It has been a month since Kevin Molis was appointed the Malden Police Department’s new police chief. Molis attended the recent Public Safety Committee meeting on Tuesday evening to discuss the upcoming budget, recent crime statistics and preventative strategies. Molis reiterated the importance of community engagement and social media. Committee Chair Neil Kinnon remarked that, according to recent statistics, crime in the city had dropped but the incidence of burglaries appeared to remain the same.

“Daytime house breaks are predictable,” said Molis. He announced, “Starting this week, we have a detective dedicated specifically to housebreak investigations. I’ve often said that I’d rather prevent a crime than investigate one.” Newly promoted Sergeant Jason Froio has been assigned to this task.

Molis stated that now authorities will be able to analyze trends and look at housebreaks from a broader perspective. “We [will] look at it regionally, deal with intelligence gathering, as in pawn shops,” the chief said.

Molis discussed the importance of neighborhood engagement, saying that he intended to utilize social media in a more proactive way. He gave the example of a strategy utilized by the 81st Precinct in Brooklyn. Apparently, every time those police come across a parked vehicle with valuables clearly visible through the windows, they contact the owner through the license plate. Molis said, “The police would send the owners a message saying, you know ‘what are you thinking?!’ They’ve seen drastic reductions in crime.”

Molis continued, “There are a variety of entities within the community that are very eager parts of our bigger solution. It’s my hope to take public engagement beyond the mayor’s public safety forums.”

The City is in talks with Motorola to install more surveillance cameras around Malden Center Station. Due to a recent spate of transfers and new hires, there are currently 83 police patrolmen on the streets of Malden. Molis also plans to reach out to more immigrant groups.

“I’ve interviewed enough criminals in my time to know that they select their victims beforehand,” Molis said. “There are things we can do to reduce the chances of becoming one. They don’t pick someone who looks them in the eye and walks with confidence… [who is] looking around their surroundings and not at their phone.”

Anthony Fakirov, student; Bob Knox, Malden DPW director; Susan Vatalaro, principal of the Beebe School; Mayor Gary Christenson; Bill Enwright, teacher; and Hang Fong, student. (Photo courtesy of Paul Hammersley)

By Juhi Varma

Last year a group of eighth graders from the Beebe School embarked upon a very special community service project.

“We made a list of all the problems,” said 15-year-old Hang Fong, who is now in the ninth grade. “We thought we should do something more on Earth Day, when the kids go pick up the litter. But that’s not permanent, so we decided to do this.”

A group of 20 students, including Hang and classmate Anthony Fakirov, decided the city needed recycling bins and went about acquiring them. “Five of us went to talk to the mayor and present our proposal for the public space recycling program,” Hang said.

The students discussed the need for more trash and recycling containers for the city. The Mayor’s Office, in collaboration with Florida-based company Creative Outdoors, arranged for the containers and set up a cost-free public space recycling program for Malden. The students gathered Monday afternoon for the grand unveiling of the first recycling bin. Twenty bins have been set up thus far.

These gleaming, green and black receptacles accept bottles, paper and other recyclables. The material is sent to the city’s recycling program—not to a landfill.

“I have a community service learning project in my classroom,” said Bill Enwright, eighth grade teacher at the Beebe School. “And the students came up with the idea to have these put all around town, and then they presented it to the mayor—they attended City Chamber meetings.”

“The best thing about this project is that the idea originated from a discussion I had with Mr. Enwright’s eighth grade class at the Beebe School,” said the mayor. He continued, “I am proud of our students who took an interest in their environment and saw the need for trash and recycling containers across the city. We were able to take their idea and partner with Creative Outdoors to establish a cost-free public space recycling program.”

Mr. Richard A. Davey, Jr., secretary and CEO, Massachusetts Department of Transportation; Ms. Marcia Drew Hohn, Director, The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc. Public Education Institute; Dr. Chiang Li, founder of Boston Biomedical, Inc.; Mr. Rafael Guzman, founder of RM Technologies, Inc.; Mr. Mahmud Jafri, founder of Dover Rug & Home; Ms. Diane Portnoy, founder, president and CEO of The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc.; Mr. Steven Grossman, Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver General. (Photo courtesy Jon Fischer Photography)

Two hundred people came together last Wednesday night to celebrate the contributions of immigrant entrepreneurs in Massachusetts personified by 23 nominees and three award winners at The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc.’s 2013 Immigrant Entrepreneur Awards Dinner at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, Mass. The nominees in attendance each received citations from their respective legislators, and the three winners received a trophy and a citation from Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver General Steven Grossman. All were impressive examples of entrepreneurial spirit.

Diane Portnoy, founder, president and CEO of The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc. (ILC), welcomed guests saying, “As entrepreneurs, immigrants revitalize depressed neighborhoods, create jobs, pay taxes and help form the backbone of this country…. This is not a new story in American history. Since the founding of this country, immigrants have come here with hope, drive and ingenuity and have become entrepreneurs. This evening’s awardees and nominees are part of a long and proud tradition.”

Guest Speaker Steven Grossman shared his personal relationship to immigrant entrepreneurship  from his experience leading the company founded by his immigrant grandfather, Grossman Communications, to his interactions with immigrant small business owners participating in the Commonwealth’s Small Business Banking Partnership.  The treasurer summed up his feelings saying, “This Commonwealth will have a bright future and it will be writ large with a banner over it called immigrant entrepreneurship, and tonight is a celebration of exactly the values and the priorities that we all share.”

In his closing remarks, Master of Ceremonies Richard A. Davey, Jr., secretary and CEO of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and ILC board trustee, summed up what many in the audience were feeling by saying, “If you weren’t inspired by that, you need to go to the cardiologist and make sure you have a heart.”

Outstanding Neighborhood Business: Mr. Mahmud Jafri, founder of Dover Rug & Home

Country of origin: Pakistan

Dover Rug & Home began in Jafri’s house in 1989. He stored the rugs in the garage and used the living room as a showroom. Twenty-three years later, Dover Rug & Home occupies a 36,000-square-foot space on Route 9 in Natick.

Jafri is also committed to community development, which is evident in the school programs, interfaith initiatives and charitable organizations he supports. Born out of his love of the sport, he also built the Dover Squash and Fitness facility for area enthusiasts to play and use as a platform for cross-cultural understanding.

Jafri described his journey this way, “When I immigrated in 1974, I like many of you, was often apprehensive about what it would be like to start a new chapter of my life in an entirely new country.  But I knew that this great nation offered endless opportunities and welcomed people of all races and creeds from every corner of the world with open arms. The acceptance and camaraderie I experienced along the way taught me how fortunate I am to live in a country that offers the resources and guidance to anyone who has the drive and ambition to succeed regardless of where you are from, the color of your skin or what higher power you believe in.”

Outstanding Business Growth: Mr. Rafael Guzman, founder of RM Technologies, Inc.

Country of origin: Dominican Republic

When Guzman bought RM Technologies in 1997, the small demolition and environmental remediation firm had only three office staff and was making $800,000 a year. He turned it into an expanded business employing more than 200 people with 45 percent revenue growth over the last three years.

In his remarks, Guzman stressed the importance of education. He has a master’s degree in manufacturing engineering, and he thanked the American people for the assistance he received to make this education possible. He framed his company’s explosive growth as a way of giving back saying, “My company last year paid over $3 million dollars in salaries and wages to 172 employees. I’m happy to report that this year we project to pay over $5 million to over 250 people, mostly immigrants from the city of Lawrence the poorest city in the Commonwealth. So you see, the American dream is alive and kicking very much. It’s here for most of us to reach in this great nation.”

In addition to job creation, Guzman gives back to his community by sponsoring Lawrence film festivals, book fairs and baseball teams, and he established a scholarship for underprivileged children like himself who want to study engineering.

Outstanding Science/Technology Business: Dr. Chiang Li, founder of Boston Biomedical, Inc.

Country of origin: China

Li is a prolific inventor, successful businessman and doctor committed to helping others. He has pioneered research into treatments of cancer and other life-threatening diseases. He has founded five companies and is the named inventor on 230 patents.

In 2006, when 30 scientists working under him were about to be laid off, Li resigned, started a new company and re-hired all 30 scientists. That company was Boston Biomedical, Inc. The company has developed an innovative clinical-stage product pipeline that targets cancer stem cells. It was acquired in 2012 for up to $2.63 billion. Li currently serves as president, CEO and chief medical officer.

Li humbly shared his success with many others, including the Massachusetts’ business environment. “Here, in Massachusetts I think we have all three elements [talent, capital and a stable political system]. That’s why there is no better place on earth, I feel, to grow science/technology/innovation business than here in Massachusetts….There is an unparalleled [supply of] science/technology [talent]. By the way, a large percentage is immigrants. The combination is so powerful. There is no country in the world that is even close to a country like America to grow innovative business.”

The third annual Ward 5 Clean Sweep took place Saturday, May 11th. Armed with brooms, rakes and trash bags, residents set to work cleaning up their ward, leaving it “clean and sparkly,” as Councillor Barbary Murphy said.

“It is encouraging to see the residents come out and work to clean up our community,” said Mayor Gary Christenson. “Councillor Murphy and her volunteers made a difference in Ward 5.”

“It was awesome!” Councillor Murphy said. “We had a great turn out by all the folks in the ward, just cleaning out their sidewalks, just moving cars so the street sweepers could do a job.   Each year it gets better, as people get more involved.”

Ward One annual Mother’s Day breakfast well-attended

Ward 1’s ninth annual Mother’s Day breakfast event took place Sunday morning, at its traditional Eagle’s Club venue. Maldonians gathered to celebrate Mother’s day and enjoy a delicious home-cooked breakfast.

“As usual the Ward 1 residents came out to honor their mothers at this annual event,” said the mayor. “I am happy that Councillor Crowe continues this tradition.”

“There were a lot of families who attended,” said Councillor Crowe. “It was a very cozy, fairly low key event.”

Eagle Scout Samuel James Zeiberg honored

HONORED EAGLE: The Zeiberg family poses with Mayor Gary Chirstenson, Ward 8 Councillor Judi Bucci, School Committee Members Adam Weldai and Leonard Iovino. (Highlights photos courtesy of Paul Hammersley)

Malden’s Boy Scout Troupe 603 held an Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Samuel James Zeiberg Saturday afternoon. The teenager has collected many merit badges over the course of his scouting career. The ceremony took place at the First Baptist Church on Main Street.

“Sam is an example of why our future is bright,” said Mayor Gary Christenson, who dropped in for a while. “He works hard not only as an Eagle Scout but also to make our community a better place for all of us.”

Macdonald Stadium just might be Malden Youth Soccer’s (MYS) lucky field. Malden teams got to play ten of their matches against other Middlesex Youth Soccer League (MYSL) teams in two weekends of play on the new turf. Over the weekends of April 27 and May 10, MYS teams won nine games and tied one.

Dozens of fans enjoyed the stadium seating, great view of the entire field, and the concessions stand. The games attracted not only family and friends but also local residents, providing a rousing atmosphere for the Malden players. Throughout the season, younger teams play on Saturdays; the older ones on Sundays.

On Saturday, April 27, Malden’s Boys U14–3 (under 14 years old), led by Coach Robert Navas, began the successful run with a 4–2 win over Woburn. “We didn’t play well the first half, a problem we’ve had in the past, but the boys turned it around in the second,” said Robert. The team beat Medford, 2–1, the following weekend, bringing their record to 4–1–1. The Boys U14 team, which is coached by Mario Riquelme and Esad Sinanovic, continued their romp through MYSL’s Division 4 with a 6–0 win over Stoneham.

The following Saturday, despite cloudy skies, two more MYS U14 teams found brilliance on the field. Only one loss away from the top of Division 2A, the Girls U14 team, which is coached by Jose Zayas and Ken Antonucci, overpowered Woburn, 5–0. Johnny Ospina’s Boys U14 team, currently the point-leader of the highly competitive Division 2B, earned a tough win over Melrose, 3–2, bringing their record to 4–2–1.

On April 28 the U16 and U18 teams made their debut. Coaches Roberto Quesada-Diaz, Hugo Ruperti and Ken Antonucci’s Boys U16 team was tightly matched by Woburn but drew the win, 3–2. The following Sunday, the team had an easier match against Medford, winning 4–1. The Boys U16 game was immediately followed by the eldest MYS team: Boys U18. Carefully prepared by Coaches Foster Morales and Jorge Gonzalez, the boys used their fast pace on the ball, agile defending and well-maneuvered positioning to score four goals to Wilmington’s one. On April 29 the team again appeared at Macdonald Stadium and beat Burlington handily, 8–0, keeping themselves at the top of the Boys U18 league.

On May 11 the Girls U16 wrapped up the first MYS-at-Macdonald weekend. The team is coached by Jean Dupont, Jovan Sokolivc and Chuck Ioven, with Coach Chris Murphy often joining in. Although the girls weren’t able to score, they held Burlington to zero goals. Murphy commented, “It was a tough game and the girls played hard. We are really satisfied with the tie.a”

Malden soccer fans eager for more matches at Malden’s fine new facility will have to wait until next season. Registration for Fall 2013 for children ages 4–13 is currently open at www.maldenyouthsoccer.org. Early bird rates apply through May 31. Make it your goal: Play Malden Youth Soccer!

The Malden High Golden Tornadoes girls’ lacrosse team is under the tutelage of First Year Head Coach Jessica Prickitt. With their most recent win last week against Revere, 12–9, they have now doubled their win total from last year’s. And this was their fourth win of the season and they beat Revere for the second time this season.

“I wasn’t here last year to see these girls in action, but I can tell you that this team is coming together,” said Prickitt. “These girls are really playing much better as a team and really trust each other. They are executing so much better than early on in the year, and it is fun to be a part of. We only have five games left, but it is going to be an exciting finish.”

Malden was down early in last week’s game against Revere, but was able to forge ahead at the end of the first half and never looked back. The Tornadoes were led by the foursome of Maria Gill, Danielle Aguinaldo, Anita Caceda and Catherine Poirier, who all had two goals each. Winnie Chen, Lynn Nguyen, Elizabeth Tran and Joyce Ly all had one goal each for Malden.

Caceda is a senior and has been the main cog for the Tornado offense. She leads the Tornadoes in goals this season.

“Anita has been so good for us all season. Anita is really aggressive and she is a pleasure to watch game in and game out,” said Prickitt.

Malden senior Stevie Klein has led the charge on the defensive side.

“Stevie has been our rock this year,” said Prickitt. “Stevie has had such a productive and wonderful season. It’s unfortunate that Stevie only has five games remaining in her high school career.”

Malden has now improved its record to 4–7.

The Tornadoes will next square-off against Burlington on May 15.

Patsy Arrechea, Marianna Rodriguez, Gladys Riviera-Rodgers, Karen Hayes, Mayor Gary Christenson, Gloria Salazar, Jennyfer Cabral and Jose Mendez. (Photo by Juhi Varma)

By Juhi Varma

The City of Malden, in collaboration with the Boston Rueda, held their very first Latin night on  May 11. Rueda is a particular type of Salsa dance. The event took place at the Malden YMCA and featured beautiful, traditional performances and impromptu dance lessons from teacher Gloria Salazar.

“It’s part of the YMCA’s social responsibility to hold these kinds of events and offer the space to different communities,” said Jose Mendez. “They have the opportunity to do what they want to do and feel welcome. The organizer, Gloria Salazar, contacted us a couple of weeks ago and said ‘I really want to throw a Latin night.’ In a…couple of weeks we managed to put together this small event; this is the first time ever. I think we’ll do something again next year; hopefully, it will become a larger event.”

The young dancers were members of the critically-acclaimed “Passport to Columbia” troupe. “Passport to Columbia,” a colorful musical which celebrates Columbian culture, was directed by Maldonian Miguel Vargas.

“The kids have been practicing for ‘Passport to Columbia’ for almost a year,” Vargas said. “They are between the ages of 12 to 17—some from Malden; some are from Revere and East Boston. The dances they performed are from different regions of Columbia.”

“I want to thank Gloria Salazar for this idea and organizing this event. It looked like fun, but I am not much of a dancer,” said Mayor Gary Christenson.

Our children rely on us to keep them safe and healthy—that is our job as parents, educators and community members. When they are young, we make healthy decisions for them—but as they grow, we need to guide them to make healthy decisions for themselves.

Along with making healthy decisions about things like diet, exercise, drugs, alcohol and car safety, our young people need to learn to make healthy decisions about sex.  We may want to think that our kids wait until adulthood to become sexually active, but according to state data, 46 percent of high school students have had sexual intercourse. Even more worrisome, 42 percent did not use a condom and 74 percent did not use birth control.

Parents should be and always will be the first and best educators about sexuality and sex, especially about the values, feelings, risks and responsibilities that come with sex. But not all parents feel comfortable having these conversations. Also, to truly stay safe, youth need clear, up-to-date, accurate medical information about sex and sexuality. By providing sexuality education, many school districts partner with parents, supporting them in educating their children.

That is why we support legislation that will come before the Joint Committee on Education this week.  An Act Relative to Healthy Youth says that if a school district decides to teach sexuality education, it must provide students with comprehensive, age-appropriate and medically accurate information.

Teaching youth this information does not encourage sex, as some worry. In fact, comprehensive sexuality education programs have been shown to delay the initiation of sex. They also reduce the frequency of sex and the number of partners, and increase the use of condoms and contraception. That is why comprehensive sexuality education is supported by the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Federation of Teachers.

Current law in Massachusetts does not ensure that youth in sexuality education programs receive comprehensive and accurate information. Current law has no standards whatsoever, and this puts our kids at risk.

We support the Healthy Youth bill because it requires districts that choose to offer sexuality education to provide students with full information about abstinence, delaying sexual activity, healthy relationships, effective contraceptive use and sexually transmitted infections. It will provide school districts with guidance and a set of annually updated standards available on the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s web site.

This bill does not require schools to provide sexuality education, nor does it dictate an age or grade level when such classes should begin. It does not interfere with parents’ right to opt their children out. The role of parents is central and crucial, and nothing should interfere with it.

Simply put, this bill will ensure that the sexuality education we do provide in Massachusetts gives our youth the information they need to make the safest and healthiest choices as they grow.

That, we believe, is what all kids deserve.

  Claire McCarthy, M.D., is a pediatrician and Medical Communications Editor at Boston Children’s Hospital and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.  Senator Katherine Clark represents the 5th Middlesex District in the Massachusetts State Senate, which includes the communities of Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield and portions of Winchester.

The Department of Public Works will be applying fertilizer to the parks on Saturday, May 18 (weather permitting).  Upon completion flags will mark the entrance to the park and along the field.  Areas of fertilization will also be marked off with yellow caution tape. The recommendation is that the fields not be used for24 hours following the application.  The fields will be available for use on Sunday, May 19. The following parks will be affected: Amerige, Devir, Callahan, Ferryway, Green Street, Harvard, Anderson Field, Kierstead, Salemwood, Forestdale, Linden, Trafton, Patchell, Coytemore Lea.

For any questions, please contact Department of Public Works Director Bob Knox at 781-389-2524.

Malden Rotary Club to Honor Veterans on Wednesday, May 22

The Malden Rotary Club will be honoring all veterans by inviting the commanders of the Veterans for Foreign Wars, Jewish War Veterans, Italian-American Veterans, American Legion and the Disabled American Veterans of Malden to be our guests on Wednesday, May 22, at 12 noon to be held at Anthony’s Restaurant in Malden.

Memorial Day is celebrated on the last day in May. The Malden Rotary Club has been honoring all veterans’ organizations for over 30 years. These veterans have served in all wars from World War I to the Viet Nam War while they have been protecting our country.

Program Chairman for this event is Rotary member and Past Commander Arthur Kahn.

Mayor Christenson guest speaker at Senior Center

On Wednesday, May 22 at 1:30 PM at the Malden Community Senior Center, located 7 Washington St., Malden will feature special guest speaker Mayor Gary Christenson.

The mayor will speak about what is happening in Malden; what is coming to the downtown area; Senior Center Staff and extended hours; and where the new city hall will be located.

Bring a friend and find out facts

We will have an update on the transportation Fight and our legislation to make the Ride Affordable and accessible as well as refreshments and 50/50 raffle.

Spay and Neuter Financial Aid Program now available

Mayor Gary Christenson and the Malden Animal Control Office are pleased to announce the Spay and Neuter Financial Aid Program.  The city is the recipient of a $1,000 grant to assist low income Malden residents with spaying or neutering their dog or cat.  This grant is a result of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition’s “I’m Animal Friendly” License Plate Program.

Ten $100 vouchers will be issued by the Animal Control Office, located at City Hall, 200 Pleasant Street, Room 223.  Prospective recipients must appear at the Animal Control Office with proof of residency (i.e., water bill, driver’s license).  Only the first ten applicants will receive a voucher which must be redeemed at North Shore Animal Hospital, 1 Neptune Drive, Lynn (781-596-0510).  For further information about the Spay and Neuter Financial Aid Program, please contact Animal Control Officer Kevin Alkins at 781-397-7000 x2051.  The last day to apply is May 28, 2013.

For more information on acquiring an Animal Friendly License Plate, please visit www.mass.gov/rmv/express/plates.

LSA Exhibition Night Press Release

The Linden STEAM Academy will be holding its first annual Exhibition Night on Wednesday, May 29, from 6-8 p.m. The Exhibition has been one focus of the school’s Innovation grant, the purpose of which is to develop STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math)-focused and project-based learning practices within the school’s K-8 program. LSA’s faculty have been working during this past school year to develop quality project-based learning (PBL) opportunities which provide students with authentic contexts for practicing important critical thinking and 21st century learning skills. During the Exhibition Night, members of the community will have the opportunity to offer feedback to students on their hard work. Please come and join us at the Linden STEAM Academy, 29 Wescott Street, Malden, MA, for what promises to be an exciting and dynamic celebration of student learning. For more information, contact Susan Terban at sterban@malden.mec.edu.

Malden Public School students in grades six, seven, and eight were asked to participate in a confidential health survey on Wednesday, May 8, 2013. This Youth Health Survey is sponsored by the Malden Public Schools and the Cambridge Health Alliance and asks about the children’s eating habits, personal hygiene, safety measures like helmets and seatbelts, sexual behavior, and drug use. Originally slated for April 9, its distribution was postponed when a faction of parents objected to the survey’s more controversial questions. On Monday, May 6, the Malden School Committee voted unanimously to move forward with the survey, agreeing that the information it could yield was too valuable to lose.

On the evening of April 7, Malden School Superintendent David DeRuosi made a robocall announcement informing parents about the upcoming survey. DeRuosi also said that the survey was not compulsory, and parents who wished to peruse the document beforehand could visit the school the next day, April 8, and choose to opt out should they so wish. The outcry was inspired, in part, by the too small one-day window. Mayor Gary Christenson and DeRuosi spent much of last month’s school committee meeting, which incidentally fell on April 8, in the hallway discussing the matter with a concerned father, Michael Foresteire.

The following week, Foresteire and a small group of parents brought the matter up with the city council. “My wife and I both work full time, so we were unable to get into the school to see the survey in the one day that we were given,” Foresteire told the council. He continued, “A friend of ours was able to get into the school in the late afternoon to see the survey… She was horrified. There were detailed questions about sex, drugs, sexuality, suicide, self-mutilation, etc. She immediately started alerting some other parents. Remember, the robocall referred to this as a ‘health survey.’”

Foresteire went on to say that the attempted roll out was “shady at best” and parents could not help but think that the survey was an effort to acquire grant money. He said, “We understand that not every parent has the same opinions as us, and we welcome that. We just want the parents of the 11 and 12-year-old children in this community to make an educated decision about this survey.”

At the time, Foresteire found an open supporter in Ward 6 Councillor Neil Kinnon. In an effort to make the survey accessible to parents, Kinnon scanned the whole document onto his Facebook page, an act that was met with a chorus of disapproval from the school committee.

“I don’t think the acts of an individual should derail what should be valuable information to a district,” said DeRousi Monday evening. “The data…is not tainted to the point it cannot be used. Is it a violation of protocol? Yes! But I still feel we can go forward.”

“There’s been a long-standing tradition in this city that members of the Malden School Committee stay out of Malden City Council business and vice-versa” said School Committee Member Leonard Iovino. “I think that’s been a well-established principal. If the results are not skewed to a point [at] which they cannot be used, we go ahead.”

Kinnon, for his part, stands by his actions. “I make no judgment calls for parents on whether they want to let their kid take that survey,” Kinnon said in an interview. He added, “If I was on the school committee, I’d have a viewpoint on that. I don’t have a viewpoint on that as a sitting city councillor. What I do have a viewpoint on is any of my constituents who want any public document that is going to be put in front of their child. They have the right to see it beforehand and get easy access to it, not go through hoops…. I wouldn’t care if it was 10th, 11th and 12th graders, it’s not enough notice. Those children don’t belong to the school system, the government or the City of Malden. They belong to their parents.”

The survey is the result of an extensive study done by the Cambridge Health Alliance and the Institute for Community Health. It can be found on the official Malden Public Schools website, www.malden.mec.edu.