With word that Superintendent of Schools John Ramos and Mayor Bill Finch are throwing in the towel and asking the state to take control of the troubled Board of Education, Democratic mayoral candidate Mary-Jane Foster is calling for Ramos’ head. From Foster:
Foster: Expel Ramos; Expel Finch
Bridgeport businesswoman and social action advocate Mary-Jane Foster, who is running for mayor, today called for the immediate resignation of John Ramos, Bridgeport Superintendent of Schools.
“Today Superintendent Ramos and Mayor Finch admitted their complete failure on behalf of our children, our parents, and our taxpayers,” stated Foster. “By calling for the State to reconstitute the Bridgeport Board of Education, Ramos and Finch have registered a vote of ‘no confidence’ in their own ability to fix our broken school system. Since 2007, the mayor has promised that under his leadership Bridgeport would have “… schools … that improve every year” yet today he is throwing up his hands to say he can’t get the job done.
Having acknowledged their total incompetence, I call on Superintendent Ramos to resign immediately and I urge taxpayers to expel Mayor Finch on September 13th. They both deserve an “F” for failed leadership, performance, and total lack of vision.
How is it conceivable that Mayor Finch, in a statement three days ago, is just “realiz[ing] our school system is at a critical crossroad?” Where has he been for the last three and a half years? Why, two weeks ago, did he promise two years of no layoffs to one union, financially tying the Board of Ed’s hands without their knowledge? Today he’s calling for the State to take over the Board of Ed. How can the mayor claim that such actions two months before the election take “politics out of the process?”
Finch’s incompetence, lack of leadership, and call for a reconstituted Board of Ed put Bridgeport in the same precarious position that Mary Moran did when she tried to declare bankruptcy 20 years ago. Has the mayor taken a moment to examine how his decisions could affect Bridgeport taxes and our impossibly high mil rate? Property values? The City’s bond rating?
I reiterate my call for the superintendent to resign. Bridgeport will have wholesale change under my leadership and I will issue an education reform plan for our city in the coming days.”
*** Too much bark & not enough bite from MJF is the word on the street. Is she catering too much to outside fundraising and white voters and forgetting the minority communities? A united front from all opposing candidates is needed to win this fall’s election, no? *** What would the odds be in Vegas? *** Place your bets! ***
How to fix: Education
If the goal is to give kids the tools to succeed, then our educational system gets a D+. And yet, year after year, complacent school boards, administrators, teachers, unions, textbook publishers and other interest groups just keep on doing the same things that didn’t work last year.
articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/HomeMortgageSavings/HowToFixEducation.aspx
Well I didn’t see that one coming! Since when are Ramos and Finch on the same page about anything? Come to think of it, since when are they even speaking to each other? This is just bizarre. They want a state takeover to rid the BOE of politics yet these two and their political flunkies are the ones who brought it to the breaking point. Then Finch puts the nails in the coffin by negotiating a two-year no-layoff agreement with AFSCME. These two are the biggest hypocrites I have ever seen. MJF is right on the money. Looking forward to her education reform plan.
“Let freedom ring.” I hope everyone had a great weekend. Now we must get back to work.
This is too confusing to me. Now John Gomes calls for us to back up Ramos and he’s rubbing elbows with Ganim? Damn, talk about a mystery candidate.
As I understand it Ronin, Ganim went out of his way to rub Gomes’ elbows. It interests me too what was discussed.
Both of these guys are idiots who have no business being in public office. Do any of you realize just how much of our very hard-earned money each of these worthless pieces of whatever have wasted entirely because neither are qualified to do their job?
MJF “too much bark … ?” Is that what “what’s his name” had to say? At least she’s barking. Goes to show you the other candidates haven’t got the right stuff.
Finch AND Ramos should be arrested, never mind run out of office.
Ramos is an idiot. He makes over $200k a year and can’t solve our education problems. Hellooo? He needs to get the boot. He’s worse than Salcedo.
Salcedo got fired from her job in Florida … just to show you how inept the people who run local governments can be. And … Florida is no Mecca for education.
Mojo, I am in total agreement with your comment, “Too much bark & not enough bite from MJF is the word on the street. Is she catering too much to outside fundraising and white voters and forgetting the minority communities?” Ms. Foster must understand her press release on OIB or the Connecticut Post is not reaching the black and Latino voters. Her position is correct but those who need to hear are not and it is their children who are suffering from the lack of leadership from Superintendent of Schools John Ramos and Mayor Bill Finch.
When the Latinos and non-white people of Bridgeport start to line up to donate to MJF’s campaign maybe she won’t have to rely on the people she knows and who she knows will financially support her candidacy. She is a white, well-educated female who is successful in local commerce. It is presumptuous and arrogant to suggest she will not utilize her skills and demonstrated record of accomplishment to effect a better life for all of the people of this town.
It doesn’t take much intelligence to realize the so-called minorities vastly outnumber non-minorities in Bridgeport. Yet the amount of financial support coming to MJF or any of the candidates is negligible.
I’m not a minority as defined by whomever defines minorities. I have contributed to MJF’s campaign because I think she will represent each and every one of us equally and restore our town to a place where ALL of us can live safe, secure and with hope.
Injecting race into this election is wasted. You should be pointing fingers at Testa for permitting too many people in Bridgeport to live in abject poverty. You should be pointing fingers at Timpanelli for not knowing how to build an environment that is attractive to investors who have the power to bring jobs and then prosperity.
MJF is our best chance at ridding this town of the causes of our demise. Too bad Gomes doesn’t realize it.
YAHOOY, Mary-Jane’s people and Timpanelli’s people–same people, no?
Hector–Paul and his peeps are a bunch of ball-less wonders!
BRBC Peeps are with Finch the whole way! Now that’s a great endorsement for MJF! Si? o No?
No … Timpanelli is a leech and a fly. He has no business sense and has been milking Bridgeport for the past 20+ years. The only good thing he ever did was to get Bob Keeley (another leech and overbloated do-nothing) fired from his job as head of the Downtown Taxing District.
yahooy, you said injecting race into this election is wasted. What are you referring to?
You.
*** WHAT’S HIS NAME? *** Votes win elections not money, regardless of the election’s money difference between those who have and live out of town & taxpayers who are fed up with Bpt politics! *** HYPE ***
Ron and Mojo,
I will be contacting you. Thanks for the feedback.
Has anybody ever thought of trying to get Michelle Rhee, the lady who turned around the D.C. school system? The money Ramos is making was more than she made. She is competent and I believe available. A person who is running for the Mayor’s office is right to recall for a shakeup, but please have a legitimate replacement in mind.
Off the topic,
I want to compliment the Sanitation Dept. Every single garbage can was loaded after the weekend parties. These guys hustled their asses off. One guy spotted some trash missed at the previous stop, he ran 50 feet to retrieve it. That proves the City is still blessed with dedicated workers.
Next Tuesday at 8pm John M. Gomes, candidate for Bridgeport Mayor, will appear on the TV show “Bridgeport Now.” Among topics to be discussed, the Bridgeport BOE and CitiStat. All candidates have agreed to come on the live weekly TV program.
On tonight’s program, as Connecticut has ranked last nationally in job creation and Governor Malloy is on a job creation tour, we highlight Bridgeport’s great industrial past. Our renowned history expert will be on, as well as a relative of the aviation pioneer Gustave Whitehead who predates the Wright brothers’ first flight. “Bridgeport Now:” Ch 88, and streaming on soundviewtv.org.
Tough call for Mary-Jane. Finch and Stafstrom brought in Bellinger, but Bellinger and MJ are close friends. What to do?
What to do? She will and always does the right thing! Many are called but few are chosen 🙂
Bellinger’s late husband George wanted to be mayor. Here was a competent, intelligent, well-educated businessman who wanted to help and all he got was threatened. Barbara Bellinger is her own woman and quite competent.
Sorry Bob, but Bellinger sold her soul to Stafstrom who bragged he got her in. Stafstrom sold his soul to Finch for the bond bucks.
ctcapitolreport.com
Finch, Ramos and Flunkies have educationally bankrupted Bridgeport.
Bridgeport! Expect Great Things!!! More like “Great Un-Expectations!”
This is what happened up in Hartford. After burning through a number of qualified superintendents the state Department of Education took over the BOE. They had to. After hiring an administrator the BOE would make life difficult. Entrenched interests and all that; they didn’t want the boat to rock.
Finch will be cashed out in September. John Ramos should be fired for incompetence, but not before being horsewhipped.
Take a few moments to review who has done what to whom. I may not have all of the action, but think the following is the most essential in looking at how we got where we are:
* Money, for the education system, the lifeblood of all public activities, comes mainly from Bridgeport property taxes, State of CT ECS, and Federal and other grants.
* Naturally there are mandates (never fully funded), directives (not funded at all in some cases), and other goals or expectations that set the stage for education workers (professional and others).
* Bridgeport historically receives less money per student than many of its neighboring communities but also receives a lot more of certain funds relieving Bridgeport taxpayers of the much larger per-student expense.
* Student numbers in the system overall appear to be declining and numbers at the start of a school year tend to be higher than at any other time of the year.
* The Board of Education most recently voted 8-1 to not approve a budget. There may have been multiple reasons among the 8 for this vote, but it showed that votes could take place, the Board could reach a nearly unanimous agreement, and yet the vote did not carry out the charge for the group to have a financial plan to follow. They are the policy setters.
* Barbara Bellinger, Board Chair, is acknowledged as approving this action. As Board leader and one would assume spokesperson she has been notably silent for many months. Why so quiet when anyone could see the financial storm rising because of the Superintendent and the Mayor being on entirely different pages?
*The Mayor has supported a flat budget for education for several years while negotiating increases over time with multiple unions? Did he assume that a flat budget was a budget for excellence? Does he care? (The Mayor had the same strategy it seems with the Library. That Board had its act together at the B & A meeting. It was ready to provide funding to two neighborhoods for branch libraries at the same level as Black Rock. Is the City prepared to collaborate? Or can they only command?
* Dr. John Ramos knew for two years certain money would disappear. What was he thinking?
* The BOE has not created metrics to measure student achievement which is moved in small steps, if at all. Or if it has, no one has used them effectively (report card to City or scoreboard/billboard) to let the taxpaying community in on it.
* The BOE has not created a case for showing the work of Dr. Ramos and how it improves the Bridgeport educational challenge. Where are the metrics?
* For all of the hours of meetings with stakeholders of all description, the leaders seem not to have led, nor have they created backup planning when initial carefully laid out plans fail at some level or point.
* Parents with children and no real choice economically are paying a significant emotional price because of the failure of those in power to do their jobs fairly and equally.
* There has been significant collaborative funding for the past 4-5 years to professionally identify stumbling blocks of one kind or another in City-BOE work. It is yet incomplete in one or more parts. How can the State of CT, Paul Timpanelli and the BRBC, and the local taxpayer feel this money has been spent in a worthwhile manner? No results worthy of the time and money spent so far? Mismanagement.
* Finally, the State of CT contributes 80% of the school operating costs. Why doesn’t Malloy force the local parties to sit down, work it out and don’t leave the room until you can all sign on? Aren’t they the most informed? If State Police are put outside the door and don’t let anyone out, negotiating will move much faster, I predict.
It is political, all of it at this point despite Finch, Ramos, and Bellinger doublespeak, and that is what is hurting the kids. Face it. Deal with it. Who wants what? How to get most of what is desired for most of the people within the dollars available and settle. That is what happens in the private sector, or else. The “or else” has been missing from government activity for too long. It is changing.
What I need answered as a voter is, Mary-Jane is very close with Bellinger who has destroyed the BOE and MJ is NOT running a BOE slate or a council slate either. I’m up in the air with kids in school, how do I know MJ will change anything with her friend who Stafstrom and Finch put in the BOE in charge.
Mrs. Bellinger and Doris Fuller are not seeking reelection.
Finch, Stafstrom and Crossin are the ones who orchestrated Bellinger into becoming the baton-twirler for Finch and Ramos.
Vamos Ramos!
Finch Ficarra-ing Around with Lambeck! Finch Freezes out Fourth Estate!!! Paging Master Baden!!!
blog.ctnews.com/education/2011/07/05/questions-i-would-ask-the-mayor-if-only-hed-call-me-back/
Moses came down from the mountain with two tablets after his smoky conversation with God.
Well Sherwood came to the Budget and Appropriations committee this year with last year’s budget from Finch. Whatever Ramos expected, whatever had been discusses offstage, the City committed not one dollar in excess of the past few years.
What type of education are Bill’s kids getting? And if the school budget does not need more money, according to Bill, then why do any other City departments deserve to get any increases as has happened? And why are vacant positions funded to be “peopled” in better times, says Tom Sherwood, the messenger.
And why did no B & A member (nor any but the two who ask ‘hot questions’) ask any of the budget representatives how they would handle a lesser funding for their department? There has been no serious budget oversight for years in the City. The only consequence of this charade have been if you ask too many questions you risk removal by Tom McCarthy, and relegation to a committee of lesser overall importance to the City.
Ask your Council person how much he or she has used of their stipend this year. Rumor is more than 50% (2010 audit) has been used already, and since it’s an election year, I wonder what impulses will govern the use of these funds that do not appear to be open, accountable or transparent. Does anyone feel this taxpayer-supplied benefit to Council persons bears fruit worth the expense? Let us know. History tells us the amount was $500 per Council person and then cut to $250 per person per year when we were in financial trouble. Is it time to go back there again?
I just read the actual resolution the mayor wants the board of ed to pass. This is the greatest embarrassment in the political history of the city of Bridgeport.
They are asking the state of Connecticut to remove three board members who the majority do not like.
Any Board of Ed member who votes in favor of this resolution should tender their resignation at the same time.
They are saying they cannot do their job effectively.
RESIGN NOW. Plain and simple.
Kind of reminds me of when all the king’s horses and all of the king’s men (and quite a few of the Kings Horse’s asses) could remove one single city council member for the same reasons; he tended to speak out against the status quo.
And for the record neither did that council member nor any other attend the sensitivity training that was supposed to happen.
Only In Bridgeport.
So Finch wants to remove the three who care about the BOE and leave the six who screwed it up. Oh, I said that two days ago.
This whole thing has been a roller coaster. Maybe it’s time this board steps aside. Being a parent this is unacceptable. Board member Baraka wants to change Bassick to another name as the district burns around her. The new board member and Simmons fight in front of kids in the audience. All this in one meeting. Bridgeport deserves better.
THE PUNISHER, if you and Superintendent of Schools John Ramos and Mayor Bill Finch want Board Members Baraka and Simmons OUT there is a process in place to get rid of them; it’s called an ELECTION. The same process that will get rid of the current mayor, an ELECTION.
My comment wasn’t about any one member, but all.
THE PUNISHER, that still doesn’t change what I said, if you and Superintendent of Schools John Ramos and Mayor Bill Finch want ANY Board Member OUT there is a process in place to get rid of them; it’s called an ELECTION.
The Bridgeport BOE has been the launching pad for the political careers of numerous incompetents. With very few exceptions officials elected to represent the people of the city of Bridgeport do not fulfill the obligations and duties of their respective offices. If John Ramos is so inclined to have the state of Connecticut come in to take over the BOE (and using the state to remove three members who do not agree with his or Mayor Finch’s policies), he ought to do the children and parents of the city a favor and kill himself.