WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.760 --> 00:00:07.639 It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WVZ Boston's news video. 2 00:00:09.960 --> 00:00:14.880 This morning, the President of the Massachusetts State Senate, Karen Spoker, 3 00:00:14.919 --> 00:00:18.519 spoke at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and joining 4 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:22.480 us now is Alison Kuznitz. I hope I pronounced that correctly. 5 00:00:22.519 --> 00:00:23.800 Allison was, I fairly close. 6 00:00:24.519 --> 00:00:25.000 You got it. 7 00:00:25.079 --> 00:00:25.679 Thanks so much. 8 00:00:26.440 --> 00:00:28.320 I love it when I can nail those, you know, 9 00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:34.399 Smith Brownsnitz, It's perfect. Alison writes for the State House 10 00:00:34.520 --> 00:00:39.119 News Service, which is the best coverage in my opinion, 11 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:42.359 of the State House because they are up there dedicated 12 00:00:42.359 --> 00:00:44.799 to the State House. Back in the old days, one 13 00:00:44.840 --> 00:00:48.200 of the TV stations and some of the newspapers had 14 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:51.320 State House reporters are signed up there that there's not 15 00:00:51.439 --> 00:00:54.520 so much anymore, but the State House News Services there, 16 00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:56.600 and Allison is one of the bulwarks of the State 17 00:00:56.640 --> 00:00:59.960 House News Service. You were you at the Greater Boston 18 00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:03.159 ABRA Commerce speech this morning or were you reporting based 19 00:01:03.240 --> 00:01:07.040 upon the text that the Senate president delivered. 20 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:09.840 Yes, I was in the seaport today. So she was 21 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:13.760 at the West in Boston Sport Hotel giving her address. 22 00:01:13.879 --> 00:01:16.079 Okay, so let's talk about the speech that I want 23 00:01:16.120 --> 00:01:18.640 to know, since you were there, if there was any 24 00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:24.079 follow up afterwards. This to me seems like a no brainer. Basically, 25 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:28.640 the headline in the Globe story is as Mass Senate 26 00:01:28.680 --> 00:01:31.040 will explore ban on cell phones in public schools. Top 27 00:01:31.079 --> 00:01:36.599 Democrats says, your headline is Spilka interested in removing cell 28 00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:39.959 phones from classrooms? Allison, This is like to me a 29 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:43.040 no brainer. Why would they? And this has been kicked 30 00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:45.879 around for a long time. What's taking them so long? 31 00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:49.319 And do you think that something like this by Spilka 32 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:52.799 actually might light the fire that will get some action 33 00:01:52.920 --> 00:01:53.200 on this. 34 00:01:54.040 --> 00:01:57.280 I mean, it certainly is extremely notable that then of President, 35 00:01:57.400 --> 00:02:00.920 the top Democrat and the brand is expressed this. It 36 00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:04.760 was really one interesting colonel out of a bigger dispute 37 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:07.560 or a bigger point of interest. Within her speech talking 38 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:11.240 about MBTA funding, but to sid a President, she mentioned 39 00:02:11.240 --> 00:02:13.960 that her son, who is a public high school teacher, 40 00:02:14.039 --> 00:02:17.280 is constantly telling his students to put their phones down. 41 00:02:17.400 --> 00:02:20.719 So she had mentioned that she wants the Senate to 42 00:02:20.759 --> 00:02:24.840 start exploring the issue. Senator Julian Sear has a bill 43 00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:28.120 and it's endorsed. It's part of the Attorney Attorney General Andrews. 44 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:33.680 Campbell legislative agenda the session actually to introduce a banner. 45 00:02:33.719 --> 00:02:37.199 It's called a bell to bell band. So basically, some 46 00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:40.439 lawmakers the attorney general are behind this idea that they 47 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:43.599 want to curtail the use of cell phones during the day. 48 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:48.000 And the legislation also tries to add some restrictions around 49 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:52.039 how social media companies, how they can implement some features 50 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:53.360 as well to restrict use. 51 00:02:53.879 --> 00:02:57.520 But it would seem to me, and I'm just a 52 00:02:57.560 --> 00:03:00.719 talk show host on a former reporter, but it would 53 00:03:00.759 --> 00:03:06.080 seem to me that the big corporations that are running 54 00:03:06.199 --> 00:03:09.800 these websites and all of that, they have an interest 55 00:03:10.120 --> 00:03:14.159 in kids using cell phones, et cetera. But it's up 56 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:17.879 to the school administrators and it's up to the political 57 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:21.719 leaders to act. Cell phones have been around a long time, 58 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:28.000 you know, and there's no suggestion that the availability and 59 00:03:28.199 --> 00:03:33.000 access to cell phones are helping Massachusetts kids score better 60 00:03:33.439 --> 00:03:36.039 on all of these you know, comprehensive tests that they 61 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:38.919 have to take in the third, the fifth, the eighth, 62 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:41.400 and I think the tenth grade. As a matter of fact, 63 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:44.919 all the scores I see every year, it's always blamed 64 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:49.080 on COVID. By the way, that Massachusetts students the scores 65 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:51.759 are dropping. I would think that they would be that 66 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:54.280 the political leadership would be ashamed of themselves that they 67 00:03:54.319 --> 00:03:59.319 haven't done something, you know, like yesterday or like three 68 00:03:59.400 --> 00:04:03.199 years ago. Is what is the impetus? It looks to 69 00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:06.560 me like the union's not fighting. This looks to me 70 00:04:06.840 --> 00:04:11.560 like everybody's on the same page. What's the hold up? 71 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:12.800 Sure? 72 00:04:12.840 --> 00:04:15.520 I mean again, we saw the Centate president today talking 73 00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:18.920 about the distractions that come into classroom, of course, worrying 74 00:04:18.920 --> 00:04:22.519 about cheating in the classroom, worrying about cyber bullying. She 75 00:04:22.680 --> 00:04:25.360 made the case that this type of ban is as 76 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:28.959 commensurate as you know, protecting students mental health and providing 77 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:32.439 mental health resources, providing free school meals that she's braided 78 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:35.079 this as another piece to the puzzle to really improve 79 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:38.560 the academic experience. It's still pretty early in the session 80 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:41.639 by standards of the committees holding hearings, and this bill 81 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:44.480 has not held the hearing yet, but it'll be very interesting. 82 00:04:44.519 --> 00:04:47.519 The bill is before the Education Committee, so it'll be 83 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:50.720 interesting to see what lawmakers, the age, kind of what 84 00:04:50.759 --> 00:04:53.920 that feedback is as a discussion kind of really coalesces 85 00:04:53.959 --> 00:04:56.879 around this issue with the Senate President taking the time 86 00:04:56.920 --> 00:04:59.959 to mention it today before hundreds of business and civic leaders. 87 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:02.959 So two final questions. Let me drill down a little bit. 88 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:06.639 Who's opposed to this? Because this is something that really 89 00:05:06.680 --> 00:05:10.439 should go into effect like two years ago or five 90 00:05:10.519 --> 00:05:15.000 years ago. A lot of kids, you know, high school 91 00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:20.240 ends when they turn eighteen. That's it is there is 92 00:05:20.279 --> 00:05:23.639 there any force that we have that you have identified, 93 00:05:23.720 --> 00:05:26.800 or that anyone has identified that says, well, you know, 94 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:30.879 the cell phone manufacturers are against it. I mean that 95 00:05:30.920 --> 00:05:35.600 shouldn't that shouldn't be a problem, or Meta or Mark Zuckelberg, 96 00:05:35.959 --> 00:05:38.639 who's against it. I can't see any group that's going 97 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:40.240 to stick their head up out of the foxhole and 98 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:42.720 say no, I want my kids and I want all 99 00:05:42.759 --> 00:05:45.240 these kids to have cell phones in the classrooms. 100 00:05:45.959 --> 00:05:48.319 Sure, I mean, I think there's definitely been an approach. 101 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:50.600 I was speaking with senators here today who is one 102 00:05:50.680 --> 00:05:53.720 of the built sponsors, and he mentioned that schools and 103 00:05:53.879 --> 00:05:57.319 his district districts across the Commonwealth habit. But it truly 104 00:05:57.399 --> 00:05:59.920 has been a decision so far up to the local school. 105 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:03.000 So it's really a matter of if Beacon Hill is 106 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:05.800 going to step in instead of state wide policy as 107 00:06:05.839 --> 00:06:09.959 opposed to allowing individual school districts to apply as While 108 00:06:09.959 --> 00:06:12.759 I apologize for the cirrus going by right now, but 109 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:14.199 I think there is all that. 110 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:16.759 That is that is not that are those sirens. Are 111 00:06:16.800 --> 00:06:19.879 not members of the legislature rushing to Beacon Hill to 112 00:06:19.959 --> 00:06:27.240 pass this piece of this piece of logical No, But again, 113 00:06:27.560 --> 00:06:30.000 I just not. I just want to make sure is 114 00:06:30.040 --> 00:06:33.879 there any like trade group or industry up there that's 115 00:06:33.959 --> 00:06:38.120 lobbying behind the scenes, and that I'm serious when I 116 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:40.079 say this. This is something that they should have said 117 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:43.639 when the kids first started to bring cell phones into school. Hey, 118 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:46.480 hold on, this is a school, this is not this 119 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:49.240 is not playtime. Put the cell phones away, and if 120 00:06:49.279 --> 00:06:51.120 you can't put them away, leave them in your lockers. 121 00:06:51.160 --> 00:06:53.000 It just seems to me that there must be some 122 00:06:53.879 --> 00:06:59.199 group or some strong opposition to this that that I'm 123 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:01.680 unaware of. And I didn't know if you might have said, well, 124 00:07:02.120 --> 00:07:03.800 there is this group, no group. 125 00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:07.720 As far as you know, I haven't dealt too much 126 00:07:07.879 --> 00:07:11.160 into the issue. As far as hearing from the opposition today, 127 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:14.360 I certainly did not hear any pushback apt the chamber 128 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:18.519 of itself. But just looking at the response to social 129 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:21.519 media companies. A lot of the other portion of the 130 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:24.759 bill deals with, you know, severely finding some of these 131 00:07:24.759 --> 00:07:27.720 social media companies if they do not get on board 132 00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:30.800 with age verification, if they do not get on board 133 00:07:30.839 --> 00:07:33.639 with restricting uses as such as like saying you're not 134 00:07:33.720 --> 00:07:36.720 allowed to have AutoPlay during the school day, you're not 135 00:07:36.759 --> 00:07:38.920 allowed to have notifications during the school day. I think 136 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:42.199 it would really be very difficult to achieve certain parts 137 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:44.399 of the bill, So that would be a major hurdle. 138 00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:46.160 I mean, we've seen in the past that like the 139 00:07:46.199 --> 00:07:49.560 Senate has tried or the legislature has tried to engage 140 00:07:49.560 --> 00:07:52.959 in the discussion about banning TikTok, and those conversations have 141 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:55.600 somewhat fizzled out. So it'd be interesting to see if 142 00:07:55.639 --> 00:07:58.360 maybe part of the bill moves forward, but maybe not 143 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:03.040 so much. The restrictions social media as well included within 144 00:08:03.079 --> 00:08:05.560 the bill as well dealing with cell phone usage. 145 00:08:05.720 --> 00:08:09.560 Well, it seems to me I see and in the 146 00:08:09.560 --> 00:08:13.040 golalpiece that they say that opposition to the bands Head 147 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:16.199 to the Bands has emerged at other schools such as 148 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:19.839 Lowell High School in New Bedford. I can't understand why 149 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:22.439 kids who are in high school are opposed to this, 150 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:24.600 but I kind of imagine why any parent has opposed 151 00:08:24.600 --> 00:08:28.399 to her, or by any rational taxpayer whose money is 152 00:08:28.439 --> 00:08:31.560 being poured into the school system. Did she take any 153 00:08:31.639 --> 00:08:35.000 did the Senate President take any questions on this when 154 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:37.440 she finished, or was it make a speech and leave. 155 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:43.080 She mostly was being asked questions about the NBTA funding 156 00:08:43.159 --> 00:08:45.840 that the Senate is tomorrow will be voting on a 157 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:50.320 supplemental budget, including which is mostly built off or tax 158 00:08:50.440 --> 00:08:52.679 money known as the fair Share of millionaire tax. So 159 00:08:52.840 --> 00:08:55.879 that was really the primary piece of it. But you know, 160 00:08:55.919 --> 00:08:59.960 the Senate President did mention the voter the ballot question 161 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:02.559 and dealing with eliminating the m past. That's something that 162 00:09:02.600 --> 00:09:06.720 she and the business community were very much against eliminating 163 00:09:06.759 --> 00:09:09.159 that standard. So it seems that she had an audience 164 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:12.000 today that is really recepted to the idea of doing 165 00:09:12.039 --> 00:09:14.360 what they can to make sure that students are really 166 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:17.519 getting the education and the rigorous training they need in 167 00:09:17.559 --> 00:09:21.519 the classroom and kind of removing that distraction. 168 00:09:21.080 --> 00:09:23.279 Of self with that millionaire's text, we can build a 169 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:26.559 few more parking garages in Queensy, in the speaker's hometown, 170 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:28.480 but we'll leave that for another day. I don't want to. 171 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:30.919 Put you in Yes, that's an earmark for the Senate 172 00:09:30.960 --> 00:09:31.440 as well. 173 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:35.879 Oh yeah, yeah, Well I suspect one hand washes the other. 174 00:09:35.960 --> 00:09:38.039 There's no doubt about that. Thank you very much, Alis 175 00:09:38.120 --> 00:09:41.360 appreciate your time. Tonight. We'll have you back. This was 176 00:09:41.399 --> 00:09:43.399 your first appearance with us, and we'll have you back. 177 00:09:43.399 --> 00:09:46.159 Thanks so much, Thank you so much, really appreciate it. 178 00:09:46.279 --> 00:09:49.039 You're welcome. I appreciate you working late for us. All right, 179 00:09:49.080 --> 00:09:51.799 so we're going now take very quick break, get to 180 00:09:51.840 --> 00:09:56.879 phone calls. Is there anyone in my entire audience who 181 00:09:56.919 --> 00:10:01.559 thinks this is a bad idea. If there is no 182 00:10:01.639 --> 00:10:05.440 one in the audience who thinks banning cell phones in 183 00:10:05.559 --> 00:10:11.399 classrooms during school hours, during instructions is a bad idea, 184 00:10:11.799 --> 00:10:16.600 my next question is why are our legislators so hasen 185 00:10:16.759 --> 00:10:19.759 to act on something like this doesn't make a lot 186 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:23.480 of sense to me, but we're going to highlight it 187 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:26.600 and give you a chance to talk about it. Look, 188 00:10:26.840 --> 00:10:30.919 the kids in Massachusetts are badly served in public schools. 189 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:35.080 It's as simple as that. The scores are going down, down, down. 190 00:10:35.480 --> 00:10:38.080 That does not arg well for them going forwards. It 191 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:41.879 doesn't arg well for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts going forwards. 192 00:10:42.120 --> 00:10:45.159 And this would be one simple reform that I think 193 00:10:45.320 --> 00:10:48.600 everyone everyone would agree upon. Get you want to bring 194 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:50.440 a cell phone to school, Fine, you put it in 195 00:10:50.519 --> 00:10:53.440 your locker and you don't touch it until the end 196 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:55.960 of the school day, when the day is over, and 197 00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:58.759 when football pra if you're an athlete, then you go 198 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:02.480 to the cell phone. By the way, this excuse of well, 199 00:11:02.600 --> 00:11:05.840 I you know, my parents might want to be in 200 00:11:05.879 --> 00:11:07.799 touch with me. No, your parents shouldn't be in touch 201 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:09.919 with you in school. And if you have to get 202 00:11:09.960 --> 00:11:11.960 in touch with your parents, if you don't feel well 203 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:13.840 and you want to go home, you go to the 204 00:11:13.879 --> 00:11:16.679 school nurse, and the nurse calls your mom or your dad, 205 00:11:16.759 --> 00:11:18.559 and you get your ride home, and you take your 206 00:11:18.600 --> 00:11:21.919 cell phone with you. I think it's so simple. I'm 207 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:25.639 stunned that we're still talking about this and the fact 208 00:11:25.639 --> 00:11:30.720 that it hasn't been put into effect, like five years ago. 209 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:34.559 The number six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty 210 00:11:34.639 --> 00:11:37.879 six one seven, nine, three, one ten thirty. I think 211 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:40.519 this happens to be a really important question. And some 212 00:11:40.600 --> 00:11:42.320 of you might say, Hey, I don't have kids in 213 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:44.720 high school I don't have grandkids in high school. But 214 00:11:44.840 --> 00:11:49.000 doesn't affect me. It affects everyone everyone when kids are 215 00:11:49.080 --> 00:11:52.000 being going through public schools. We pay for the schools 216 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:55.720 and they're not getting their education. Uh, they'll pay for 217 00:11:55.759 --> 00:11:58.519 it later. We'll be back on Night's Side in just 218 00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:00.360 a couple of minutes. 219 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:05.879 It's Nice Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio. 220 00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:09.559 So we're talking about banning, finally banning cell phones in 221 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:12.879 schools in Massachusetts. My opinion, this should have happened probably 222 00:12:12.919 --> 00:12:16.399 like ten years ago, but they're still available. I guess 223 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:19.039 each district can kind of do their own little thing, 224 00:12:19.080 --> 00:12:24.639 which is fine. However, I think it's time for the 225 00:12:24.759 --> 00:12:28.159 cell phones to be banned in schools during the school day, 226 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:31.840 simple as that. And why we're dealing with it at 227 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:33.639 this point, I don't know. Let's go to Robert and Tewks, 228 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:36.480 but you see what Robert thinks. Robert, Welcome to Night'side. 229 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:38.320 Going to start us off this arga right ahead. 230 00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:42.840 Robert, and I'm nice to hear your voice. Byes. I 231 00:12:42.840 --> 00:12:45.320 have a lot of my plate to say. I'm sorry, 232 00:12:45.320 --> 00:12:48.240 I apologize I miss your guests, Allison from the Statehouse, 233 00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:50.919 because I bettered the stay house so many times. I 234 00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:54.480 really think they should prohibit cell phones and classrooms because 235 00:12:54.840 --> 00:12:57.320 children and kids have be able to get a quality 236 00:12:57.440 --> 00:13:01.080 education answered distraction. I whether they're gonna bring a cell 237 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:03.440 phone into school and locker in a locker all day. 238 00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:06.600 I just think they should prohibit them because I come 239 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:09.600 from the old school. I have a physical and mental disability. 240 00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:14.000 I miss payphones, and I don't like cell phones or computers. 241 00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:20.039 No, I totally get it. I totally get what you're saying, 242 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:24.000 but it just seems to me, Uh, I think it's 243 00:13:24.039 --> 00:13:25.639 a no brainer. I think that. 244 00:13:25.960 --> 00:13:28.759 I think it's like being a no brainer being brain dead. 245 00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:32.159 But because they're just a nuisance and all the things 246 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:35.120 that have happened in schools across the country, between the 247 00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:37.759 violence and stuff and the bullion, I think that's a 248 00:13:37.799 --> 00:13:40.399 lot to do with cell phones. People are having kids 249 00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:42.480 having ygues with their classrooms, are in the hallway and 250 00:13:42.519 --> 00:13:46.279 their lockers, having just disagreements of the cell phones. I 251 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:51.440 think they should really prohibit it. In Massachusetts Clubwealth of Massachusetts. 252 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:55.000 Yeah, they also give they give this gives kids a 253 00:13:55.159 --> 00:14:00.480 chance if they want to communicate to in the day, 254 00:14:00.519 --> 00:14:04.440 So if something's going to go down after school. If 255 00:14:04.440 --> 00:14:07.919 something is going to go down after school, Uh, it's 256 00:14:08.039 --> 00:14:10.120 going to be a problem. By the way, I'll let 257 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:12.759 you know. The New York Nicko Parkers have just beaten 258 00:14:12.759 --> 00:14:17.480 the Boston Celtics ninety one tonight. Boy, I'm nothing lead 259 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:20.039 and they go back to New York for the next 260 00:14:20.039 --> 00:14:23.879 couple of games. Oh Jesus, I hate to be the 261 00:14:23.879 --> 00:14:28.200 bearer of bad news. But the Celtics are up pretty 262 00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:32.679 comfortably during most of the game, and they Tatum went 263 00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:36.320 in for his final shot and the Knicks played really 264 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:38.879 tough defense. They didn't follow him, they blocked the shot, 265 00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:42.600 and that's the game. So but let just get back 266 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:45.360 your cell phones quickly. Please go ahead, sup. 267 00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:48.679 Yeah, it's about the stayhouse. There's a woman up there 268 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:50.600 that works for the govern's cats. I don't want to 269 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:53.639 say her name over there, but she appoints the judges. 270 00:14:53.960 --> 00:14:56.399 And I wrote Charlie Bakroll letter when he before he 271 00:14:56.480 --> 00:14:59.000 left office. I learned am a really nice letter, really 272 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:03.000 intelligent intellect I learned about that, and he didn't respond. 273 00:15:03.399 --> 00:15:06.480 I had filed so may complained for governmar Healey's office 274 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:09.200 and never got a letter respond But by. 275 00:15:09.080 --> 00:15:12.159 The way, just just Robert Robert, let me just help 276 00:15:12.200 --> 00:15:15.919 you out. Just to understand this. The governor in Massachusetts 277 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:22.200 nominates the judges, nominates people to the bench, and then 278 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:26.879 it's with the advice and Council of the Governor's Council. 279 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:33.200 And in most instances when someone is nominated, in most 280 00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:37.840 cases the road took confirmations pretty easy. There are some 281 00:15:37.960 --> 00:15:41.639 cases when a governor makes a mistake. The fact that 282 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:47.240 Charlie Baker didn't respond to you, it doesn't surprise me 283 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:50.679 because he had a very good first four years as 284 00:15:50.759 --> 00:15:54.519 governor and then and in his second four years he 285 00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:58.240 ended up with kind of the b team, and I 286 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:00.320 think he lost focus at the. 287 00:16:00.279 --> 00:16:03.960 Job of it. Do you think that Mary's showing her 288 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:07.039 on some job, but what do you think about her accountability? 289 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:09.639 Herry Swatsavilia's governor. Do you think he's doing a good job. 290 00:16:10.679 --> 00:16:12.840 I have a lot of questions about what she's doing. 291 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:16.120 I thought that she's a very nice person. Yeah, I 292 00:16:16.279 --> 00:16:22.279 like personally, but her staff is also I think that 293 00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:28.159 in my opinion, In my opinion, there's I'll say I'll 294 00:16:28.200 --> 00:16:31.080 save my comments for for at some point later. She's 295 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:34.120 a really nice person, but I don't think she's being 296 00:16:34.159 --> 00:16:35.440 well served by her staff. 297 00:16:35.639 --> 00:16:38.279 In my opinion, I do, and I think we need 298 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:41.679 a new governor to really crack down on cell phones, 299 00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:43.120 people behind the wheels. 300 00:16:43.600 --> 00:16:45.600 I mean, I think that this is an example where 301 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:48.240 where is Governor Healey's voice on this? Where is her 302 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:51.519 leadership on this? She's the governor of the Comwalth of Massachusetts. 303 00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:54.639 They always they just you know, raised a lot of 304 00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:56.960 money with the millionaire's tax, and all of a sudden, 305 00:16:56.960 --> 00:16:59.559 twenty five million dollars of that is not going to 306 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:03.679 educate or transportation. It's going to a parking garage in Quincy. 307 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:06.240 They might need a parking garage in Quincy, but but 308 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:10.160 you know, find the money in the budget, not in 309 00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:12.240 an area of money that was supposed to go for 310 00:17:12.519 --> 00:17:16.559 education and transportation. Transportation to me is roads, not a 311 00:17:16.599 --> 00:17:18.519 parking garage. As a matter of fact of parking garage 312 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:22.400 is opposite transportation. Because you know, but again it's Marie, 313 00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:27.000 it's the speaker's district. There's too much Buddy Buddy started there, 314 00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:29.119 it's never gone away at the State House. 315 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:32.400 One last thing, because I know you have other calls. Yeah, 316 00:17:32.519 --> 00:17:37.880 she hasn't qualified and spend enough money and recognition. I 317 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:40.400 met the house. The people in this this hot common 318 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:43.920 well are homeless, and the housing that there's a section 319 00:17:44.039 --> 00:17:45.920 a housing authority. 320 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:48.359 Well, I will tell you I think. 321 00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:51.039 The housing and he met the house and Mary, I 322 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:53.559 don't want to think to help the master Hill the homeless. 323 00:17:53.960 --> 00:17:57.160 I'll say this, I think we have a responsibility to 324 00:17:57.200 --> 00:18:01.480 people from Massachusetts first, and I think we got ourselves 325 00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:05.920 in a real bind financially where they decided to open 326 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:08.440 up the come Wealth of Massachusets anybody who wanted to 327 00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:09.960 come here and be given shellfon. 328 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:12.200 I think we need to read phones back then. 329 00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:15.559 Yeah, okay, gotta go, gotta go. Thanks very much, Roll, 330 00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:19.079 appreciate you call. Thanks going by, Thank you. We'll take 331 00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:21.079 a break up one line at six one seven, two, five, 332 00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:23.519 four to ten thirty and one line at six one seven, 333 00:18:24.200 --> 00:18:28.119 nine three one ten thirty. We're talking about what to 334 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:31.279 me is an absolute no brainer, and that is cell 335 00:18:31.359 --> 00:18:36.880 phones are in public schools in the possession of the 336 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:43.119 students during class time. That should not happen, in my opinion, 337 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:46.839 under any circumstances. So uh, I'd love to hear from you. 338 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:50.000 It is a no brainer in my opinion. If there's 339 00:18:50.039 --> 00:18:53.200 anyone out there who thinks kids should have cell phones 340 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:56.440 in their possession, in their bag, in their desk, in 341 00:18:56.480 --> 00:19:03.160 their pocket. Crazy. Crazy. If we were killing here in 342 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:06.240 Massachusetts and our kids were number one across the country, 343 00:19:06.279 --> 00:19:09.200 I'd say, Okay, it really hasn't had an adverse impact. 344 00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:12.519 Get them out of the classroom. They can bring them 345 00:19:12.519 --> 00:19:15.119 to school, put them in a locker, walk them up 346 00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:18.000 for the entire day, don't have them during lunch. And 347 00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:21.880 if you I would be very strict on that, We'll 348 00:19:21.880 --> 00:19:23.799 be back on Nightside. I'd love to hear your point 349 00:19:23.799 --> 00:19:28.599 of view, coming back on Nightside. 350 00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:32.880 Night Side with Dan Ray. 351 00:19:29.880 --> 00:19:35.160 On News Radio. So continue to talk about cell phones 352 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:39.519 in schools in Massachusetts. We're talking public schools. I am 353 00:19:39.559 --> 00:19:46.359 certain that in some of the prestigious private schools in Massachusetts, 354 00:19:46.359 --> 00:19:49.640 private high schools, the kids are not sitting in class 355 00:19:49.640 --> 00:19:53.839 with cell phones because their parents are paying private school 356 00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:57.400 tuition on top of their own taxes for public school education. 357 00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:02.079 And everyone is paying for public school education. And I 358 00:20:02.119 --> 00:20:05.680 don't want those kids to be short changed, and they 359 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:08.880 are always going to be short changed. Look, all of us, 360 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:14.720 the cell phone is like an attention magnet. I during 361 00:20:14.759 --> 00:20:16.599 the day, I have to put my cell phone away. 362 00:20:16.599 --> 00:20:18.799 When I'm trying to work and get do show prep, 363 00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:21.559 I'll see something, It'll be a distraction. I kind of 364 00:20:21.559 --> 00:20:24.079 imagine if I was a fourteen or a fifteen year 365 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:27.079 old in high school, how I wouldn't be distracted by 366 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:30.119 cell phone? Why can our political leaders not show the 367 00:20:30.200 --> 00:20:33.400 backbone to have this taken care of this problem five 368 00:20:33.480 --> 00:20:37.279 years ago? Hats off to sending President Spilker for raising 369 00:20:37.319 --> 00:20:39.799 the issue. Let's go to Rachel and Quincy. Hi, Rachel, 370 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:41.039 welcome you next on Nightside. 371 00:20:42.359 --> 00:20:44.519 Hey Pan, how are you? I hope you're well. 372 00:20:44.920 --> 00:20:46.599 I'm doing just great. What do you think? What do 373 00:20:46.599 --> 00:20:49.599 you think about this idea of why should any kid 374 00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:52.880 have a cell phone on as his or her person 375 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:55.839 while in class at school? It just shouldn't happen. 376 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:04.240 I one hundred percent agree with you because it's a distraction. 377 00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:09.039 Number one, And if you see these children, I mean 378 00:21:09.279 --> 00:21:12.920 I walked by a Duncan Donuts to get a coffee 379 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:16.359 and there was a group of This was like two 380 00:21:16.440 --> 00:21:20.039 days ago. There's a group of maybe four or five kids. 381 00:21:20.119 --> 00:21:24.720 Every single one of them were like on their phones 382 00:21:24.920 --> 00:21:27.240 doing blah blah blah. I don't even know what they 383 00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:27.680 were doing. 384 00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:31.079 And I'm like, I know when I was younger. 385 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:34.359 Right, listen, it was okay, if I need to call 386 00:21:34.440 --> 00:21:37.519 my mom, if I was sick, I'd go to the nurse, 387 00:21:38.359 --> 00:21:41.200 or if I had to contact somebody, I would go 388 00:21:41.960 --> 00:21:47.160 to the you know, the payphone. 389 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:52.599 And it's not even that well payphones have payphones have 390 00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:56.240 gone the way of the model. T okay. So look, 391 00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:58.279 I don't mind if they have cell phones and they 392 00:21:58.400 --> 00:22:01.200 keep them in their locker. But you're right, if you're 393 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:03.559 not feeling well, you ask the teacher. Can I go 394 00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:05.680 to the nurse and you go to the nurse's office. 395 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:08.759 Every school has a nurse's office. And if the nurse says, gee, 396 00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:10.720 you know, you look like you got a temperature or 397 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:14.119 I just took your temperature, okay, fine, they call your mom, 398 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:16.240 they call your dad, they call a neighbor or whomever 399 00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:18.720 you're contact person, and you get out of there. I 400 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:21.160 get it. I get it. But just to be able 401 00:22:21.160 --> 00:22:23.200