UPDATE: Tuesday night, 6:30, at Geraldine Johnson School provides a key moment in this historic vice grip for control of the Board of Education. A session that was scheduled as part of the regular meeting calendar by the full board, but cancelled last week by Chairman Dennis Bradley who wants to control the board through special meetings, appeared to have five members scheduled to attend equaling a quorum. Yes, the wheels are turning among the nine-member board less one following the resignation of Republican Kevin McSpirit last week. In an email sent late Monday night to board members, Bradley wrote “Please note that the meeting for October 11 has not been called by the Chair. Any person entering a school without authority can be arrested for trespassing.” But what is the chair’s authority over the other members?
Board members Maria Pereira, Ben Walker, Sauda Baraka, Howard Gardner and Rafael Fonseca said they will attend. Fonseca, however, Tuesday afternoon had a change of heart announcing he will not attend. Pereira, in the comment section of OIB, shared that Bradley issued the following email to members. .
“Hello All,
Just want to make it clear that the Chair calls meetings.
The dates published in December were proposed and NON-BINDING, only the Chair can create the agenda and none was drafted, and only the chair has the authority to call and thus cancel meetings.”
Pereira charges Bradley is disengaged from the facts:
I truly believe Bradley is completely losing it and cannot accept he has lost.
Since when is the vote of an elected board “non-binding?”
He is unable to refer to a single CT state statute or board policy that supports his position. Bradley thinks he is the king of the BOE instead of the chair.
A CT Post article just placed online states Frances Rabinowitz considers the meeting canceled and will not be attending. This is a direct violation of Board Policy. If Rabinowitz and her staff do not attend they will need to face disciplinary action. Rabinowitz does not work for Dennis Bradley, she works for the full board.
So barring a no-show from one of the committed members a quorum for a full board meeting will take place at Geraldine Johnson School minus a defiant school chief who announced last week she’s quitting at the end of the year because she cannot stomach Pereira’s opposition to her policies. Yes, Rabinowitz declared in a press release, she’s bailing because of one person. What does that say about Rabinowitz’ ability to work with others on the board?
One member trumps the others?
In a text to OIB Tuesday morning Bradley clarified his position about board members meeting Tuesday night.
“I did give a general reminder to all board members of our rules and bylaws that state that no one can enter a school without permission and that entering without permission would be trespassing.”
But who provides permission to enter?
Pereira shares language from state statute:
CT General Statute 10-239. Use of school facilities for other purposes. (a) Any LOCAL or regional BOARD OF EDUCATION may provide for the use of any room, hall, schoolhouse, school grounds or other school facility within its jurisdiction for nonprofit educational or COMMUNITY PURPOSES whether or not school is in session.
(b) Any LOCAL or regional BOARD OF EDUCATION may grant the temporary use of rooms, halls, school buildings, or grounds or any other school facilities under its management or control for PUBLIC, educational or other purposes or for the purpose of holding political discussions therein, at such time when the school is not in session …
We are holding a “public” BOE Meeting approved unanimously by the board in December 2015. The control of school buildings/grounds is under the full purview of the full Board, not Dennis Bradley. As you can see, the statute makes zero reference to the Superintendent having authority over school buildings/grounds.
King Bradley just emailed us the following:
“Ben, it’s final. Meeting is set and notices sent. [Referring to Wednesday’s Special Meeting] There is no meeting on Tuesday.”
I really do believe Bradley is having some type of nervous breakdown over his loss. We do not report to him in any way, shape or form. Every vote of the full board is “binding.”
We will be there and the meeting is moving forward.
He is not living in reality.
Backwards or Forward progressions for the children, Maria?
Eye on The Target.
Doesn’t seem your rhetoric again is “supportive” of a positive negotiating setting in the interests of the children.
You done playing in your sandbox? Come out and play with the other little girls and boys.
Coward, you seem to be a bit ill and unstable. Do you have an illness of some sort?
Bradley is being to sound like a home-grown municipal terrorist.
Maria, Maria; what is Annette Segarra-Negron’s status on the board? Did she resign or not?
If Bradley’s partner, Super Rabinowitz, doesn’t show; what are the procedures for disciplinary actions?
Gary, Annette Segarra-Negron has not resigned. The minute Negron is removed we will discipline Ms. Rabinowitz up to and including termination. The amount of state statutes and board policies she has violated has been numerous.
CT General Statute 10-239. Use of school facilities for other purposes. (a) Any LOCAL or regional BOARD OF EDUCATION may provide for the use of any room, hall, schoolhouse, school grounds or other school facility within its jurisdiction for nonprofit educational or COMMUNITY PURPOSES whether or not school is in session.
(b) Any LOCAL or regional BOARD OF EDUCATION may grant the temporary use of rooms, halls, school buildings, or grounds or any other school facilities under its management or control for PUBLIC, educational or other purposes or for the purpose of holding political discussions therein, at such time when the school is not in session …
We are holding a “public” BOE Meeting approved unanimously by the board in December 2015. The control of school buildings/grounds is under the full purview of the full Board, not Dennis Bradley. As you can see, the statute makes zero reference to the Superintendent having authority over school buildings/grounds.
Lennie, your update with Dennis’ text message is lacking. Please ask Dennis Bradley to give you the SPECIFIC CT General Statute and Board Policy that supports his position.
Hold him accountable for his absurd claims.
Can someone please help Mr. Bradley? I’m calling on one of you to start a GoFundMe page to help pay to resurrect his now-deceased political career. I think he may need a good attorney to defend against certain ethics charges. He could also use someone to spell/grammar check for him. Maria? He especially needs help to find something I’m not sure he ever really had, relevance. Bless his heart.
Ben, I loved the GoFundMe reference to help him resurrect his political career. LOL!
I said it once and I’ll say it again, Mr. Bradley. Accept the fact Maria knows more about the BOE and all its factors. Accept the fact you may have a degree but not a degree in Bridgeport Board of Education. Accept the fact you are a male and Maria is a female and she is more knowledgeable than you. Accept the fact you can’t change any of the above by taking your bat and ball in hope the game doesn’t get played.
The bottom line is your macho manly piss-poor attitude doesn’t make you more knowledgeable in BOE matters; it makes you a dumb ass.
Hello all. I see two board members here on this thread so feel free to correct me if I am wrong.
The way I see it is on 12/21/15 a main motion was made, amended and passed unanimously by the full board. To overturn a main motion previously adopted requires a 2/3 majority to change without previous notice being given. In order to get 2/3 votes or even a simple majority a meeting must be held.
Please forgive me if I am incorrect because I am but a simple janitor who did not graduate from a third-tier law school three years before getting my law license.
You are correct, sir. You are also a shining example that often a degree is only worth the paper it’s printed on. Some get a degree where others get an education, and common sense isn’t so common in some.
Bless his heart.
Joe, you are more than a ” simple janitor,” you are a bright, understanding man whose interest in City affairs is commendable. Most importantly, you are a hard-working custodian, earning an honest living.
Thank you, ma’am. I’m quite new to this and have a lot to learn.
Will someone be at the school to ensure the doors remain unlocked?
Dennis Bradley just sent us another email as follows:
“Please note that the meeting for October 11 has not been called by the Chair.
Any person entering a school without authority can be arrested for trespassing.”
Yup, Dennis Bradley has lost his mind. The meeting was called by the full board which is much better than the “Chair,” and we have the documentation to support it.
Dennis Bradley thinks he can direct the BPD to arrest elected board members for facilitating and attending a meeting the board unanimously voted to hold.
I am asking every one of our supporters reading this to attend the meeting at Geraldine Johnson School. Please bring anything you can to videotape any interactions with BoE staff and the BPD.
Is Fonesca still active BPD? Is he still coming? What’s his take? What about Ganim? If he still wants to break the boycott he must tell his officers to stand down. He should issue a public statement that no arrests will be made for a lawful public assembly.
Fonseca is on the job in Norwalk. Bradley has no authority to call the police.
Thanks for the correction about Fonesca, Mr. Tobin. However anyone can call the police. The $64000 question is how will they be ordered to respond? Mr. Mayor if you are reading this and want an end to this political nightmare, have your police force stand down. Better yet why not show support to the board of Ed and the children of Bridgeport and join us at the meeting?!
Joe, I’m taking a chance on this one, I don’t believe Ganim is aware of this empty threat, nor do I believe a police officer will be advised to indulge it.
Yeah, quite amateurish; but you never know.
Joe, I’m just taking a chance on this. I hope I’m not wrong.
Lisa, you were 100% wrong. Clearly Ganim supported this or City Attorney Chris Meyer wouldn’t have issued a laughable legal opinion at 4:00pm and Av Harris wouldn’t be serving as the mouthpiece for Bradley and the BPD.
Chris Meyer has become a douchebag just like the rest of the douchebags.
I am calling our attorney first thing in the morning. If anyone knows a videographer I can hire on short notice; please call, email me, or post the information here.
If Dennis Bradley is planning on having duly elected BOE members arrested for attending a legally scheduled meeting with an agenda, minutes, the Secretary of the State and the City Clerk’s stamped filings in our possession to prove the meeting is lawful; so be it.
Let’s see if Mayor Ganim and Acting Chief Perez are going to have elected BOE members arrested when under state law the local school board controls all aspects of school building usage.
And Bradley, Larcheveque, Negron, McSpirit and Rabinowitz called me a bully. Bradley is becoming completely unhinged.
I am contacting all media and news outlets today and sending them all Dennis’ emails.
Should you send a copy of minutes from 12/21 and Roberts Rules referencing 2/3 vote to overturn as well?
It was pointed out I was in error. I just did a reread and 2/3 applies to an assembly but a simple majority seems more accurate when applied to an entire board membership. Forgive me, this book is a bit clunky the first time through so please bear with me. Anyway the meeting date could not be unilaterally cancelled or changed. It must be voted on by the board.
I was just interviewed by Channel 12 News. I gave them a copy of the entire email thread with Dennis. I also gave them a copy of our memorandum and all the supporting documentation.
Once again, anyone who can get to the meeting at Geraldine Johnson School tonight should bring a recording device. We want to record all interaction with BOE staff, BPD, etc.
Channel 12 News said they will be there as well.
See you this evening.
Dress your best to impress the press at what has now become the biggest show in town. Please for the sake of our City as a whole, the parents, staff and most important the CHILDREN, it’s time to get some work done, egos aside. One gets elected to represent, not reign. This message is meant for no one in particular, but to everyone particularly.
More drama.
www .ctpost.com/local/article/Contested-meeting-won-t-have-a-quorum-9963386.php
I guess Rafael Fonseca folded up like a cheap suitcase. Already joining the boycott. Wow. It didn’t take long for him to lose his personal integrity.
What a joke.
The work we have to do as Board of Ed members is so important you only get one chance to prove who and what you are. Some stepped up for the children of Bridgeport. Others stepped out. You never get that second chance, at least with me.
Ganim and Mario. No doubt about it.
I was there at GJS. Police were called out to empty the building at 8:00pm. I don’t know what happened after that. I was standing at the door letting people in since about 6:30. Bridgeport Police arrived with 3-4 squad cars about 8:00pm. About 6-8 police officers came to the door. I opened the doors, which were set in a locked position and they told me they came with orders to get all people out of the building. When we had had originally arrived at GJS about 6:15 the doors were locked and no access was available. Two people were leaving and the present BOE members entered GJS with members of the public.
Officers allowed the meeting to continue to conclusion after a rude interruption. No arrests were made.
Great job, guys. Just read the article on the CT Post website.
Av says “Maria was being disagreeable” according to police reports. Maybe Maria can let us know once she finds out if “disagreeable” is a felony or a misdemeanor.
It’s neither. How dare the BPD question me or any other legally elected BOE member why they are in a public school holding a meeting with the public. All the powers of local public school buildings is vested in the BOE, not Rabinowitz, Bradley, Ganim, Testa, the City Attorney or the BPD.
I am litigious and more than happy to file another lawsuit.
You go, girl.
You go, girl.
You go, girl.
You go, girl.
Surreal. If somebody at the school lets you use the school, there are no grounds for any type of trespass. This stuff is going on too long. Usually, at the risk of getting rid of a few helpful members, the entire group needs to be disbanded, fired, shamed away from the levers of power, get lost. The children come first. Not after you are done with urban braincell battles and personality disorders. Get it together or get lost. I don’t hear any professionalism in this stuff, just a diversion for political power. What a cesspool.