Title: Tarek Mehanna: 'Sweet' Teacher, 'Best Son,' Terrorist?

" This is a WBUR news podcast for Thursday October 22. A service of WBUR. Boston's NPR news station I'm Bob -- coming up. A state panel recommends raising the mandatory school attendance age to eighteen but how to pay for it. Also hospitals serving the State's neediest patients are set to sue the state for more funding. And first today. To -- my Honda is being held without bail this morning pending a hearing next week. The submarine resident is facing federal charges of conspiring to carry out terrorist attacks in the US. Mama there was a dual US Egyptian citizen was arrested in his home in Sudbury early yesterday. WBUR. Steve Brown has more on the man at the center of this case."

" To read my -- I graduated from the Massachusetts college of pharmacy last year his father is a professor there. The 27 year old has also worked as a math and religion teacher at an Islamic school in Worcester were colleagues say he's a sweet guy who loved by his student."

" It's. Inside very on the quiet tree line cul-de-sac where -- lives with his parents neighbors say they're surprised to hear of his arrest. Mike DeMarco lives just across the street he says other than the occasional wave he really doesn't know the man federal prosecutors say was planning a violent Jihad. I guess it's a."

" Rising but who knows and it's sure not honestly. You'll find in court I guess that. But I mean I feel -- maybe god is. -- roster room with the wrong person one point maybe that's what happens."

" And DiMarco when his friends watch reporters and cameras and satellite trucks gathered in front of the upscale yellow home. A black Town Car wise -- was Mohammed's mother who lives past reporters. -- Involved. He nearly did data patch of sun what you're saying about your son it."

" on. But that's not the description prosecutors a -- They say -- along with another man tried to join terrorist groups in Iraq Yemen and Pakistan. When they were refused admission they allegedly began planning acts of terrorism on US -- One alleged plot involved an attack on two prominent elected officials described as formerly being in the executive branch. Acting US attorney Michael Locke says the Honda the other man and their co conspirator also plan to randomly shoot people -- shopping malls."

" My honor and his co conspirators ultimately abandon this plan. They can't because they could not obtain the automatic weapons they thought necessary to effect the -- carry out such and salt."

" Federal authorities have dealt with Mohamad before. When he was arrested is home early yesterday morning he was out on bail on other federal charges. He'd lie to the FBI concerning the whereabouts of her friend was a suspected terrorists. After his arrest for that in November of last year Mohammed developed a cult following among Islamic civil rights groups and web sites. One site published a letter they say he wrote from prison at the time thanking his supporters. Today to -- Honda is behind bars on new charges he'll remain held without bail until his next court appearance on October 30. For WBUR I'm Steve Brown."

" Over the coming weeks the Patrick administration will work on legislation to follow up on new advice from the state drop out commission. The commission's recommendations out this week call for raising the mandatory school attendance age from sixteen to eighteen. And it says there should be more support for struggling students. What it doesn't say is have a state will reach the commission goal of cutting in half the number of kids who didn't drop out each year. That number is now 10000 students each year WBUR. As Monica Brady-Myerov looks into the funding question."

" It's one thing for a state panel to say students should stay in school until age eighteen it's another thing to find the money to pay for. The drop out commission itself suggests reaching out to nonprofits and philanthropists. To help fund the strategies it says would reduce the dropout rate by half in five years. The Boston re engage in center in Roxbury is an example of how a school system is using district funds and private partnership. Helped get former students back into the classroom. Mrs. -- slats came out. Many -- mentors to kids who dropped out on this day he's helping in nineteen year old from East Boston he sent me we talked about. What school means. When he was which is exactly why Tony Ferreira is talking with Allen after two years of pumping gas he wants a diploma."

" Because I guarantee nominally Sendak and show them a link and come isn't. Go any kind of and to -- them -- point."

" They re engagement center runs with money from the district's alternative education programs and funds from the Boston private industry council. That pays a staff of five who reach out to the 1800 students who drop out of Boston schools each year. The center opened in August and it's already helped 240. Kids go back to school. Hobbling together funds and running a program out of the community center is an ideal says director carrying talent but the problem will only get worse if it's not addressed."

" If we don't find -- now in embraced these children wanna come back and do the right thing. Which is what we as adults are placed on him to do and they will pay in other ways in the long necks that's not productive."

" Lawmakers agreed that the 10000 people who drop out each year are drain on the commonwealth. They're less likely to have a job -- health insurance and are more likely to be in jail. But the looming question is how to pay for education reform when the state is in the worst fiscal crisis in decades. Republican senator Richard to say says legislators should take a close look at existing resources."

" But there are programs that being right out of the Department of Education that. We look at it and don't think -- do maybe you know it's better to channel money into. Something I think everybody would agree on that you know we should try to keep kids in school and congratulations."

" Other lawmakers echoed this idea of shifting funds to target drop -- Democratic representative Marie saint alert is on the commission that wrote the recommendations."

" Like everything else we need to put it off on the table. Figure out what works and what we know it doesn't work based upon evidence to me that this act does not work because it's not in the best interests of children. Put all of it act on that which does -- spend our money there."

" But those outside state government are skeptical. Just back with of the Massachusetts municipal association. Says he understands dropouts costs the commonwealth. But in this budget climate cities and towns are already cutting education funding. "

" Overall that you can increase programming and resources for example smaller class size it's. Targeted towards potential drop out but that's an environment where local ladies and cut by almost three quarters -- billion dollars. And communities are increasing mobile class sizes itself."

" And more local aid cuts are expected next week. That doesn't bode well for funding to address the dropout crisis. It's a complex problem with solutions that would involve schools social services and law enforcement. This makes funding especially challenging. For WBUR -- Monica Brady-Myerov. The."

" Massachusetts healthcare reform may be bankrupt in some hospitals in the state. Known as the safety net hospitals because they treat the State's poorest patients. Now was WBUR as Sasha -- reports these hospitals are planning to turn to the courts for help."

" If you wanna get a sense of how bad the financial situation is at Holyoke medical center and the western part of the state. Just go to the office of Hank important the hospital CEO. Actually important doesn't really have an office --"

" You're actually doing three combined trailers to accommodate what you were senior staff."

" That's right port and the hospital's chief executive works out of a little red mobile trailer in hospitals back parking lot. He moved there because Holyoke medical needed more room for patient services but didn't have enough money for an expansion."

" So we gave -- perplexed as it and moved here to true. But I don't reapportionment here."

" In the hospital tiny emergency department. Horton says the money crunch is also obvious it was designed for Walter 2000 visions. Do receive 44 of those musicians who you. Holy -- emergency room is so undersized that federal and state health officials have ordered the hospital to expand it. But that would cost about thirty million dollars. Important says that's money he doesn't have we're struggling every day just to keep things together that's the unfairness in this. The unfairness he says is the burden state health reform is putting on safety net hospitals like his by cutting reimbursement rates remember. Safety nets by definition served mostly low income patients who don't have insurance or who have government insurance that reimburses only pennies to the dollar."

" Where filing a lot citizen has --"

" Doctor -- Gibbons is the CEO of another safety net hospital Quincy medical center he how important are both part of the suit. Just like -- Quincy is in such grim financial shape it's had to cut patient programs and lay -- staff. Given hopes a lawsuit will result in more funding."

" It is finally a lot of us. Getting -- say hey we are voice."

" And we want -- be listened to or we're gonna bankrupt these hospitals and we'll be out of business."

" So far for other safety nets have joined Quincy in Holyoke and more are expected to sign on or file separate suits. They feel they have to -- because Boston Medical Center the State's biggest and probably best known safety net hospital has already filed a similar suit. And they don't wanna lose out on a possible settlement. Back at Holyoke medical. -- Gordon also says it's unfair the Boston medical gets better financial treatment by the state."

" PNC is entitled to some of them when they receive they do take care of a population that's poor. But why is there pour more appreciated than for a rest of the state."

" the definitive statement of financial calamity at the moment -- did not lot of hype kinda."

" department health law specialist at Northeastern University says it's not an ideal time for hospitals to be suing for more money. And she says if the state gives more to one safety net hospital that means less for the others."

" These kind of issues are much easier to deal it in -- and and I'm scared. Because what we're really talking about is giving -- incredibly scarce resources."

" Still -- met says a lawsuit could achieve one major goal. It would raise public awareness about the importance of safety net hospitals and about the financial straits -- For WBUR. I'm Sasha --"

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