Here we go. From CT Post:
The State Board of Education this afternoon voted 5-to-4 to recommend a state takeover of the city of Bridgeport’s school system. Read more here.
State Education Commissioner George Coleman announced today that the Bridgeport Board of Education is history. He expects to shape a new board, made up of at least five members, that will oversee city schools within four or five weeks. He did not guarantee additional funding to the school system. The Bridgeport Board of Education had two elected members from the Working Families Party. Jon Green, executive director of the Connecticut WFP, shares this:
Just two days after the 4th of July, the Connecticut State Board of Education voted in favor of a plan to dissolve the city of Bridgeport’s democratically elected Board of Education.
Jon Green, Executive Director of the Connecticut Working Families Party released the following statement:
“In America, we don’t undo elections. The Bridgeport schools are facing very real problems–that’s why Bridgeport voters elected members to the Board of Education who are willing to ask tough questions and demand results. Removing a vocal minority that is critical of the superintendent’s failed policies is a terrible, terrible reason to undo the results of a democratic election.”
Advocates have expressed concern that today’s vote to dissolve a democratically elected body is unconstitutional and could be subject to legal challenge.
Last one out the door shut off the lights. The first action the State board should do is to replace Ramos. Then again he probably already has a job lined up taking his lifetime health benefits with him.
SHAME ON BILL FINCH, RAMOS AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. MAY YOU ALL ROT IN HELL.
Cowards!!!
Finch, Ramos and Bellinger.
Bridgeport’s new FRB.
Financial Review Board = Finch Ramos Bellinger.
Last night the Bridgeport Board of Education voted by a 6-3 margin to ask the state of Connecticut to allow them to disband and turn over the schools to the state of CT.
Today the state Board of Education in an even less resounding vote, voted 5-4 for the takeover.
And now the city of Bridgeport based on the opinion of 11 people, and only 6 of them from the city, has abdicated its role in running the Bridgeport school system.
From either lack of leadership or the greatest act of ambivalence in political history neither Mayor Finch nor Superintendent Ramos could even bother with changing their busy schedules to be present for this historic vote. Cowards; the both of them.
Ganim gave us a blowtorch, Fabrizi exchanged it for an oxyacetylene tank, Finch replaced it with a flamethrower.
This time next year we will all be drinking canal water and our taxes will go up 15% across the board. People will be moving out of this city at a rate never before seen. Businesses will be moving out faster than Modern Plastics. Your home has lost more than 30% of its value, and it’s not over yet.
Mario is waiting for the next school project so he receive more contractor kickbacks, while the FBI sits on its hands.
Sal DiNardo still owes the City millions in back taxes. The Police Department has only 21 cop per shift. The BOE is laying off 400+ of its workforce.
If you believe our taxes will remain the same, I have two bridges for sale.
Pension Plan A is ready to go under, with a $20 million shortfall per year.
In a few years, Bridgeport will be known as Little House on the Prairie.
John Gomes is right, start with a Charter change folks, and hold on tight!
Now the State will control the Board of Education.
Both Finch and Ramos should resign now! … Today!
Next year we’re in for a HELL-OF-A-BAD-RIDE.
Jimfox–with 21 cops on duty per shift we could probably tar and feather all of them and get away with it.
Somehow someway Finch must be getting something out of this from a “friend” in Hartford. He did spend plenty of time there as a state senator after all. This makes no sense.
It’s unbelievable how the state has moved so quickly. Watch how the politicians bounce back from this!
This comment from Tom Mulligan. He wouldn’t be in favor of overturning elected officials if the board was doing its job. “Kids of the city of Bridgeport need an efficiently run board more than anything and they are not getting that. It’s an emergency situation.”
You have got to be kidding, you have a 6 to 3 majority on the board. What’s the problem, you don’t like to be questioned?
You are like the rest of the politicians in Bridgeport, they take you in a special room in city hall and suck out your brains and your balls.
Shame on what you and the other 5 members have allowed to happen to the school system. Tom, go home and stay out of public service.
Let’s think this through a little more. The bomb was handed off from elected in Bridgeport to appointed in Hartford.
* Perhaps they will drill down through Bill Finch’s “things are so desperate in Bridgeport” he has used in Hartford all along to get his Pension Plan A waiver, to discover his City Council budget has padding that was never exposed in the Budget hearings. (Maybe they will commandeer those funds with some exceptional State power, before even looking at State money. That would serve us right, and it is what the B & A folks might have done, had they seen the education budget as a starving entity and the children as important.)
* The audience last night has been far kinder to Simmons, Baraka and Pereira than to the majority members. Courage, reason and energy in the face of a bulldozer is really impressive. Guess the Mario machine neglected that viewpoint. Perhaps instead of lengthy court battles, each might get their name on the ballot as independent Council persons not working for the machine? They have name recognition, owe their current status to their own actions, and because they have raised questions where others were afraid to provide answers, they have the moral high ground at this moment.
* The larger audience of City voters, especially parents, are going to watch the Mayor as he attempts to dissociate himself from the mess, but his hands are all over this and candidates for office will repeat that message, for certain.
* Sherwood, Wood and Nunn sat together last night, reminding me of another threesome who see, hear and speak no evil, but the comparison ends before there because the evil has been done in this case. Wonder how they will spin this one?
* Someone will have the task, and likely get it done promptly and more efficiently than it would otherwise been likely, to see the next school year is not sacrificed by confusion as to who is working, who will not be working, what schools will open, etc. This is about far more than job security. It is about a system meltdown during the last weeks of the school year. For instance summer school sessions were expected, students told they were necessary to advance a year, and then they were cancelled. Right hand, talk to your left hand, please. At the moment we should provide moral support to those who work for this educational establishment. They will be in the forefront of necessary change.
* One number I have not latched onto this year from any comments (and I usually am supplying many of the figures to readers) is the amount the City was going to put into the educational budget this year in terms of cold hard cash. Not in-kind contributions, that may have less value in the eye of the recipient than in that of the bestower. Not sure I understand all of the differences that have been claimed, but it would seem the State Board will be looking at that. Wouldn’t you if you came to a tragedy and were reviewing resources?
* Life experiences provide teachable moments! Bridgeport CT is a provider of such moments in a big way this year. What is your positive take-away from all of this since we cannot have a do-over? I hope there is a larger take-away than this: with Hartford in Bridgeport the Mayor can save gas.
So the bomb is in the hands of the State. Will they detonate it and provide for real change in the City education effort? Or will it be like one of those Fourth of July fireworks that goes sky high, makes burping noises every once in a while on the way down along with showers of sparkles, but ultimately fizzles? Time will tell.
Ultimate double cross
Everyone knows Stafstrom and MJF are good friends, so Stafstrom pretends to back Finch, concocts this state takeover plan, Birdbrain buys it, now the whole city wants to destroy Finch, and MJ slides into city hall. Oh you evil genius JS.
Chosen 1, you are way off. MJF was shocked to learn of this the other evening, just like most others. This is an outrageous move to put power fully into the hands of the machine. The state appears to be an unsuspecting accomplice.
Finch, the “village idiot” A.K.A. SH_T FOR BRAINS. You just can’t make this stuff up.
I just got back from the angry and confused parents meeting at the Burroughs center. Met MJ’s new campaign manager from Bethel, no MJ though, and met John Gomes, was shocked Finch wasn’t there … said with tongue in cheek.
I was also there and Carolanne Curry, from Westport, was there with John Gomes. Marilyn Moore was there, too.
“State board member Thomas Mulligan said he wouldn’t be in favor of turning out elected officials if the board was doing its job. “Kids of the city of Bridgeport need an efficiently run board more than anything, and they are not getting that.” He called it an emergency situation.”
God forbid Tom is ever promoted to become a state board member. He’s been the Democratic caddy and waterboy for years. He never even attended a board meeting until he got appointed to the board.
BTW–Isn’t John Gomes’ campaign manager from Oklahoma?
*** Change has been needed for quite some time in the BOE; so be it! If it @ least changes the money mismanagement problems and political patronage, then hopefully it will be a start towards expecting great things, no? *** AGREE TO DISAGREE ***