Series: The Ten O'Clock News
Date: 1989-02-15
Duration: 00:03:24

Subject: School boards; School superintendents
People: Browne, Abigail; Burke, Daniel; Cappucci, Robert; Davis-Mullen, Peggy; Flynn, Raymond; Grady, John; Nucci, John; O'Bryant, John; O'Reilly, Thomas; Vaillancourt, Meg; Wade, Juanita; Walsh-Tomasini, Rita; Wilson, Dr. Laval;

Clip Description
Meg Vaillancourt reports that the Boston School Committee is deeply divided over whether to renew the contract of Laval Wilson (Superintendent, Boston Public Schools). Vaillancourt's report includes footage from a School Committee meeting at which members discuss Wilson's contract renewal. John O'Bryant (Boston School Committee) says that he refuses to watch Wilson be lynched by members of the Committee who do not respect his professionalism. Vaillancourt talks about Wilson's record as superintendent. She notes that some members are opposed to renewing his contract. Vaillancourt speculates on how each member of the Committee will vote and quotes John Nucci (Boston School Committee) as saying that Wilson's prospects look "gloomy." Vaillancourt reports accusations that Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) has been lobbying against Wilson. Vaillancourt's report includes footage of the School Committee meeting and footage of School Committee members conferring with one another about Wilson's contract.

This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item:
Marcus Jones reports on the debate over the terms "black" and "African American"
Black or African American?

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/6327_02