As a Chelsea resident, I read “Writing his way to the top” (Page A1, June 17) with great interest. Joe Resnek sounds like he has intelligence, talent, and nerve, all qualities that will serve him well. I wish this young man continued success. Overall, though, the tone of the article was disparaging to my community.
I'm saddened that “the right way” and “the Chelsea way” were represented as being mutually exclusive, and that calling in favors would be portrayed as the order of the day.
Considerable effort has been expended on the part of many in city government to overcome Chelsea’s history of corruption, but the reputation sticks. I’m raising my own kids here, and I have higher expectations and greater hopes for my children and students (yes, I am a Chelsea Public Schools teacher as well) than what the article’s tone suggested.
Chelsea certainly could use a million-dollar donation, and maybe one day Resnek can call in a favor to that end. However, what would be cheaper, and ultimately lead to more change, would be to cultivate an atmosphere in which young people could grow up here without feeling ashamed of having come from Chelsea.
I am disappointed that the city comes off looking like a stopover place for losers, where achieving success is nothing short of amazing. it unfairly feeds into the culture of low expectations that seems to surround the city. Chelsea doesn’t need any more of that.