Foster To State Ed Chief: Better Way To Supervise Schools

From Democratic mayoral candidate Mary-Jane Foster

Foster Calls on Education Commissioner for “New Approach” to Takeover

Democratic candidate for mayor of Bridgeport Mary-Jane Foster hand delivered a letter to Commissioner of Education George Coleman this morning and asked for a ‘new approach’ to the education situation in Bridgeport. The letter appealed to the Commissioner to stop pursuing a ‘reconstituted’ school board approach and offered that if they were truly concerned with the Constitutional ramifications of their actions, the Commissioner’s office would pursue ‘the state takeover option’ of seeking a special magistrate and a vote by the Connecticut General Assembly. The benefits of this approach are ‘transparency’ and a transparent transaction where Bridgeport would receive money allocated by the General Assembly.

“The new authority should reflect the city of Bridgeport in terms of diversity and in terms of being heavily weighted by parents,” stated Foster. “I am offended by the idea that bureaucrats in Hartford would determine what is best for our children and not include the parents of those children. We have already seen evidence of that in how this was carried out. We should not allow our parents and children’s voices to be lost in the plan going forward.”

In addition, Foster offered several ideas to Commissioner Coleman if the State refuses to consider slowing their efforts to usurp the school board and Bridgeport’s right to local rule and control.

Campaign Manager Jason Bartlett, a former state representative who worked on these issues in the Connecticut legislature said, “Since they will be coming back to special session to work on State budget matters, there really is no reason that the General Assembly could not hold hearings and draft legislation to correct what I believe are extra constitutional actions taken by the State school board and endorsed by Bridgeport’s mayor and local board of education. Setting aside elections is not good precedent in the State of Connecticut. There are better actions available on the table and we should take a breath and consider those. Mary-Jane Foster is right to offer these corrections and we hope the commissioner is listening.”

The letter to Commissioner Coleman follows:

July 8, 2011

The Honorable George Coleman
Interim Commissioner of Education
165 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106

Dear Commissioner Coleman,

I am writing to express my disappointment and dissatisfaction with the recent State Board of Education vote to reconstitute our Bridgeport Board of Education under Public act 10-111, Sec. 21-h of the Connecticut General Statutes. I am also including my recommendations for going forward in order to achieve the best outcomes on behalf of the children of Bridgeport.

In your capacity as Commissioner, I appeal to your sense of fairness and call upon you to use your authority to safeguard a process where politics has no place. The State Board’s vote and any appointment of members will set aside past and future elections by the voters of Bridgeport. Silencing the voice and will of our citizenry has no place in government. Connecticut Public Act, subsection (d) of section (21) provides for the State takeover of municipal Board of Education in case of either consistently failing schools, or “any special act, charter or ordinance granting the Commissioner of Education the authority to reconstitute the local or regional board.” Such a law arbitrarily supersedes the authority of an elected board, effectively removing the democratic process from the education of Bridgeport’s children. When action as dramatic as this takeover occurs, we all have an increased obligation to protect the process to insure transparency, inclusiveness, and equity. To date, that is not the legacy of this action.

The proponents of the takeover have said our board is dysfunctional. But a cursory review of the Board of Education minutes reflects a very common 6-3 majority vote. In addition, the Mayor and Superintendent of schools have enough control of the Board that the Superintendent’s recommendation to not pass the budget won by an 8-1 vote. The Board functions regularly if not always harmoniously–so goes a robust democracy.

Furthermore, the State Board failed to follow procedural rules of Section 21-h, subsection (d) by failing to require the local board to complete training described in subparagraph (M) of subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of the same section.

Please explain why Bridgeport could not have been handled in the same manner as the state takeover of Windham, which recently occurred. The statute provides due process and notice and, in practice, local commitment to change as well as accountability. It is sanctioned by and voted on by the General Assembly. It is my belief that the General Assembly action would have been fairer and come with significant dollars and/or resources needed to assure better outcomes and change.

Finally, what is your timeline should you move forward with appointments?

I would like to make the following recommendations:

· No incumbent Board members should be appointed;

· Board of Education must reflect the diversity of the city of Bridgeport;

· New Board members should include parents of Bridgeport schoolchildren; and a

· Majority are Bridgeport residents.

I believe that the residents, parents, and children of Bridgeport deserve to be heard and respectfully request that the entire State Board of Education hold a public hearing for such purpose next week in the city of Bridgeport.

Thank you for your consideration of these ideas and I look forward to hearing your response.

Sincerely,

Mary-Jane Foster

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22 comments

  1. “Furthermore, the State Board failed to follow procedural rules of Section 21-h, subsection (d) by failing to require the local board to complete training described in subparagraph (M) of subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of the same section.”

    The State Board by not following the statute sets up an interesting legal challenge by being arbitrary and capricious.

    Below is the citing of the case law.

    “A clear error of judgment; an action not based upon consideration of relevant factors and so is arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion or otherwise not in accordance with law or if it was taken without observance of procedure required by law. 5 USC. 706(2)(A) (1988).”

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  2. I bet Coleman is thrilled to not only have this dropped in his lap, but also to have a mayoral candidate who never attended a boe meeting telling him what to do.

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  3. There you go again talking out of your ass. Ms. Foster has been to several BOE meetings. In fact you saw and acknowledged seeing her this past Tuesday night.

    What is more disturbing and what you should be meowing about is Tom Mulligan was named to the Bored of Ed and had never attended a meeting as a long-time council person and former City Clerk. This in spite of the parent group’s protestations.

    Anyone but FINCH! Let us be ONE with FOSTER!

    Paging Education First???

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  4. What’s happened here is there used to be a site where spirited debate was welcomed. Now you read what is posted by LG and then click off.
    This has become an all-MJ site and if you bring up debate you get thumped by the 4 or 5 people who still read this. Poor LG has lost tons of readers because of this. I attend every BOE meeting as a concerned parent and a single father. MJ was NEVER at a BOE meeting until this past week while Gomes NEVER missed one over the last year, this is fact but of course I’m talking out of my ass. I never formally met Gomes until the other night at Burroughs and I also met MJ’s new manager that night, she wasn’t there. I noticed Ms. Curry has given up posting and Gomes pulled his advertisement. Not good for business obviously and LG can’t be happy. Good luck MJ, hope you and Gomes get together for the betterment of BPT.

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    1. Chosen 1, I don’t think OIB has become a Mary-Jane Foster site. I think the people who read this blog and post here realize she is the best answer to Bridgeport’s future.

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    2. For someone who attended every BOE meeting one would think we would have heard more from Gomes and the BOE problems.
      Attending a meeting and not participating in the meeting at public-speaking portion means nothing. How many times did Gomes address the BOE? Zero.

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      1. tc,
        How many meetings did you attend?
        MJ attended 0 ’til last week. Finch … 0 in his life but yet in Hartford he lied and said he was there as a proud parent … his son rapped I don’t like cops they hate my pops, proud parent Bill?
        Again I bring up points and an MJer jumps on me and Gomes.
        For the last time … I am for change, both of them together, although the MJ camp on here is getting way too negative for me.

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        1. I attended no BOE meetings and never pretended I did. I did attend every meeting of the Budget and Appropriations committee and have actively pursued FOI requests for pension information. The problem with many of your posts are they have no basis in fact.

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  5. Here is a direct quote from mayor Finch on what is happening in the BOE.
    “What good does it do putting people running for office in charge of our children?” Finch said. “They’re probably more interested in getting re-elected sometimes than fixing what’s broken.”
    DOES ANYTHING ELSE NEED TO BE SAID?

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  6. “his son rapped I don’t like cops they hate my pops,” Hey, quit stealing my material.

    On a side note. You have been the one who has been very untoward MJF with snarky comments. I, for one or maybe three, have consistently never questioned John’s integrity.

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  7. town committee, here is a direct quote from mayor Finch on what is happening in the BOE.
    “What good does it do putting people running for office in charge of our children?” Finch said. “They’re probably more interested in getting re-elected sometimes than fixing what’s broken.”

    Well Andy, I think Mayor Finch was talking about Bill Finch and not the BOE.

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