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Former state education secretary urges Cambridge committee to "think expansively" about students' lives
Summary
Paul Veil, introduced as a Harvard professor and former Massachusetts secretary of education, told the newly sworn Cambridge School Committee to define clear goals for students, work closely with leadership, and make space for differing views; he emphasized measurement, personalization and relationships.
Paul Veil, introduced by the hosts as a Harvard professor and former secretary of education for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, delivered a keynote focused on three central themes: expansiveness of purpose, partnering with leadership, and managing differences constructively.
Veil urged committee members to look beyond classroom hours when defining goals for student success, noting, "They spend only 20% of their waking hours between kindergarten and grade 12 in school." He recommended first agreeing on clear outcomes for children before debating instructional methods and stressed the importance of measurable targets and relationship-building. Veil also warned against absolutist thinking and urged the committee to preserve civil discourse when dealing with contentious issues: "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good."
