Series: The Ten O'Clock News
Date: 1987-08-03
Duration: 00:03:26

Subject: School boards; School management and organization; School superintendents
People: Bolling, Bruce; Flynn, Raymond; Ianella, Christopher; Kelly, James; Nucci, John; O'Neil, Albert "Dapper"; Tierney, Joseph; Vaillancourt, Meg; Wall, Bruce; Wilson, Dr. Laval; Yancey, Charles;

Clip Description
Meg Vaillancourt reports that the Boston City Council has delayed voting on the school reform package proposed by Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston). Vaillancourt notes that the school reform package includes a home rule petition that transfers decision-making power from the Boston School Committee to the superintendent of schools. Vaillancourt reports that some councillors including Dapper O'Neil are opposed to the plan. Vaillancourt's report includes footage of O'Neil criticizing the plan because it gives too much power to the superintendent. Vaillancourt reports that critics accuse the Boston City Council of delaying their vote on the proposal in order to garner media attention. Vaillancourt notes that school reform is an important issue for voters. Vaillancourt's report includes footage from an interview with John Nucci (Boston School Committee) and shots of a newspaper article criticizing the City Council. Vaillancourt interviews Christopher Ianella (Boston City Council). Ianella says that the councilors are practicing "the art of politics" and that they will eventually vote in favor of the proposal. Vaillancourt's report includes footage of a Boston City Council meeting. Reverend Bruce Wall (Twelfth Baptist Church) delivers an invocation before the meeting. City Councilors James Kelly and Joseph Tierney address the meeting.

This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item:
Callie Crossley reports on a proposal to allow for AIDS testing by insurance companies
Insurance for minority AIDS patients

Series Description
A local program aimed at the Boston audience, The Ten O'Clock News debuted on January 15, 1976. Its two immediate predecessors were The Reporters and Evening Compass. A news and public affairs show focusing on neighborhood, local and state issues, The Reporters was produced and broadcast on WGBH from 1970 to 1973. The Reporters was then replaced by Evening Compass, which expanded into a twice-nightly news broadcast during the tense moments of Boston's busing crisis. On the air from 1973 to 1975, Evening Compass found an audience through its in-depth coverage of school desegregation in Boston, which began in 1974. The Ten O'Clock News stood out as an in-depth news program. It strove for a balance between local and national stories, between politics and the Arts. The last The Ten O'Clock News program was broadcast on May 30, 1991.

See also: http://main.wgbh.org/ton/programs/5204_02