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Allie Burdick, Christopher Cornell, Emma Desormeaux, Sarah Fortini, Katelyn Haggerty and Zoe Oakes graduated from Gabriel Abbott Memorial School.

Gabriel Abbott Memorial School Graduates Six Students

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FLORIDA, Mass. — Gabriel Abbott Memorial School graduated six eighth-grade students on Monday, June 12.

"Pomp and Circumstance" played by the Abbott Ensemble welcomed the students followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of "The Star Spangled Banner."  Tim Rougeau, the eighth-grade teacher, welcomed all to the ceremony and gave a speech recapping some favorite moments from the year.

After the "class will" was read by Sarah Fortini and the class gifts were read by Katelyn Haggerty, Emma Desormeaux honored Rougeau with a yearbook dedication. A slideshow of pictures, put together by Rougeau and Jenn Segala, capturing their time at Abbott, was shown, eliciting more than a few tears and laughs.

Karen Cooper then presented Fortini with the Charles Bruce Cooper Memorial Award and Jennifer Bean presented Allie Burdick with the PTA Award. Principal Heidi Dugal presented Fortini with the Kellie Boyce Award and the Principal’s Citizenship Award, Desormeaux with the Clement Dugal Award, Christopher Cornell and Zoe Oakes with the President's Achievement Awards, Christopher Cornell with the Good Attendance Award, and finally, Allie Burdick with the President's Excellence Award.  

Judy Oleson, School Committee chairwoman, then awarded diplomas to the Class of 2017: Allie Burdick, Christopher Cornell, Emma Desormeaux, Sarah Fortini, Katelyn Haggerty and Zoe Oakes.

 


Tags: Gabriel Abbott School,   graduation 2017,   

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Letter: Constitutional Crisis

Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

In his inaugural speech, the president invoked America in the late 19th century when political corruption was rampant, Jim Crow laws were enacted, and disparities in income and wealth soared. Since then, the daily barrage of presidential edicts have ranged from absurdity, recklessness, vindictiveness and most concerning lawlessness. His words and actions have sown seeds of uncertainty, anxiety and fear. Presidential governance has become the politics of chaos in an attempt to grab power. MAGA/Republican legislators in the House and Senate feign their responsibilities. Blind loyalty to the president is their number one priority.

The Constitution is the law of the land, the bedrock of our democratic state. However imperfect, it aspires to secure, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all Americans. Beggaring belief, we are currently witnessing a constitutional coup intent on circumventing the legislative and judicial branches. Laws, regulations, norms and protocols are being violated. Americans of all ilk, various organizations, Democratic legislators and the federal courts are attempting to check this presidential overreach.

Authoritarianism is defined as a political system which rejects democracy, the separation of powers, civil liberties, and the rule of law. The most recent remarks by the president, vice president, the billionaire aide-de-camp, and his MAGA minions indicate an attempt to undermine our system of government. These actors mean to overrule judicial review by our federal courts and ultimately our Supreme Court.

What to do? At this time, our duty as citizens is to become informed and active. Millions of Americans are becoming aware of this constitutional crisis at hand. People are following, joining and contributing to pro-democracy organizations at the local, state, and national level. It is incumbent upon all Americans to raise our voices, protest and vote to ensure that this great experiment, American Democracy, survives.

Antonio Pagliarulo
Dalton, Mass. 

 

 

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