Bridgeport hoop star John Bagley, an elected member of the Board of Education, bangs Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a proponent of a mayoral-appointed school board, in a commentary that appeared in the CT Post. KJ visited Bridgeport last week.
Kevin Johnson, better known as “KJ,” was an outstanding NBA player, someone that I played against for many years. I guess he is an OK mayor of Sacramento, California, too, although I am not familiar with the politics of a city 3,000 miles away from here.
But here in Bridgeport, in Connecticut, the ‘Land of Steady Habits,’ where we still value home rule and the right to vote, I claim the home court advantage.
On September 4, I was honored by the people of the City in which I was born, raised and educated, with a seat on our Board of Education. I am well aware of the fact that I owe my office and my allegiance to the people of Bridgeport.
Therefore, because “KJ” decided to fly in from California and support the ongoing efforts to disenfranchise my friends and neighbors, I think he should be whistled for a technical foul. I wish he was here to go one-on-one concerning the subject of democracy.
I am aware of “KJ’s” rooting interest in the movement which seeks to take away our right to vote. After all, he is married to Michelle Rhee, a controversial so-called education reformer.
Maybe he is not the right person to referee an election here in Bridgeport.
I believe in the right to vote, and was taught, while growing up in Bridgeport, that our public school students were as good as any of our suburban neighbors.
I was privileged to play basketball for Coach Charley Bentley at Harding. Coach demanded hard work, discipline and sacrifice, whether you were a star, or the 12th man.
He instilled pride in us, and told us we could beat anybody, and more often than not, we did.
I want our students in Bridgeport to apply that same discipline and dedication to academics. I will do everything that I can, as a member of the Bridgeport Board of Education to see that they get the help and encouragement that they need.
“KJ” didn’t tell us that his city of Sacramento, like the towns of Trumbull, Fairfield, Easton, Stratford and Westport, has an elected Board of Education. When he and his so-called `reformers’ start demanding an appointed board in Trumbull and Fairfield, then I will be willing to listen to what he has to say, even if his advice comes long-distance.
Maybe “KJ” and his ‘reformers’ can explain why the city of New Haven, which has an appointed board, has more failing schools than Bridgeport.
This is true, despite the presence on their appointed Board of Education of the former director of ConnCAN, the Connecticut leader of takeover policies.
I have only one final piece of advice for ‘KJ,’ don’t come into my house and mess with my right to vote!
I like road games. Here’s what I tell all my opponents: just because you have the home court advantage, doesn’t mean you’re going to win the game.
*** Apparently, the “do as they say” and “not as they really do” home court rule is not reviewable by city officials, no? ***
Bridgeport Schools to be closed Monday and Tuesday.
Local Eyes, we all see you have never played the game or understand it. You never let someone come into your house and bitch slap you, you might lose the game but the other team would know they will get knocked on their ass.
When it comes to the ballot box (inside the paint), nobody has a home-court advantage (shrug). It’s different with basketball.
You are the motherf’n man, Mr. Bagley. The Bags brought his A game.
Excuse me, but where has Bagley been the last 25 years as Bridgeport schools have been on the decline? Never heard of him before last month. Looked up his so-called foundation when he ran for the BOE and found nothing online except a link from Guidestar that said his foundation’s charity status got revoked by the IRS in the early 1990s!!! Does he even run camps anymore? Now, this man who has support from literally 2% of the Bridgeport electorate wants to take on a leader and athlete of Kevin Johnson’s caliber. Get real, sir!!!