Councilors Murphy + Flynn Concerned that Non-BPS Student are Being Excluded from free admission program

The Boston Globe Editorial Board is weighing in on the free BPS Sundays – a pilot program that allows BPS students and families free admission to local museums two Sundays a month – and joining City Councilors Erin Muphy and Ed Flynn in urging Mayor Wu to extend it to all families in the City of Boston. You can read the editorial here.
In response to Mayor Wu’s announcement at the State of the City Address that all BPS students + families will have free admission to local museums, cultural institutions, and more, councilors Erin Murphy and Ed Flynn released the following statement back in January :

Maureen Dahill is the founder of Caught in Media. Once a longtime wardrobe and prop stylist for brands such as Rue La La, TJ Max & Hasbro, she is a devoted lover of vintage clothing, Martini Mondays, Castle Island, AND a 4th generation South Boston native. Mother of three, married to Peter G.
They can afford private schools for their kids but not museum entrance fees? Also it was never something they asked for until the BPS students were given it? Easy solution – put your kid in BPS if you think the perks are so good.
The students are children of Boston Tax payers. They deserve the same access as anyone else.
Parent of Dorchester PJP Academy pay taxes to Boston just like you.
Have no kids in school anymore. but I still have skin in the game, the taxes I pay to live in South Boston, which fund the institutions you speak of, Sir. I believe any student of any school in the city I pay for should be eligible.
I agree. Do your tax dollars go to the South End Private school Ed referenced in his statement?
Do your tax dollars go to the South End Private school Ed referenced in his statement?
To Patrick, most of these parents that are sending their children to private/parochial schools are both working and some of the fathers have 2 jobs. They are struggling, probably more that most of the parents who use the BPS system, and all Boston children should be treated the same. Sounds to me that this is a bit racist on Wu’s part.
Serious question, why would someone who needs to work 2 jobs to get by not take advantage of a feee public school system that has such good benefits?
@Patrick, typical newbie liberal response
I’d argue that you wanting more free benefits for everyone is the more liberal stance here
Patrick – the Boston parents who ‘can afford private schools’ are ALSO paying for the BPS students. Perhaps not excluding them from this small perk would be a nice gesture of appreciation.
You can do better, try again.
In Wu’s world DEI stands for Divide, Exclude and Immoral.
They’re also paying for food stamps, unemployment, subsidized housing and every other benefit that they don’t utilize and I’ve heard no demands for those.
You can also also do better
why shouldn’t they not only do they pay for their kids to go to private schools their taxes are going to BPS so they are paying for every kid in BPS. I guess things will never be fair in New Boston
Great I pay taxes as well happy we all cleared that up. How many times have these schools requested this perk before BPS students received it? Probably zero. It sounds like when you give 1 kid a present and now the other one needs to have it. Don’t like Wu but spinning a free perk for BPS students into “racist” is tired and lazy
Patrick, have you thought that parents are sending their children to ” private schools” for religious reasons. a Catholic school is suddenly elitist.
How about the city so it’s fair for all pays for public schools and Catholic schools for its tax base then nothing to complain here. In fact the cost to educate a student at a Catholic school is cheaper than what public schools pay per child. This is how it is done in Ontario the family picks which school they want their tax dollars to go to.
https://www.ldcsb.ca/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1076461&type=d&pREC_ID=1360089
In summary, those that complain about historically being divided are creating the division now that’s what this is all about.
Many Boston private school students, especially attending the Catholic Schools are on scholarship. Their families can not afford to visit the Museums. City should be offering same program to all Boston students. That being said, there are already ways to attend many museums for free, especially with a pass from the Library!
Good list of freebies here!
https://travelingtulls.com/free-museum-days-in-boston/
Thank you to Erin Murphy and Ed Flynn. Those were my sentiments exactly as I listened to Mayor Wu the other night. That opportunity should be given to every Boston student whether they attend public or private school. Their parents pay taxes in Boston too.
Patrick – notice how no one is arguing against the policy for BPS students… only the exclusion of a certain group of students. Why are you defending this divisive policy?
Divide, Exclude, Immoral. check, check, check.
My question is how much are these museums paying in PILOT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes)? Presumably even the top property-tax exempt museums pay only a fraction of the taxes that otherwise would be owed. Consequently, perhaps this should be a key consideration in granting free admission to all public and private Boston schoolchildren.