teaches students and educators how to intervene and get help for a student who may be depressed or suicidal. The Boston Police Department conducts presentations with school staff on what to do in the case of an active shooter. BPS and BPD have been doing this for the past three years. All of our schools conduct “safe mode drills” at least twice a year. Two years ago, BPS created an Office of Safety Services to work closely with the Boston School Police Department, which works with school staff to identify any potential safety threats, and to build a collaborative atmosphere with students. In the last year, BPS created an Office of Safe and Welcoming Schools, which provides support teams to help students with their social and emotional needs.

2018北美海產展優異獎入圍者出爐

2018 SEAFOOD EXCELLENCE AWARDS FINALISTS UNVEILED

Winners to be announced at Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America

Portland, ME (February 21, 2018) – The 12 finalists for the 2018 Seafood Excellence Awards, the prestigious best new products competition at Seafood Expo North America, were just announced. Winners of the competition will be presented during the Seafood Excellence Awards ceremony, which will take place on Sunday, March 11, 2018 at 3:00pm in the Demonstration Theater during Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America in Boston, MA, USA.

The Seafood Excellence Awards annually recognize the product leaders in the North American seafood market. Each year, exhibitors have the opportunity to submit their new products for consideration. Products are evaluated by three seafood industry experts based on their uniqueness and appropriateness to the market, taste profile, packaging, market potential, convenience, nutritional value and originality.

The 2018 finalists were selected from 84 entries in the exposition’s New Product Showcase and compete for two awards: Best New Foodservice Product and Best New Retail Product.

The finalists for the 2018 Seafood Excellence Awards are:

Acme Smoked Fish Corp.
Blue Hill Bay Smoked Fish Poke Bowl

Australis Aquaculture
Australis Barramundi Hand-Cut Taco Strips

Azuma Foods International Inc., U.S.A.
Lobster Roe Paste

Cedar Bay Grilling Company
Sous Chef Kits – Shrimp Pho Bowl

Cozy Harbor Seafood Inc.
“Lobster Tonight” Lobster Slider Chef’s Kit

Handy Seafood Incorporated
Shrimp Power Bites 

Iceland’s Finest
Iceland´s Finest – Creamy Masago Bites

Kitchens Seafood
Kitchens Seafood Shoreline Feast

MacKnight Smoke House
MacKnight Salmon Crackle – Salt & Vinegar Flavor

Trident Seafoods
Hot & Spicy Alaskan Pollock Fish Sandwich

Trident Seafoods
Wild Caught Alaskan Pollock Skillet Cuts

Thai Union – Chicken of the Sea
Yellowfin Tuna Slices 

Each finalist’s product will be showcased during the three-day event in Boston. 

View all of the entries of the Seafood Excellence Awards.

The Seafood Excellence Awards serve as the North American extension of the Seafood Excellence Global Awards competition, held at Seafood Expo Global in Brussels, Belgium.  Both Seafood Excellence Awards and Seafood Excellence Global Awards are organized by Diversified Communications, producers of Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America, Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global and Seafood Expo Asia.

SeafoodSource, produced by Diversified Communications, is the official media for Seafood Expo North America & Seafood Processing North America. As the largest online source for seafood industry news, SeafoodSource will extensively cover the event.

Seafood-industry buyers and processors can learn more about Seafood Expo North America & Seafood Processing North America and register to attend by visiting the exposition’s website, seafoodexpo.com/north-america.

波士頓今天華氏70多度 明天卻可能下雪

(Boston Orange 周菊子整理報導)波士頓這陣子很反常，今天(2月21日)氣溫一度高達華氏71度，昨天也60多度，這種一、二月突現高溫情況，只在1872年發生過，這兩年內卻出現處三次以上。

            天氣暖到讓人難以想像的程度，比平均溫度高了將近30度，非常的不正常。

            更讓人難以適應的，恐怕還是只隔一個晚上以後的明天，在加拿大氣流帶來的冷峰影響下，氣溫可能就降到只有華氏30多度了。

            星期四(明天)的下午，新英格蘭南部還會下點雪，下點雨。有些地方週五、週六繼續冷一陣子。

            一月份時，麻州的華盛頓山才在”地球最冷地”上排名第二，今天竟然過著歷史紀錄中最暖的二月天，人們甚至穿起了T恤。

            不過這種極端的天氣，在未來10天內，大概不會再出現，估計往後的日子也不會太冷。

聯邦資料顯示波士頓移民被捕人數幾乎倍增

(Boston Orange 周菊子整理報導) 波士頓地區逮捕無證件移民個案數量，在上個會計年度中大增近50%。波士頓環球報20日發表一篇長文，認為從聯邦政府這資料，可見川普總統在施壓，執行他的競選誓言。

            波士頓地區的美國移民及海關人員在2017會計年度內，共逮捕2834名美國境內移民，上一年才逮捕1858人。其中不是因為刑事罪被逮捕的人，數目從343增加到1,106，不下三倍。

            關注移民權益者指出，這是川普上任後，政府把注意力從罪犯轉移到違反移民法者身上，全美的逮捕移民數量才增加了30%。不過，逮捕總數仍遠低於奧巴馬在位時的第一個任期。

新英格蘭移民律師協會前主席Susan Church說，現在移民局海關人員騷擾的是最守法，最讓人同情的人，有些還是已經獲准在美居留了許多年的人。

她舉例指出，在新罕布夏州海岸，以及麻州南岸一帶，大約有50名印尼基督徒住在那兒，有些已經住了十幾，廿年。

他們中的大多數人是在1990年末到2000年代，印尼反基督徒暴力橫行時代來到美國的。許多人逾期居留，未及時尋求特赦，還都成了在美國出生子女的父母。不過從2010年起，移民當局准許這些除了違反移民法之外，都很守法的印尼人，在接受移民局定期監管下，留在那兒生活，工作，扶養小孩。

川普上任後，這情況改變了。八月時有人告訴這些移民，30天內必須拿著去印尼的機票回移民局報到。目前至少有一個人被逮捕，拘留了。他們上訴後，這個月，一名聯邦法官發出命令，暫停遣返。

另一個案發生在一月。羅德島州的ACLU說，Lilian Calderon在申請合法永久居民權時，被移民局(ICE)拘留了。

Lilian Calderon現年30歲，她是3歲時被家人從瓜地馬拉帶到美國的，還嫁給了一名美國公民。他們夫婦有兩個小孩，在Lilian Calderon被捕，帶到波士頓拘留中心時，他們才剛和移民局官員面談完，改變移民身分第一步的婚姻的合法性，也得到確認。

民權組織提起訴訟後，上星期Lilian Calderon被釋放了。

羅德島州ACLU執行主任Steven Brown說，在這個案子裏，政府是左手歡迎她，右手卻抓了她。

ICE的2017年執行及遣送行動報告，儘管不包括地方上被遣返移民來自哪個國家的資料，但據說近90%來自墨西哥，瓜地馬拉，洪都拉斯，以及薩爾瓦多。

在2017會計年度內，ICE在全美逮捕了143,470名在美國境內的移民，比前一年增加了30%，而且是從川普上任，他的政府轉移了移民局執法優先順序後才增加的。不過，2009年，奧巴馬上任總統的第一年時，ICE在全美逮捕的人數，卻有二倍那麼多，超過290,000人。

奧巴馬任期後幾年，逮捕人數下降是因為活躍份子及移民支持者把奧巴馬形容為”總遣返總官(Deporter in chief)”，移民局縮小了優先執勤範圍。

根據聯邦數據，在奧巴馬的八年任期內，ICE的逮捕人數，從292,545降到110,104。

東北大學專精移民政策的法律教授Rachel Rosenbloom在一封電子郵件中說，在2014年11月時，奧巴馬宣佈了一套行動準則，排定了逮捕，遣返罪犯，對國家安全有威脅的人，以及最近跨越邊界者的優先順序。這些步驟導致他任期最後兩年的逮捕人數下降。

她說，現在執行情況又回升到2013，以及2014的瘋狂程度，而且看起來還會上升。

川普上任後的第二個月，國土安全局就發出備忘錄，基本上丟棄了奧巴馬政府訂定的優先順序，使得任何違反移民法行為變得都一樣。川普政府還更重視在境內執法，而不是在邊界，曾經說那非常重要。

ICE在一份報告中說，去年在邊界遣返的比率下降了17%，顯示了重心放在境內的威攝效果。

根據ICE報告，包括康州，緬因州，麻州，新罕布夏州，羅德島州及佛蒙特州的波士頓地區責任(Boston Area of Responsibilit)，遣返數據去年增加了44%，達到1942人。

BOSTON ANNOUNCES RESULTS OF PERFORMANCE PARKING PILOT

BOSTON ANNOUNCES RESULTS OF PERFORMANCE PARKING PILOT

Performance parking pilot shown to improve parking availability, congestion, and road safety

BOSTON - Wednesday, February 21, 2018 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the results of the City of Boston's year-long performance parking pilot in the Back Bay and Seaport neighborhoods. The parking pilot, which adjusted parking meter rates in order to reduce congestion, increase roadway safety and make finding an on-street parking spot easier for drivers, was proven to open up more parking spaces for residents and business customers, and reduce congestion caused by illegal parking. In the Back Bay, there was an 11 percent increase in available metered spaces, and a 14 percent decrease in double parking. In the Seaport, there was a one percent increase in parking availability, and a substantial decrease in illegal parking. The performance parking pilot also increased parking availability for neighborhood residents, as illegal parking in a resident spot declined by 12 percent in the Back Bay and by 35 percent in the Seaport. "Our goal in Boston is to create streets that work for everyone -- whether you walk, bike, take public transportation or drive in our city," said Mayor Walsh. "Creating equitable, accessible streets is a key goal of our long-term transportation plan, Go Boston 2030. The 2017 performance parking pilot has shown it's possible to adjust meter prices and change our roads for the better, leading to less congestion, and more parking spaces for our residents and businesses, helping neighborhoods thrive." "The performance parking pilot program has proven to be an effective tool to reduce congestion, improve safety, and open up more parking in our busiest neighborhoods," said Boston Transportation Department Commissioner Gina N. Fiandaca. "This program makes better use of our limited curb-space and helps our businesses districts and neighborhoods thrive by making sure drivers can easily find a spot and that pedestrians and cyclists are not adversely impacted by double parking." The Performance Parking pilot tested two approaches to parking management through the 2017 calendar year. In the Back Bay, the City priced the entire neighborhood at $3.75 per hour for the whole year. In the Seaport, the City priced each block independently and changed the price every two months based on the number of available spaces. If on average no spaces were available, the price would increase slightly, or decrease if too many spaces were open. This pilot marked the first time meter prices have been adjusted in Boston since 2011, when they were raised to $1.25 per hour. Over the course of the pilot, the data collected revealed that the approach taken in the Back Bay was more successful at opening parking spaces and reducing congestion. All additional revenue as a result of the program will be reinvested into street, sidewalk, and transportation infrastructure projects in those neighborhoods and around the City. "We greatly appreciate that the city has given performance based parking serious study and testing. As the Co-chair of Go Boston 2030 and a collaborator in preparing a recent Boston Parking Study, the recent pilots building off of these reports have shown that performance based parking is an effective tool in managing a scarce amount of spaces," said Rick Dimino, A Better City CEO. "This innovative approach can increase parking availability, improve customer access in business districts and decrease cars circling looking for a space. We look forward to the city deciding how these successful results can be used going forward." With results of the pilot now available, the Boston Transportation Department will analyze the results and determine whether the program should be expanded to other parking meters throughout Boston. Parking meters are currently located in the Back Bay, South Boston, Downtown, South End, North End, Fenway, Allston, Cleveland Circle, Charlestown, and Longwood neighborhoods. As the results are analyzed, the pilot will continue in Back Bay and the Seaport. The performance parking pilot ties directly into major planning initiatives of the Walsh Administration, including Go Boston 2030 and Imagine Boston 2030. In 2017, Mayor Walsh released Boston's Go Boston 2030 Vision and Action Planthat directs the City of Boston's transportation agenda for the next decade and beyond. The plan is comprised of 58 transportation projects and policies that are designed to expand access to a variety of connected transportation options, improve traffic-related safety on Boston's streets, and ensure reliability of service for the City's residents, commuters and visitors. Within Go Boston 2030 is Vision Zero, Boston's commitment to focus the city's resources on proven strategies to eliminate fatal and serious traffic crashes in the city by 2030. Thirty percent of street traffic is made up of drivers searching for street parking, which the parking pilot was proven to reduce. Additional Go Boston 2030 projects include Boston's Neighborhood Slow Streets program; an expanded bike share program; and installation of protected bike lanes. The Performance Parking pilot was a collaboration between the Boston Transportation Department (BTD), the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics (MONUM),  and the Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT) to study the relationship between parking price and demand for parking. More details are available on boston.gov. About Go Boston 2030 Go Boston 2030 is the City of Boston's long term mobility plan. It envisions a city in a region where all residents have better and more equitable travel choices, where efficient transportation networks foster economic opportunity, and where steps have been taken to prepare for climate change. Whether raveling by transit, on foot, on a bike or by car, people will be able to access all parts of Boston safely and reliably. A list of projects and policies have been developed that are being implemented as early action projects in the near term, and a set of long term projects and policies are intended to be implemented over the next 15 years. About Imagine Boston 2030 Go Boston 2030 complements Imagine Boston 2030, Boston's first citywide plan in 50 years. Imagine Boston 2030 will guide growth to support our dynamic economy and expand opportunity for all residents. The plan prioritizes inclusionary growth and puts forth a comprehensive vision to boost quality of life, equity and resilience in every neighborhood across the City. Shaped by the input of 15,000 residents who contributed their thoughts to the plan, Imagine Boston 2030 identifies five action areas to guide Boston's growth, enhancement and preservation, and is paired with a set of metrics that will evaluate progress and successes. To learn more visit, imagine.boston.gov.

Elizabeth Warren to Host Town Hall in Holden on 2/25

Sunday: Senator Elizabeth Warren to Host Town Hall in Holden, MA on Sunday, February 25

Boston, MA - On Sunday, February 25, Senator Elizabeth Warren will host a town hall in Holden, MA. Warren will take questions from the audience and discuss her work standing up for working families of Massachusetts against powerful corporate interests. This will be Warren's 20th town hall in the last 12 months.  The event is free and open to the public. We ask the public to please RSVP at our website: http://elizabethwarren.com/holdentownhall2018.

WHAT:    Senator Elizabeth Warren Hosts Town Hall in Holden, MA

WHEN:   Sunday, February 25

   11:00 a.m. (doors open), 12:00 p.m. (event begins)

WHERE:  Wachusett Regional High School

     1401 Main Street, Holden, MA 01520

波士頓三佛中心春節祈福 賴銘琪點頭香

【波士頓三佛中心春節祈福 賴銘琪點燃頭香】

波士頓三佛中心於2月16日大年初一上午，由覺謙法師主持新春祈福法會及聯歡活動，在狗年首日慶祝春節，祈願所有賓客、信眾、社區人士都能狗年興旺、忠義傳家。

駐波士頓臺北經文處處長賴銘琪伉儷、僑教中心主任歐宏偉、僑務諮詢委員王本仁建築師、劍橋市市長助理等多位貴賓應邀出席，在覺謙法師、佛光會會長阮迺雲、督導田德玉引導下，由賴銘琪伉儷點燃新春頭香並鳴鑼後開始慶祝活動；隨後由華埠享有盛名的華林派表演舞獅及功夫，加上佛光會師姐示範手絹舞，以及璞石中華文化工作室路永宜老師帶領與會人士示範彩帶舞的舞步及動作，為聯歡活動帶來歡樂氣氛，現場歡笑聲不斷。

賴銘琪在致詞時表示，這是他以處長身分第一次，也是最後一次前來三佛中心禮佛，很感謝三佛中心及佛光會所有法師及師兄姐對僑胞鄉親的服務，以及對駐處及他們夫婦的支持；與會人士在獲知賴銘琪即將離任，咸感依依不捨。(圖與文:波士頓僑教中心提供)

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES OPENING OF SUCCESSLINK 2018, SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT REGISTRATION

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES OPENING OF SUCCESSLINK 2018, SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT REGISTRATION

Summer youth employment enrollment now available online

BOSTON - Tuesday, February 20, 2018 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the opening of SuccessLink, an online tool that enables Boston youth to register for summer jobs. The SuccessLink application will be available through 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 30, 2018. Teens can apply 24 hours a day on the BCYF Youth Engagement & Employment (YEE) Division website on youth.boston.gov. "The summer youth jobs program is an important opportunity that helps provide many of our young people with the chance to build lifelong skills and confidence, and begin their professional career," said Mayor Walsh. "I encourage all Boston teens to take a look at the SuccessLink portal and register for a summer job that aligns with their passions." "The City of Boston is committed to serving its youth by facilitating meaningful employment that sets the foundation for future success," said Health and Human Services Chief Marty Martinez. "The summer youth jobs program works to empower youth by connecting them through jobs to mentorship and guidance, and promotes skill building and networking opportunities that create lasting professional pathways to success." Through SuccessLink, young people can register for the Mayor's Summer Jobs Program, get connected to resources and join civic engagement initiatives designed to empower youth. Applicants will be able to manage and update their information online. "This is my first job and it's giving me experience in communication so that I can benefit in the future," said Alex Tieu, a sophomore at Josiah Quincy Upper School, who works at BCYF's Youth Engagement & Employment office helping youth obtain employment. "It's important for me to work so I can increase my professional development. And I hope while working with YEE, I can help other young people who are also just starting their first job." Teens interested in applying must meet the following requirements: Must be a full-time resident of the City of Boston; Must turn 15 years old on or before Monday, July 9, 2018; Cannot turn 19 years old, on or before Friday, August 17, 2018; Must be legally permitted to work in the United States. Boston is a leader in youth employment across the nation with a focus on offering meaningful employment opportunities to young people ages 15-18. Summer opportunities include paid positions with Zoo New England, radio stations, Boston municipal government departments and and as tutors, mentors and counselors at many summer day programs. Last summer 3,015 young people were employed through SuccessLink at over one hundred community based organizations. BCYF YEE is hosting a Youth Job and Resource Fair on Saturday, March 10 at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center at Roxbury Community College. Youth interested in a summer job through SuccessLink can meet with employers, learn job hunting skills and have some fun. Learn more at Boston.Gov/BCYF. Applying for a summer position with SuccessLink does not guarantee a job. Applicants can visit BCYF Division of Youth Engagement & Employment at 1483 Tremont Street, Roxbury, or call 617-635-4202 for assistance with the application. About Boston Centers for Youth and Families Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) is the City of Boston's largest youth and human service agency. BCYF operates 36 community centers in Boston that offer a variety of engaging and enriching programs for people of all ages created through community input and need. BCYF also oversees many citywide programs including the nationally-recognized violence intervention and prevention Streetworker Program and SuccessLink, the Mayor's Summer Jobs Program.

RANDOLPH MAN CONVICTED AND SENTENCED FOR TRAFFICKING MULTIPLE WOMEN FOR SEX IN GREATER BOSTON, CAPE COD

RANDOLPH MAN CONVICTED AND SENTENCED FOR TRAFFICKING MULTIPLE WOMEN FOR SEX IN GREATER BOSTON, CAPE CODJury Convicted Him on 17 Counts; Judge Sentenced Him to 6 to 6.5 Years in State Prison

BOSTON – A Randolph man has been convicted by a jury and sentenced to six to six-and-a-half years in state prison for trafficking multiple women for sex in Greater Boston and on Cape Cod, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today. He kept the money from the sexual encounters and would instead provide the women with drugs, primarily heroin.

Marvin Pompilus, (a.k.a. “Kise”), age 33, of Randolph, was convicted after a 10-day jury trial in Suffolk Superior Court on charges of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude (10 counts) and Deriving Support from Prostitution (7 counts) in connection with trafficking six different women for sex. Judge Mitchell Kaplan today sentenced Pompilus to six to six-and-one-half years in state prison. The AG’s Office had recommended a sentence of 12 to 15 years in state prison.

“This defendant preyed on vulnerable women and profited off of their exploitation,” said AG Healey. “This has become a troubling pattern we are seeing in our efforts to combat both human trafficking and the devastating opioid epidemic here in our state—a pattern that we are dedicated to disrupting to protect people from this egregious conduct.”

The AG’s Office began an investigation in May 2015 after the matter was referred by the Randolph Police Department. Pompilus was arrested in August 2015 in Randolph by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s Office and the Randolph Police. He was subsequently indicted in November 2015 and arraigned in Suffolk, Norfolk and Barnstable Counties and all charges were then consolidated into Suffolk Superior Court.

The investigation found that Pompilus targeted and recruited multiple women to provide commercial sexual services at hotels and other locations in Randolph, Boston, Braintree and Hyannis. Pompilus would have the women post ads online offering sexual services in exchange for money.

Since taking office, AG Healey has been aggressive in tackling the problem of human trafficking, including the creation of a dedicated Human Trafficking Division which focuses on policy, prevention and prosecution and includes a team of specialized prosecutors, victim advocates and Massachusetts State Police troopers who handle high impact, multijurisdictional human trafficking investigations and prosecutions across the state. Through the Human Trafficking Division, the AG’s Office has charged more than 35 individuals in connection with human trafficking since the law was passed.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorneys General Megan McLaughlin, Eric Haskell and Nancy Rothstein through AG Healey’s Human Trafficking Division and its staff including Paralegal Sindhu Kadhiresan, with assistance from the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, Director of Victim Witness Assistance Division Rebecca Auld of the AG’s Victim Services Division, Investigators Sallyann Nelligan and Michelle Silva of AG Healey’s Financial Investigations Division, James McCoy and Kenneth McCarthy of the AG’s Digital Evidence Lab, and Director of Multimedia Technology Paul Melaragni.

The Randolph and Milton Police Departments also assisted in the investigation, along with the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Marshalls Service, the Massachusetts State Police Division of Field Services, the Maine Violent Offender Task Force, the Maine Department of Corrections Division of Probation and Parole, the Westbrook, Maine Police Department, the Cumberland County Maine Sheriff’s Department, the Boston Police Department, the Brockton Police Department, and the New Bedford Police Department.

AG HEALEY CALLS ON EDUCATION SECRETARY DEVOS TO REJECT ACCREDITOR THAT ALLOWED PREDATORY SCHOOLS TO CHEAT STUDENTS

AG HEALEY CALLS ON EDUCATION SECRETARY DEVOS TO REJECT ACCREDITOR THAT ALLOWED PREDATORY SCHOOLS TO CHEAT STUDENTSLeads Multistate Comments Opposing ACICS’s Application for Recognition; Notes ‘Extreme Oversight Failures’ by ACICS in Enabling Abuse by For-Profit Schools

            BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey led a coalition of 20 attorneys general in opposing an application by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) to regain its status as a nationally-recognized accreditor, noting the accreditor’s “extreme and far-reaching oversight failures” and the serious harm it caused students and taxpayers across the country by enabling fraud and abuse by predatory for-profit schools.

In response to the U.S. Department of Education’s call for written comments, AG Healey led a coalition of 20 attorneys general in calling on the Department to reject ACICS’s application, making clear that approving it would violate federal laws and regulations aimed at protecting students.

In the comments, the attorneys general note that the Department terminated ACICS’s recognition just over a year ago due to ACICS’s pervasive oversight failures. Under the Department’s regulations, the attorneys general assert, ACICS cannot meet the threshold eligibility requirements for receiving national recognition.

“ACICS gave a stamp of approval to schools that repeatedly defrauded students and taxpayers out of hundreds of millions of dollars,” said AG Healey. “Secretary DeVos should categorically deny this request for recognition.”

Accreditors serve a critical role in ensuring that schools provide students with an education that meets minimum standards of quality. They function as gatekeepers, protecting students from abuse by institutions that offer education of little-to-no value. When accreditors, like ACICS, fail to fulfill this responsibility, they enable abusive schools to cheat students and families under the guise of providing an education.

           

According to the comments, ACICS’s oversight failures include its decision to extend accreditation to schools like ITT Tech and Lincoln Technical Institute in Massachusetts, along with a large number of campuses operated by the now-defunct Corinthian Colleges. ACICS continued accrediting Corinthian even after upwards of 20 state and federal agencies initiated investigations into Corinthian’s fraud, and up until the day Corinthian declared bankruptcy.

“ACICS’s previous stint as a nationally recognized accreditor provides a stark illustration of the damage done to both students and taxpayers when accreditors fail to fulfill their oversight responsibilities. During these years, ACICS willingly accredited predatory schools that left students across the country mired in debt and without the quality education they were promised,” the comments state.

            In April 2016, AG Healey joined 12 state attorneys general in sendingcomments  to the Department’s National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, opposing the renewal of ACICS and urging the U.S. Department of Education to revoke its status as a recognized accreditor. AG Healey subsequently led a coalition of states that successfully intervened in a lawsuit to defend the Department’s decision to terminate ACICS’s recognition.

Attorneys general from California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington joined the comments with Massachusetts.

Students looking for more information or assistance should visit the AG’s Student Lending Assistance page or call the Student Loan Assistance Unit Hotline at 1-888-830-6277.

State Legislators, Mass Democratic Party File OCPF Complaint Against Mass Fiscal Alliance

State Legislators, Mass Democratic Party File OCPF Complaint Against Mass Fiscal Alliance

Group Accused of Illegally Concealing Donors, Targeting Democrats, and Violating State Election Law

BOSTON – State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) and State Representative Natalie Higgins (D-Leominster) along with the Massachusetts Democratic Party today are filing a formal complaint against the secretive political group Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF), seeking an investigation into violations of state election law.

“It is clear that MassFiscal’s sole purpose is to conceal the identity of individuals and corporations who seek to influence our elections — every aspect of their operation is designed to hide the source of their money,” said Senator Eldridge. “State law permits political groups to communicate with voters, but they are required to disclose their donors. We are seeking the transparency that Massachusetts law is designed to provide, and that our voters deserve.”

The complaint argues that the not-for-profit MassFiscal is actually a Political Committee “which raises money and expends those funds for the purpose of influencing Massachusetts elections,” and thus is required by state election law to disclose its donors. MassFiscal targets only Democratic legislators and “is clearly engaged in a persistent prolonged targeted effort to defeat Democratic House and Senate members,” according to the complaint. Recently, a mailer attacking Representative Higgins was sent to voters in Leominster on a day the voters in that community were voting in a State Senate special election in an effort to sway voters against the Democratic candidate in the race.

The latest MassFiscal mailing, which accused legislators of wanting to make Massachusetts a “sanctuary state,” prominently included a citation from the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as one of the top 50 hate groups in the country. MassFiscal also sent a letter against Senator Eldridge for his support of the Safe Communities Act to all selectmen and city councilors in the Senator’s district. As part of their systematic targeting of Democratic elected officials, MassFiscal asked the selectmen and councilors in each community to pass a resolution against Senator Eldridge and the legislation, echoing MassFiscal’s incorrect description of the bill.

“When a political group is citing an anti-immigrant hate group in an effort to influence our electoral process, it’s time for them to come clean about the source of their money,” said Representative Higgins. “I want our local public safety officials to focus their limited resources on local and state needs, not enforce federal civil immigration law. Their lies about the Safe Communities Act could harm public safety efforts in Massachusetts.”

“In 2016, conservative political donors allied with Governor Baker funneled millions of dollars through several non-profit groups to fund the Governor’s charter school ballot question,” said Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Gus Bickford. “They lost, but the Governor’s dark money machine is back at it again, hiding political spending behind a secretive group that falsely claims to be a nonprofit. OCPF has already found two groups guilty of failing to disclose their political donations. We ask them to investigate MassFiscal and hold them to the same standard.”

MassFiscal has consistently prioritized the concealment of its donors above all. After the passage of a 2016 law that would require the disclosure of the group’s top five donors on certain campaign literature, MassFiscal stopped sending out campaign literature that was subject to the new disclosure requirement, telling the State House News Service that “disclosure of donors could chill the group’s fundraising.”

In response to a previous Massachusetts Democratic Party complaint, OCPF found in August 2016 that MassFiscal had failed to properly disclose a donor who contributed $500 to support “electioneering communications.” In a public resolution letter, OCPF ruled that the Fiscal Alliance “should therefore amend its Electioneering Communication report disclose the identity of the donor.” The Fiscal Alliance refused to do so, saying that “we protect the generous support from our loyal members.”