By any standard – the physical and metaphysical – former Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) should not be alive today considering the extreme comorbidity of his mental illnesses and addictions.
That is one of several conclusions one might reach from Kennedy's extraordinarily engrossing memoir, "A Common Struggle" (Blue Rider). The book debuted at number three on The New York Times combined Print and E-book non-fiction list on October 25.
BOSTON – A quarter of state legislators urged Education Secretary Jim Peyser and other policymakers to reject federal PARCC academic assessment testing, raising concerns about cost and the readiness of schools to administer the computer-based exam.
Rep. Keiko Orrall, a Lakeville Republican, and Rep. Marjorie Decker, a Cambridge Democrat, spearheaded the effort in advance of a decision the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is expected to make on Nov. 17 on whether to adopt the new national exam, stick with the state's MCAS tests or pursue a third option.
