Racial issues came to the forefront Wednesday as Boston mayoral candidates Mass. Rep. Martin Walsh and City Councilor John Connolly went head-to-head in a diversity forum at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury Community College.
Both candidates said they agreed education was a major issue for the city of Boston, and much of Wednesday’s debate centered on closing the achievement gap.
“If you have a 12- or a 13- or a 14-year-old who doesn’t believe that anyone cares about them, who doesn’t believe that their school is taking them anywhere … then that [child] will shut down, turn inward, and become a dropout,” Connolly said. “I’ve been driven every day as a city councilor … [and] as a teacher in those classes to make sure that no child slips through our cracks.”
Walsh said his experiences as a state representative displayed his commitment to education and is dedicated to developing more opportunities for minority students.
“In 2010, I was proud to vote for education reform,” he said. “It took a lot of us in Boston … to take our low-performing schools and turn them around. It proves that we can do it.”
Connolly said as mayor, he would employ a “holistic strategy” to improve education. He plans to provide support to mothers whose children are in the education system, provide social and emotional support services for students and find employment for a greater number of minority students to close the achievement gap and break down racial barriers in Boston’s schools.
“This is about having a deep commitment … to confronting institutional, systemic and structural racism that help drive the achievement gap and perpetuate it,” Connolly said.
Walsh said addressing unemployment and poverty was important and the way to start is to provide pathways for students who may not be focused on going to college after high school.
“It’s not a simple solution,” he said. “We need to make sure that we create opportunities for employment, but before that, we need to make sure we include opportunities for education.”
A poll released by WBUR on Wednesday showed Connolly one percentage point above Walsh, the closest Walsh has come to a lead since the Sept. 24 primary.
Simone Chung, a political science professor at Suffolk University, said gaining votes from minorities might decide the close raceNov. 5 election.
“The minority vote is very important, especially in Boston,” she said. “This has increasingly become a truly multicultural community. [Addressing] the concerns of a minority community will be not only a necessity [for the candidates], but also will be an asset.”
Both candidates said they would diversify City Hall and agreed that there were not enough minorities in positions of political power in Boston.
“I’m committed to making sure at least half my cabinet will be made up of people of color,” Connolly said. “That’s not a quota. That’s the easiest promise I can make. The talent is there.”
Walsh said he would provide law enforcement internships to minorities and eventually integrate racially varied citizens into Boston’s police force to diversify the city’s working world. He also said his transition team would racially reflect the city of Boston and he would work to make the business community more inclusive.
Some residents said they were glad the candidates focused on how they would handle diversity once in power.
Sarah Flint, 64, resident of Roxbury, said her vote was still undecided, but Connolly did a better job at the debate.
“I’m one who goes by what I see versus what I hear,” she said. “As far as dealing with education and violence, John [Connolly showed he has better policies]. He really knows families that have been affected.”
Deborah Cairo-Williams, 55, resident of Roxbury, said Wednesday’s debate was successful in exposing issues that are important to the city and Connolly did better than Walsh overall.
“Connolly was very specific … about how we can make sure [Boston] is integrated,” she said. “Connolly maybe did more research [though] … He was prepared.”
Aheisha Rhone, 45, resident of Mattapan, said she backed Walsh even though she felt Connolly came out on top at the debate.
“Connolly has a way with his words … he’s extremely educated,” she said. “When it comes down to an individual who I feel is more supportive and more human, I would go with Marty Walsh.”
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Very well written – enjoyed it immensely.