Silverman Calls First Technology Committee Meeting

Earlier this month, the Framingham Public Schools terminated access to the district’s public wi-fi.

The decision came while high school students were preparing for mid-term exams, and the wif-fi was shut down all last week during those exams. Teachers, parents, and students were unhappy with the swift decision.

Late Friday afternoon, the public school district said it would work to restore public wi-fi, but also set up a secure system which would allow students and teachers not using district-issued devices to use the wi-fi.Some changes are expected today. Others access may not come until mid-February.

Over the weekend, Framingham School Committee member Eric Silverman, who is chair of the School Committee’s subcommittee on technology, posted his committee’s first meeting of the year, specifically to hear an update on the wi-fi in the school district.

Silverman posted on two private Facebook pages the meeting notification: “The Technology Subcommittee of the School Committee will convene a meeting this Tuesday, January 26, 7:00 pm, in the Desmarais Room at King Elementary School, with the sole purpose of hearing an update from district leaders on the state of wi-fi in the schools.” (See attached photo of the post.) And by law, he filed notification with the Framingham Town Clerk’s office.

According to the district’s website (see attached photo), while other School Committee subcommittees have held meetings since the school year started, the Technology subcommittee has not. (See attached photo from the Framingham Public Schools website.)

Silverman is in the middle of 3-way race to keep his School Committee seat. Former School Committee member Rick Finlay would like to return to the Committee and will be on the March 29 ballot along with incumbents Heather Connolly and Silverman. There are only two 3-year seats available.

Connolly is chair of the School Committee’s subcommittee on building & grounds. In comparison, her subcommittee has held 8 meetings since October.

The School Committee’s policy subcommittee has met six times since August 2015. And, the School Committee’s communications subcommittee and its finance subcommittee both have had two meetings this school year.