James M. Fleming is a life-long resident of Salem. A product of Salem schools, Mr. Fleming so also a graduate of St. John’s Prep., Boston College and Georgetown University Law School. Mr. Fleming is a combat Veteran of Vietnam where he served as a U.S, Army Captain and received several awards for valor, including two Bronze Stars. Mr. Fleming is retired from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and continues to practice law in Salem.
Mr. Fleming has served Salem for over 35 years. He was chairman of the Board of Appeal, a member of the Licensing Board, the Charter Commission and served on the Salem City Council representing Ward Six. He also has been elected to the Massachusetts State Democratic Committee for the past twenty-two years. Mr. Fleming has been elected to the Salem School Committee for the past sixteen years.
Why are you running for School Committee and what particular skills can you bring to the position?
I am running for re-election to the Salem School Committee to continue to be a strong voice for both Salem’s children and Salem’s taxpayers. Salem’s children deserve the best education that this city can provide. With my extensive experience and knowledge gained from my previous Committee service, I am pledged to supporting policies that provide rigor in the classroom, the development of strong leadership for the schools, and the concept of data driven instruction. I will continue to advocate for a moratorium on high stakes testing and will advocate for stronger policies ensuring that our schools are safe and places of student joy and creativity. The District’s goal should be to produce students that are fully prepared to provide for themselves and their families and to be life-long learners.
As we move the Salem schools forward over the next four (4) ears, we must also be mindful of the burdens on Salem’s taxpayers. We must be quite mindful of Salem’s ballooning tax rate, driven in part by the school budget. In order to east that burden, I will continue to lobby the Massachusetts Legislature to pass legislation that would update the Foundation Budget Formula to provide more state money for Salem’s schools. The current formula is outdated and bears no relationship to current needs.
If you could make any change in the school budget that was recently passed, what would you change?
The question, for me, is quite simple, with an absolute answer that reflects my actual vote on the 2019-2020 school budget. First, the School Committee voted to approve another Vice Principal at the High School. I voted in opposition of since I firmly believe that a school with 800 students does not need three (3) Vice Principals, a Dean of Curriculum and a Principal. This is a glaring example of the growth of administrators in our school system, a practice that must be halted or slowed over the next four years.
Secondly, the School Committee, in order to help fund the additional Vice Principal position, voted to eliminate an Adjustment Counselor. In today’s society, students have many social and emotional problems that most often surface in school. I voted against the elimination of an adjustment counselor because these counselors are often the first responders to students with social and/or emotional problem.
The district is beginning a search for the next Superintendent. What are three key characteristics you are looking for in the next Superintendent in Salem?
My priorities for the new Superintendent of Salem’s schools are as follows:
Education and Experience – I will insist that the new Superintendent be very well educated, most preferably having a Doctorate in Education. I will also insist that he or she have vast experience running an urban like district for at least 5 years.
The new Superintendent must have a proven record of communication. He or she must show that in prior positions he or she has demonstrated the ability to communicate at all times with the School Committee, the faculty, the parents, the administrative staff and most importantly with the students.
He or she must demonstrate that he or she has a track record of independence from political pressure. The School Committee must be shown that he or she is the professional educator, and can make educational decisions on his or her own based solely on past education and experience without political influence.
What will you do to advance the goals of a more equitable education for all students in Salem?
I will insist that the new Equity Subcommittee be implemented, and I will seek a position on it. The subcommittee’s sole purpose will be to ensure that quality education is being delivered to all of Salem’s children. The first task that I see for the subcommittee is to immediately survey teachers, parents and students to find areas that need immediate attention. Then there must be thorough follow-up to cure any revealed problem areas. We must be motivated to close any achievement gaps that might be affecting students or color, low income students, English Language Learners and students with disabilities.