Janey makes grade on cutting bus driver deal
At the start of Wednesday night’s mayoral debate, Acting Mayor Kim Janey’s opponents were clearly out for blood. In serious contention: the lack of bus drivers as the school year begins. With parents panicking and stakeholders in an uproar, a composed Janey shortcircuited the gloom and doom right off the bat.
“When it comes to the bus drivers, I’m really encouraged that our bus drivers and (the bus company), and the school department have reached an agreement,” she said. The dearth of drivers only added another layer to the pile of woes facing Boston Public Schools during the pandemic — combined with the need for COVID testing, social distancing, vaccinations, hybrid and remote learning and masking.
When you’re acting mayor, every issue is a target for opponents. And so it was with the school bus drivers. Her opponents still pummeled her with questions — why was the deal so last minute, what’s the longterm plan. But no punches landed. Janey had already laid the foundation to return our kids to safe inschool learning by mandating all teachers and students wear masks. And assuring parents, teachers and children that her investment in upgrading HVAC systems in Boston Public Schools is an added step to provide a safe environment going forward.
Boston isn’t the only city dealing with a shortage of school bus drivers or workers in general. Cities and states across the country are all in the same boat. That Boston had a solid backup plan in which drivers could be shifted into place and that there was a cash incentive in case a deal couldn’t be reached says a lot about our acting mayor, who was determined to get children back in the classrooms on time.
That’s why Thursday’s rollout was seamless. Was it perfect? No. But the acting mayor warned there would be hiccups along the way. There always are. Long term we must fix that. But the last five months have called for yeoman’s work in the middle of an unrelenting pandemic and there is no question that Janey has performed on every front. She laid out her skills to confront crises Wednesday
night and came across as a cautious, considerate negotiator. There are those who would say an acting mayor is in an enviable position, as they automatically draw so much publicity. But they also draw fire, deserved or not, as rival candidates circle and pundits criticize.
Janey also received the coveted endorsement of former competitor Dr. Jon Santiago in appreciation of her work: Janey is “leading Boston through the pandemic. She is delivering results to combat the housing crisis and doing so with empathy and resolve. And
she is committed to a Boston that is both equitable and just. I look forward to working with her to realize that vision for the next four years.”
In recent polls Bostonians give her high marks for her work keeping the city safe.
We can always talk about
what we can and plan to do. But as the saying goes: The proof will always be in the pudding. Thursday our kids got back to school.