Inside Stories

For Bach, Graduation Parking Complaint is a Joke

I was perusing social media today and came across a post from a gentlemen complaining that the city charged $15 dollars for the Greater Lowell Technical High School Graduation at the Tsongas Arena.

It’s still the Voke to me. That other, more formal name is too long.

Anyway, this dude did the sarcastic “stay classy” bit about the fee and it enraged me. Here’s why.

Your offspring just got four years of an incredible education. They will likely be successful having achieved enough to get into the Voke rather than wallowing in the undisciplined, barely functional “other” high school where success comes as frequently as a school committee member attending a School Building Committee meeting.

Four years of education at the increasingly impressive Lowell Catholic would have cost way more. And not only to cover Archdiocese legal fees. They are expanding in the Highlands neighborhood. That doesn’t come easy….just ask the ZBA. That school costs some dollars.

The Voke is a gem and a bargain. You, my penny-pinching citizen, decided to complain even though your offspring has had an education paid for by local and state taxes.

You feel put upon to pony up $15 to park in a garage?

You got to hear Lee Gitschier speak while likely standing on a milk crate to reach the podium. You got to see your kid walk across the stage at a world class arena brought to you by Marty Meehan Inc.

And you complain about $15?

Maybe you are from Dracut or Tyngsboro, so I don’t get it. That $15 could have gone toward new plow sweatpants or work boots…its not my place to judge your wife’s Christmas shopping list.

I’m pretty sure I don’t have kids. I gladly pay my taxes, knowing kids get to go to the Voke. Maybe not so glad I pay for DESE, tight shirts and a human shield of admins…but I digress.

Give the Parking Department your $15. They need it more than you do.

Instead, how about a post about how proud you are that this region has such a good school and how they hold graduation in a place where the entire family can come.

Far better use of social media than complaining about paying event prices at an event.

17 responses to “For Bach, Graduation Parking Complaint is a Joke”

  1. Lee says:

    Love it

  2. Tim Hovey says:

    You live in Chelmsford, your taxes go to Nashoba Tech. You auditioning for a Column at The Sun with that misinformation? Be better

  3. Katie Stutz says:

    This is so well written!!! Humorous and to the point!

  4. Alan Fagan says:

    No dog in this fight but enjoyed that, especially the caustic bits. Great job Bach.

  5. Sheila says:

    Was the nasty crack about LHS necessary? I see a lot of successful grads from that school.

  6. Vessel 5 says:

    Dunstable too Bach lol.

  7. Paul Haley says:

    Great job another as hat bitching

  8. Brady says:

    Great job, Dad! All true statements!
    Also Uncle Lee didn’t wear a jacket and look at how well it went.. loose the jackets, stiffs!

  9. Bach says:

    So most taxes for schools come from state taxes. Me living in NoCho is like Hovey as an alternate on ZBA. Irrelevent

  10. Jeff says:

    Awesome and hilarious!

  11. Nikki says:

    LHS actually has more students who are off to college becoming doctors, lawyers etc than the voke! We know many who took a trade class in cosmo and are now 30yrs old working in dunkins. So, be careful on what you say because it will be the LHS student interviewing you for that job you want so bad lol.

  12. Pamela Underwood says:

    Great job Bach.

  13. Pamela Underwood says:

    Great job Bach and thanks for the laugh.

  14. Martha says:

    First of all the Voke is great! Secondly it’s in Tyngsboro but a Lowell school and last the Tsongas Arena is owned by UMASS now! So they got it for nothing just about, they shouldn’t be charging for High School Ceremonies. Everything in this City is now UMASS. Taking over hotels, Tsongas Arena, and apartments for only student housing. It’s a college city now. Good luck Lowell residents 😀

  15. Proud says:

    I have no problem with parking fees but throughout the city people that have handicapped placards don’t have to pay for parking and since the garage was full I am disabled and on a budgeted income and having to pay $20 was a bit much to me. They Voke did an amazing job with all the parking attendants but the disabled shouldn’t have had to pauly

  16. Ryan DeLosh says:

    I would have been more fine with the $10 if I didn’t get stuck in the garage after for over an hour because the parking garage was complete gridlock and there was no staff present. I had to get out of my car and start directing traffic myself so people can actually get on with their night.

  17. Tracey says:

    I have had two children go to LHS and are very successful Civil Engineer and a Trauma counselor. They were able to take advantage of the dual enrollment and honors classes and actually graduated high school with their first semester of credits already under their belt.
    Please don’t be so quick to bash a great high school!

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