Tito Jackson

Councilor: BPS could build a brand-new school with all the money it wants to spend to move several schools around

adamg — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:19:06 +0000

Jackson: Not happyA skeptical group of city councilors urged school officials today to reconsider a school-moving plan that would send a Mission Hill elementary school to Jamaica Plain. The full council could vote on the issue at its regular meeting next week.

At a hearing on the proposal today, City Councilor Tito Jackson (Roxbury) said the $19 million school BPS wants the city council to approve for loans - down from an earlier $21-million estimate - could be used to leverage additional state school construction money to simply build a brand-new school, reducing the number of students in 19th and early 20th-century buildings. State officials are currently sitting on payments for the renovation of Hyde Park High School, because BPS shut the school not long after renovating it.

"It really makes me angry that we've been given miserable choices amongst horrible options," Jackson said of the plan, in which Fenway High School would move to the Mission Hill K-8 building, the Boston Arts Academy would take over the Ipswich Street space it now shares with Fenway, the New Mission High School and Boston Community Leadership Academy would move to Hyde Park and a new Margarita Muniz Academy would move into the Agassiz School in JP along with Mission Hill.

Councilor wonders: If the T lets you pay for parking with your phone, why not Boston parking meters?

adamg — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:11:25 +0000

City Councilor Tito Jackson (Roxbury) says it's time for the city to look at installing parking meters that let motorists pay via their smart phones.

At its regular weekly meeting tomorrow,the council will vote on a request from Jackson for a hearing into technology to enable phone-loving meters, similar to the phone payment system now in place at MBTA commuter-rail parking lots. He notes Boston already has meters that accept credit cards and CharlieCard-like smart cards.

Meter maids might not like Jackson's proposal, however - he says the meters could be set up to send text alerts to parkers when their time is almost up.

Councilors propose making Latino and Asian history part of high-school curriculum

adamg — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:43:23 +0000

On the heels of a proposal to make black history a required part of the Boston high-school curriculum, two city councilors say student should also be given an education in Latino history.

The City Council tomorrow considers a request from councilors Felix Arroyo (at large) and Tito Jackson (Roxbury) for a hearing to consider the proposal in depth. Jackson was the co-sponsor of the black-history proposal.

At a brief hearing on the issue last month, Arroyo supported that idea, but said Latino history is equally important. In their requests for hearings on the Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander issue, the two write that Latinos make up 43% of the BPS student body and that it's important for students to know learn about the contributions Latinos and Asians and Pacific Islanders have made.

Councilors want to crack down on irresponsible sober homes, pawn shops

adamg — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 02:52:54 +0000

The City Council voted today to consider measures that would regulate so-called sober homes for recovering drug addicts and require pawn shops and other businesses that sell second-hand goods to tie into a Boston Police database of stolen property.

Councilors propose making black history part of high-school curriculum

adamg — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:57:34 +0000

The City Council tomorrow considers a request from Councilors Tito Jackson (Roxbury) and John Connolly (at large) for a hearing on making black history a mandatory part of education for students in Boston public high schools.

In their request to hold a hearing, the two say that with so many black students in local public schools, "it is critically important for young people to know where and whence they have come and the full story of the accomplishments of their ancestors."

The weekly city-council meeting begins at noon in the council's fifth-floor chambers at City Hall. They're also aired live on Comcast channel 12, RCN channel 82 and on the Web.

Cambridge wrests music festival from Boston, but Boston councilor vows this will not stand

adamg — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:33:20 +0000

The Herald reports the Together music festival will take place in Central Square this year, but City Councilor Tito Jackson vows to get it back across the river. Until then, the festival might want to change its URL and official name.

The problem with the mayor's pledge to return to neighborhood schools

adamg — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:26:19 +0000

What if the schools in one neighborhood are all part of what BPS once euphemistically called "the circle of promise?" The last couple of BPS efforts to reform busing all foundered on the issue that one of its new zones would have contained pretty much nothing but underperforming schools. WBUR reports, talks to Roxbury City Councilor Tito Jackson.

Jackson, Parker talk issues in District 7 forum

adamg — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:27:57 +0000

The Daily Free Press reports on a forum for District 7 (Roxbury, Fenway) City Councilor Tito Jackson and challenger Sheneal Parker.

Both are running for a full term following Chuck Turner's federally sponsored exit from Massachusetts. Jackson was elected in a special election earlier this year.

Report from BNN:

Forum Held in Roxbury for City Council Seat from Chris Lovett on Vimeo.

City councilor shows support for occupiers

adamg — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 19:47:08 +0000

Ethan Long snapped City Councilor Tito Jackson (Roxbury) at Occupy Boston's tent city in Dewey Square yesterday. Jackson tweeted today:

It is power and momentum in the making! Inspired! Get up stand up!

Posted under this Creative Commons license.

City council wants to require kids to stay in school two more years

adamg — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 10:24:01 +0000

The Boston City Council voted unanimously yesterday to seek approval from the state legislature to raise the dropout age from 16 to 18.

At-large Councilor John Connolly, who co-sponsored the request with District 7 Councilor Tito Jackson, said 16 no longer makes sense in a society that has outgrown its agrarian roots, in which even a high-school diploma is barely enough to succeed. He added:

"We don't allow 16 year olds to smoke, drink or vote, but we will allow them to make a decision that will put the lowest of ceilings on their future. 16 year olds are not equipped to make that decision."

Jackson said, if nothing else, there's an economic reason for raising the age: Dropouts are far more likely to wind up in prison, and the annual cost of educating a student in Boston is $11,000, compared to the $47,000 cost of keeping a person in prison for one year.

Both councilors said raising the age will also take increased efforts by schools to work with the at-risk kids to keep them engaged and prepare them for college or the modern workforce. Connolly praised current efforts by Boston Public Schools to do that.

Councilors: Raise dropout age to 18

adamg — Wed, 25 May 2011 16:05:18 +0000

JacksonBoston City Councilors John Connolly (at large) and Tito Jackson (Roxbury, South End) today proposed raising the minimum age at which public-school students could leave school to 18.

The two say similar action in other states has led to dramatic decreases in dropout rates; they will hold a hearing later on dropout-prevention efforts by Boston Public Schools. If the council as a whole agrees with them, it would have to seek approval from the state legislature to change the current minimum Boston dropout age of 16.

Future Boston Alliance Announces Creative Economy and Free Boston Panels at Together Festival featuring City Councilor Tito Jackson, Greg Selkoe and Kofi Jones from Gov. Patrick's Office

lumina — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 22:14:24 +0000

CONTACT: Future Boston Alliance - Lumina Gershfield / 617.388.4992 /
Greg Selkoe/Karmaloop -
Sarah Cirkiel / 212.475.4919 /

***URGENT***MEDIA ALERT***URGENT***

Future Boston Alliance Announces Creative Economy and Free Boston Panels at Together Festival
- Featuring City Councilor Tito Jackson, Local Entrepreneur Greg Selkoe, and Kofi Jones Executive Director for the Commonwealth Marketing Office

WHAT:Future Boston Alliance (FBA) is excited to announce a lively community discussion between citizens, entrepreneurs, media representatives, and our state and city government with two moderated discussion panels titled, “Creative Economy” and “Free Boston” to take place as part of the Together Festival.

Tito Jackson must be running for Mayor

EmulsionMike — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 20:56:46 +0000

I just got an invitation to Tito Jackson's birthday party at the House of Blues. Something about Michael Jackson vs. Prince. Sounds like fun. The trouble is, you've got to give a little birthday present. It reminds me of Kevin White's "suggested contribution" to his wife's birthday party. Tito must be serious about running for Mayor! http://tinyurl.com/3dplmkq

In Roxbury, out with the old, in with the new

adamg — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 13:15:11 +0000

Chuck Turner leaves (his complete farewell address); Tito Jackson enters.

Tito Jackson easily wins city-council seat

adamg — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:53:15 +0000

Unofficial city results show Tito Jackson cruising to victory for the District 7 council seat formerly held by Chuck Turner, who is leaving town in a couple of weeks.

Jackson is easily defeating Cornell Mills and will serve until at least the regular council elections this fall.

One of the first to congratulate him: Matt O'Malley, until tonight the city's newest councilor, himself elected in a special election in November, who tweeted at 8:47:

Congratulations to my new colleague, Tito Jackson! I can't wait to start working together.