Board Of Education Candidates Split On Paul Vallas

Linda Conner Lambeck of the Connecticut Post conducted a Q&A with the six candidates running in Tuesday’s Democratic school board race. One of her questions, Do you like the direction the district has gone in since the arrival of Paul Vallas? Why? The three Democratic Town Committee-endorsed candidates see progress under Vallas while the three challengers seek another direction.

On Tuesday six candidates for Board of Education will appear on the ballot. The top three vote producers will move on to the general election in November. Read interview responses here.

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22 comments

  1. Lennie, in what setting were these questions asked, were they asked on the phone, was this a sit-down question and answer session and were they being asked these questions in a group setting?

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  2. From Bukovsky back in July:
    • As a parent, I have four children who have at some point in their elementary schooling attended a Public school in the City of Bridgeport. My three older children each attended Six-to-Six at some point during that span, and I currently have a son that is entering 8th grade at Black Rock School. Additionally, they have all “done time” in the Catholic school system, but I know that, if done right, the traditional Public school education they could ideally receive in the Bridgeport Public school system would far surpass the Private/Catholic sector. Working with their father, who had bought a house in Fairfield back in 2006, we made arrangements for my two older daughters (Casey, 20 and Colleen, 17) to live with their dad so they could take advantage of the Fairfield Public school system. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the opportunities that we have today for secondary education in the Bridgeport Public school system. With the developments that have arisen in the past 18+ months, I am excited about the prospect of having my youngest son (Danny, 12) have the opportunity to take advantage of a Public school system that provides programs such as the new Fairchild Wheeler Magnet Schools.

    Part of her CT Post response:
    Katie Bukovsky

    A: Personally, as a public school parent, how can I not like the fact that my seventh-grade son was given new textbooks last year, replacing some that were older than he was? I’ve seen very positive changes in the past 18 months–a long-overdue balanced district budget, a substantial increase in summer school opportunities for our children, plans for a new Harding High School, new magnet high school programs that will ready our children to enter college, the workforce or the military, among other accomplishments–whether new or already in the works. If elected, my hope is that by the time my term is completed, that every graduating high school student will have the necessary skills to fill out a college application, a job application or register for the military. With most of our graduates now reading at an eighth-grade level, that will never happen without continuing on the path of responsible education reform.

    Most or all her children attended schools in Fairfield. She is being less than candid as to the facts regarding the place of residence of her older kids. Did they really live with daddy in Fairfield? There is are good reasons why the endorsed candidates avoided the forums.

    Rev. Simon Castillo is claiming all the credit for the founding and work done by the Helping Hand Center. There were other people who made the program a success. I remember Judge Carmen Lopez was a Board member of the Helping Hand Center at some point. I remember asking Bill Finch for documents relating to the property acquisitions of all the property in the Steel Pointe Peninsula back when he was the Chairman of the Contracts and Appointments Commission. One of the properties taken by eminent domain by the city was the Helping Hand Center on Stratford Avenue. Did he get a better deal than the other property owners? Did he cooperate with the feds when the Nevada company (a fake one) hired to move or relocate the property owners bounced checks? Lennie has been under the impression it was the Madison Avenue Stop and Shop dealings with Ganim that got the attention of the feds. It was the Nevada fake company and the bouncing checks that led to the Ganim probe, Lennie. It’s too bad the feds don’t want to release the Ganim probe documents after all these years. Little by little the picture has become much clearer on my end. We are going to give it one more shot at trying to get the feds to release the documents. Lennie, can you share some of the ones your lawyer had? You paid him and you are entitled to the documents.

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    1. *** Rev. Castillo was involved with the Helping Hand Center, Teen Challenge and getting Religious and Bible Study in the D.O.C. along with Rev, Cook among other things in the community way before any other board members of the Helping Hand Center, including Ms. Lopez. Rev. Castillo has been a blessing to the entire Hispanic community since the late ’60s in Bpt. The only minus he might have on being on the BOE is his age in some regards. Let’s remember OIB readers and bloggers, opinions are not facts! The BOE needs an Hispanic on the board who has been and continues to be in touch with the large Hispanic Community in Bpt and the schools. *** Don’t disregard Rev. Castillo just because he’s an endorsed candidate. ***

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      1. Mojo, Rev. Castillo has been a blessing to the entire Hispanic community since the late ’60s in Bridgeport, but what I find troubling is the fact that Mayor Finch appointed Rev. Castillo as a police commissioner and also the chaplain and now a candidate for the BOE. Is Mayor Finch telling us there are no other Hispanic spiritual and religious leaders to hold this position other than Rev. Castillo? Why should Castillo hold both positions? Maybe Rev. Castillo doesn’t want to give up that gold badge or his dress blue uniform with all the gold on both sleeves of that uniform blouse and his white hat with gold ribbons and gold badge on it, he has the same dress uniform as the fire chief. I know there are many other Hispanic clergy members both men and women who could be the chaplain of the Bridgeport Fire Department or is it Mayor Finch doesn’t know any others?

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        1. *** Facts, Rev. Castillo was selected to the Fire Dept. Commission and endorsed by the city council, later on while on the commission he was given the honor of becoming a BFD chaplain by Chief Rooney and Mayor Fabrizi, not Mayor Finch! He’s managed to stay on and continues to serve the community today still during the Finch Admin. Should he make it on the BOE he would have to resign as a commissioner. Those who have been around and know Rev. Castillo and his work in the Hispanic community know there are not many Hispanic clergy who have the respect and long service Rev. Castillo has! These are facts, not merely an opinion. ***

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  3. *** Many people don’t bother reading the entire political postcards and just look at the pictures and what party’s endorsing whom? Some just vote Democrat-endorsed across the line without knowing any issues pro or con nor care to! Then you have the ones who vote exactly how they’re told to with no questions asked, leaving a small percentage of voters who really care and are in touch with some of the issues affecting the BOE and city government. And last but not least are the A/B voters who vote by who bought the coffee & donuts or lunch last, on a seniors outing and raffle, no? *** ZOMBIE VOTING IN BPT. ***

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  4. Mojo, so Rev. Castillo is the only Hispanic pastor in Bridgeport who has the ability to be the Fire Department Chaplain? There are no other Hispanic pastors who can say a prayer for firefighters?

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  5. *** Might be, but they’re not being considered for chaplain nor running for BOE, are they? And the job of Fire Dept. Chaplain (which you should know) consists of a lot more than saying a prayer for firefighters! Who do you feel is more qualified or worthy of being the BFD CHAPLAIN? ***

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    1. Mojo, as a black man it is not up to me to suggest what Hispanic should be appointed to anything by the mayor, that should be up to the Hispanic community to make suggestions to the mayor, but I say Mojo it’s sad I have more confidence than you in knowing there are more outstanding Hispanic pastors than you do.

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  6. *** You’re knocking Rev. Castillo with only opinions instead of facts in your prior blogs. Your question was who else in the Hispanic community is more “qualified” or can do the job. There are others in the community I’m sure but they’re not running nor are presently the BFD chaplain! I like Rev. Castillo and I like the job he’s doing so there’s no need for me to mention someone else’s name is there; nothing sad about it! My question was not “who do you think the Mayor should appoint,” it was what other Hispanic pastors do you feel could qualify since you’re questioning Rev. Castillo as chaplain and all they do is say a prayer for firefighters? Who meets with the victims of fires who have died or been injured in a fire I wonder; does not sound like an easy job to me! ***

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    1. Mojo, you still miss the point. I’m sure Rev. Castillo is a honorable man who has served the community well, that’s not the issue. Why should Rev. Castillo hold two City positions that are appointed by the mayor, why not give one of the appointments to another Hispanic pastor?

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  7. *** Now the question is “different,” not that I missed the point! Castillo sits on the BFD commission board that meets what, every other week, I really don’t know how often. He’s also a Hispanic community Rev. who was given the honor of becoming I believe, the first on-call city Hispanic BFD chaplain in the Park City. I don’t see an issue with holding down these two part-time different positions in the city of Bpt. However, if he happens to get on the BOE then he would have to give up the commission seat! ‘Til then I’m sure Rev. Castillo will be able to handle many positions in life as a man of God, family, community, job and citizen, like he’s been doing for many years now. “What’s Your Point”? ***

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  8. *** Have “I missed the point,” OIB? 1. First R. Mackey blogged opinion claimed Castillo was a Finch Admin. hand pick. Wrong, Mayor Fabrizi, Chief Rooney and City Council. 2. Why should Castillo hold two city positions on the BFD and were there no other Hispanic pastors with the ability to qualify in “saying a prayer for firefighters?” Aanswer: No law against holding two positions and there probably are other Hispanic clergy qualified. However, Castillo also has the ability and qualifies to do a lot more than pray when dealing with victims of fires. 3. As a black man it’s not up to Mackey to tell Finch whom to pick, it’s up to the Hispanic community and “sad” Mackey knows other Hispanic pastors who would qualify and not Mojo! Answer: Tell me “who” would be a good candidate so I can know and you will not be “sad” anymore! For BFD commissioner and/or BFD Chaplain in the city of Bpt, tell OIB “WHO”??? *** Does he have to be Hispanic is in the next season’s blog! ***

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    1. Mojo, you really have missed the point, read what you are saying. So you think it is better for the Hispanic community to have one person holding two appointed positions than to have TWO Hispanics hold one position each? So it’s not important for Hispanic share? There are so few Hispanics in key appointed City positions.
      Plus Rev. Castillo is not the first Hispanic chaplain.

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