Convenient Symbolism

Remember all those months ago when the Mayor called on city government to support him in sending a letter to the School Committee recommending that they put the indicted Superintendent on administrative leave? And remember when the Board of Aldermen rejected the Mayor's request, stating that they have no control over what the School Committee does and that to support such a recommendation would be, as Alderman Van Campen put it, a "meaningless symbolic gesture"?

Well . . . it would appear that at least one member of the Board has gotten over that notion.

Alderman Jason Marcus has put a resolution on the calendar for tonight's meeting that the "Board of Aldermen support Governor looking into gas gouging laws where prices have gone out of control throughout the Commonwealth." Talk about your meaningless symbolic gesture. Does the Board of Aldermen have any more control over this subject than they had over what the School Committee could do about the Superintendent? Of course the Board supports investigating price gouging throughout the State, and this is a nice way for them to get a little ink during a troubled time. The difference here is -- this is easy. Taking a stand against the Superintendent required backbone, and the members of the Board of Aldermen left theirs at home that night.

It'll be interesting to how many members of the Board stand tonight to support this particular convenient symbolism.