Latest news with #Lowell
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
S.F. journalism teacher sues school district over reassignment following student story
A San Francisco journalism teacher has sued the city's school district, claiming he was illegally reassigned and removed as the student newspaper adviser due to a controversial story published by students and another piece that was proposed but had not run. Lowell High School teacher Eric Gustafson filed the lawsuit Monday, asking the state Superior Court in San Francisco to require the district to reinstate him as the journalism teacher and adviser to the student publication, 'The Lowell.' 'If permitted to stand, Petitioner's reassignment presents student journalists at Lowell and elsewhere in California with an untenable — and unlawful — set of choices: Comply with administrators' requests for greater editorial control over their publications; avoid investigating and writing about controversial topics altogether; or subject their teachers, advisors, and mentors to reassignment and other retaliation,' the lawsuit said. District officials declined to comment specifically on the lawsuit, saying it is not their practice to do so regarding pending litigation regarding employee matters. 'We take students' freedom of expression very seriously,' said spokesperson Laura Dudnick. 'We support our students in exercising their First Amendment rights through journalism programs in SFUSD high schools, including at Lowell High School.' Gustafson, who is the spouse of a Chronicle employee, said he spent the last few months of the school year protesting his reassignment from journalism to English classes, citing state law that prohibits the reassignment, transfer, dismissal or other retaliatory actions for protecting students 'exercising their right to freedom of speech and of the press.' He said he was reassigned a few months after 'The Lowell' published an article that quoted students complaining they had been verbally harassed by teachers. Gustafson, who was not involved in the writing or editing of the story, said his principal notified him in late March that he would no longer teach journalism or be an adviser for the student newspaper next school year, after eight years in these positions. He said the principal, Jan Bautista, told him, with a union representative present, that the decision was based on his handling of the published piece as well as a proposed story about the use of artificial intelligence by teachers. District officials rejected the allegations, telling the Chronicle in April that Lowell, a public school with competitive academic admissions, followed the 'regular process' for assigning staff in this instance and that the decision 'had nothing to do with the content of the student journalism that was produced under the current teacher's leadership.' Paul Kandell of the Journalism Education Association questioned the reassignment, saying in a letter to Superintendent Maria Su and the school board that 'not only is reassigning Mr. Gustafson based on these two concerns the wrong message to send to students and community, but it is also likely illegal.' Following Gustafson's reassignment, current and former students protested the action. 'As alumni, we cannot fathom how it feels to work in Lowell's current student newsroom under attack from the school administration,' according to an April letter sent by alumni to Lowell administrators. 'This is incredibly intimidating to the future of journalism, especially in the national and political landscape we are currently living in.' 'We feel that the removal of Mr. Gustafson as our teacher and adviser brings no benefit to the journalism program and, we believe, signifies a step towards limiting student voices in our publication,' current staff of 'The Lowell' wrote in a May editorial. Also in May, the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution supporting Lowell student journalism and urged the district to 'uphold its commitment to students' right to free speech.' Bautista, in April, did not respond to specific questions about the reassignment, but said in a statement, 'The Lowell administration is committed to providing high-quality instruction that supports our students as we continue the proud tradition of Lowell's journalism program. The Lowell newspaper is a pillar of our school community that celebrates student voices and perspectives.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Actor ‘addicted' to Karen Read trial says he invited her to Mass. concert
John Stamos appears to be a fan of Karen Read. The actor, who is currently on tour with The Beach Boys, said he was 'addicted' to the trial during a concert at Lowell Memorial Auditorium on June 10. 'I'm addicted to the trial,' Stamos said before telling the crowd that he 'invited Karen Read' to the show, according to a TikTok that was reshared by The Young Jurks on Facebook. The audience erupted in cheers and laughter before Stamos shared that this July will mark his 40th year of playing with The Beach Boys. Since 1985, the 'Full House' star has sung and played various instruments with the band, including drums and various other percussion instruments. Stamos honored The Beach Boys' late co-founder Brian Wilson in an emotional tribute on his Instagram on June 11, the day Wilson died. 'Brian Wilson didn't just soundtrack my life … he filled it with color, with wonder, with some of the most unforgettable, emotional, joyful moments I've ever known," Stamos wrote, adding that 'it's hard to put into words what it meant to stand beside him, laugh with him, play his music with him.' 'His music made me feel things I didn't know how to say. It made me want to make people feel the way his music made me feel. So much of my life and career, so much of me, exists because of what Brian created,' the actor wrote. 'Rest easy, Brian. Thank you for the music. Thank you for the moments. I'll carry them with me -forever.' Meanwhile, jurors in the Karen Read trial continued their deliberations Monday morning. The jury began deliberating last Friday. The jury heard from dozens of witnesses over the eight weeks of the trial. Read, 45, is charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident causing injury or death in the death of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe. Prosecutors say Read backed her SUV into O'Keefe, then left him to die in the snow outside the home of a fellow Boston Police officer in Canton on Jan. 29, 2022. Read's defense has insisted there was no collision and others are responsible for O'Keefe's death. Famous drama actor battling ALS says he has lost use of his arm 'Bachelor' winner from Mass. splits from fiancé nearly 3 months after finale Emmy-nominated actor from 'Scarface,' 'Ghostbusters II' dies at 87 Legendary songwriter, co-founder of iconic '60s band dies at 82 Doechii calls out Trump's 'ruthless attacks' to stop Los Angeles protests Read the original article on MassLive.
Times
17-06-2025
- Times
The Lowell hotel review: an Upper East Side pad offering elegance from a bygone era
If you remember the TV series Mad Men — about a fictional advertising firm in New York in the 1960s — it portrayed, among other things, a time of sophisticated charm. And there's a reminiscence of that sentiment at the Lowell, on quiet East 63rd Street. It's intimate, personal and charming. Rooms hark back to a less frenetic age. Step outside and you're only a short walk away from restaurants, stores, museums and galleries. Amenities include a sophisticated guests-only lounge, as well as a bar and restaurant, both of which attract a glamorous local crowd. Service is pleasantly old-school, with guests treated like returning friends. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue Score 9/10The 74 rooms and suites are thoughtfully decorated and channel a chic, timeless quality — fresh-cut flowers on an antique dresser, for example — which is not to say they lack the modern essentials of air conditioning, an oversize TV, minibar and the like. Some have terraces, mini-kitchens and even real log fires that can be lit during the cooler months for which there is a small additional charge. Bathrooms are a decent size, decorated in marble, some with a large tub (with a TV at the end so you don't miss your favourite show while soaking) and a separate shower. Frette robes are changed for the summer and winter seasons. Views differ depending on which side of the building you're on, with some rooms offering great vistas of Manhattan's skyscrapers. Score 8/10Majorelle offers French fine dining and attracts a sophisticated crowd of locals. A two-course prix fixe menu might include grilled octopus with smoked harissa, followed by salmon with peas and mint. Afternoon tea of assorted sweets and savouries — perhaps mini lobster rolls followed by puffed pistachio choux buns — is served here too, in collaboration with Dior Maison (the home furnishing arm of the French fashion house). Jacques Bar next door is equally refined and a nice spot to ease into the weekend — the Vesper martini, for example, is deliciously refreshing after a long day. Breakfast is taken upstairs in the Pembroke Room and features an à la carte choice of dishes such as buttermilk pancakes with mixed berries and three-egg omelettes. • Read our full guide to New York• More great hotels in New York Score 8/10There is a small gym with modern Italian equipment including treadmills and elliptical machines, although as a visitor it would be hard to turn down the opportunity to run in nearby Central Park. The guests-only Club Room has an old-world gentlemen's club vibe and is a lovely spot in which to settle down with a book and a drink, or plan sightseeing excursions. Score 9/10The hotel is on East 63rd Street, which is a block and a half away from Central Park and one block from Park Avenue. A local would describe it as being at the bottom of the Upper East Side neighbourhood, which is a pretty upscale mix of residential and retail. By Manhattan standards it's quiet and reserved, and things such as shops and restaurants are walkable, as are several museums and galleries. The nearest subway station (Lexington Avenue and 63rd St) is two blocks away. Price Room-only doubles from £1,020Restaurant Two-course set menu £107Family-friendly NAccessible Y Will Hide was a guest of the Lowell hotel ( • Best boutique hotels in New York• Best affordable hotels in New York
San Francisco Chronicle
11-06-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Letters: Want to show true patriotism? Challenge Trump's military parade with peaceful protests
On Saturday, while tanks rumble down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., for President Donald Trump's military parade, we must rally against the cruelty and madness of this administration. Perhaps Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young or other great performers can give free concerts, all voices against what is being perpetrated against law-abiding citizens, legal residents and migrants seeking asylum in our country. Come all protesters, music lovers and peaceful people from all backgrounds who are the backbone of this once great country. Let us take back Flag Day from those who have no understanding of what our flag represents and show the world that good, empathetic human beings populate our country. I challenge political leaders and celebrities to organize this quickly around the country to celebrate humanity. There are too many vulnerable people who need to know that we have their backs. Mitchell Goldman, Richmond Kindness amid ugliness Regarding 'How support helped AB Hernandez, trans track and field champ 'with mad attitude,' brave national backlash' (High School, June 9): Thank you for the wonderful story about AB Hernandez; her accomplishments to date, on and off the field, bode well for her aspirations in life. But let's not forget the kindness and affection shown her by her fellow competitors. The decade is only half over, and promises to be eventful, but I already have my photograph of the 2020s — the podium picture of Hernandez and her co-runner-up, arm in arm, glowing in accomplishment and togetherness. In that unforgettable moment, these two young women showed us moral compasses that point true north. Four centuries ago, Shakespeare reminded us that 'when lenity and cruelty play for a kingdom, the gentler gamester is the soonest winner.' Current events are putting that proposition to a stern test, but when I read about the twisted view of humanity at work in Washington and around the nation, I will remember that photo and feel better. Bill Koopman, Palo Alto Lowell High is elitist Regarding 'These graduating Lowell students were called 'lottery kids.' The stigma never went away' (San Francisco, June 6): 'You belong in every room you walk into,' Lowell High Principal Jan Bautista said at the commencement for the school's class admitted through the lottery system. The sad truth is that students like them will no longer 'belong' at the school even though the data shows they were just as able as students accepted through test scores. Yet, the San Francisco school board has no plans to reconsider Lowell's merit-based admissions policy. This is despite data and evidence that show that such admissions and hiring policies are contributors to class and racial inequality. As a San Franciscan committed to fighting the worsening inequality in this city, I'm grateful to the now-ousted school board members for having made lottery admissions at Lowell possible, if only for a couple of years. Given the data from these graduates, as long as Lowell stays elitist in its admissions policy, it will remain not our star in the school system, but our shame. Dave Madden, San Francisco RFK Jr. is bad for health Regarding 'RFK Jr. ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory committee' (Nation & World, June 9): Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is worse than an anti-vaccine activist or vaccine skeptic. He is a vaccine cynic. He does not understand the scientific method in clinical trials. Real scientists, such as the 17 who were ousted Monday by Kennedy from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, are always skeptics. Seeing is believing for them. They want to see data in appropriate clinical trials before they will accept that a proposed treatment is safe and effective. On the other hand, Kennedy is a cynic. He only sees what he already believes, even when repeatedly confronted with properly conducted research that refutes his beliefs. In his position of authority, this obstinacy is a danger to the health of us all and will lead to a rise in vaccine-preventable diseases. Brian Klein, San Francisco
San Francisco Chronicle
10-06-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Letters: Trump's deployment of National Guard to L.A. protests shouldn't be a surprise
Donald Trump's playbook seems entirely predictable. If you want to turn a democracy into a military dictatorship, you only need two steps. First, you take actions that will guarantee a large public outcry and protests, and then bring in the military to restore order. Just like Trump did this weekend in deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles after the protests in response to immigration raids. Conversion completed. And if these protests aren't sufficient to declare martial law, no doubt future actions against immigrants will generate the necessary strife. President Trump will not stop until he has destroyed American democracy, and the world can only watch. Steen Petersen, Nanaimo, British Columbia Alarming arrest threat So, President Donald Trump thinks Gov. Gavin Newsom should be arrested. Exactly what laws did the governor break? I'm old enough to remember Alabama Gov. George Wallace standing in the doorway trying to prevent two Black students from enrolling at the University of Alabama in 1963. As much as President John F. Kennedy probably wanted to have Wallace handcuffed and jailed, he didn't. Trump's comments now suggest he is both judge and jury. This is a slap in the face of the greatest of all democratic principles: The rule of law. Denny Freidenrich, Laguna Beach, Orange County Insufficient CCSF response Regarding ''I do not feel safe': City College of S.F. instructor shaken by union leader's verbal attack' (San Francisco, June 5): I'm shocked about what I believe is an antisemitic attack by union leader Maria Salazar-Colon at a public meeting and upset after reading the City College Board of Trustees' statement in response. The statement shows that the board and the college administration don't take antisemitism as seriously as other forms of hate speech. I would ask readers to consider whether they feel that this response would be acceptable if the speaker had used such hateful language toward other racial or ethnic groups. The board's statement is insultingly vague and short on specific condemnation of antisemitism. This is an 'all lives matter' response to a specific attack on Jewish Americans. I would like the board to issue a new statement that specifically references that a speaker made antisemitic comments, and that it condemns them. When there was anti-Asian hate, we condemned it as anti-Asian, not generalized disrespect or lack of decorum. The board should also commit the institution to include addressing antisemitism as part of any training around equity and diversity. Doug Shoemaker, San Francisco Not Lowell caliber Regarding 'These graduating Lowell students were called 'lottery kids.' The stigma never went away' (San Francisco, June 6): The story says that data shows relatively small academic disparities between students enrolled at Lowell High School by lottery and merit-based admittees. However, every piece of data in the story says the lottery students did worse on average than those who attended based on merit — hardly proof that the lottery kids belonged. Michael Singer, Santa Rosa Stop S.F. warehouse project Regarding 'S.F.'s largest industrial project could get a green light after years of delay' (Real Estate, June 3): The article does not tell the whole story about this planned 2-million-square-foot warehouse and distribution center in the Bayview, a neighborhood that is highly impacted by poor air quality and high levels of cancer, asthma and other lung diseases. Residents are concerned about what will likely be a huge Amazon warehouse (nonunion) and the increase in diesel trucks that worsen the levels of particulate matter, ozone and nitrous oxide, which are already high in the area, increasing the risk for asthma, bronchitis, lung irritations and cancers. The effects are cumulative. The pollution from this project will impact the air quality in nearby neighborhoods and beyond. This is a San Francisco issue, not just a Bayview issue, and it is an environmental justice issue.
