Sauda Baraka and Maria Pereira were elected to the school board in 2009 on the Connecticut Working Families Party line.
Mayor Bill Finch has made clear in recent remarks that reform of city schools–following city voters’ defeat of his November ballot question to appoint school board members–continues to be a priority including a road tour to engage parents about their education insight. Come November five school board seats are up for grabs including two occupied by the pesky Connecticut Working Families Party, Maria Pereira and Sauda Baraka who’ve been a source of irritation to Finch. Could the Democratic Party establishment recruit petitioning candidates in an effort to defeat Pereira and Baraka?
The nine-member city school board operates under state-sanctioned minority-party representation. That means three of the nine members cannot be from the controlling party, in Bridgeport’s case Democrats. For decades that meant three Republicans sat on the board until Periera and Baraka shocked Republicans by finishing ahead of GOP candidates in the general election of 2009, assisted by Democratic operatives who now regret the support. (Careful what you wish for.)
Pereira and Baraka have been a toothache to the establishment, irrespective of the mayor and Democrats on the school board controlling the votes. So “frustrated” were the mayor and controlling interests on the school board by the “dysfunction” created by Pereira and Baraka asking questions about school expenditures that the BOE dissolved itself in July of 2011 in favor of state control that was eventually overturned by the Connecticut Supreme Court, restoring local control.
The Connecticut WFP picked up another minority-party seat last November with the election of Harding High School hoop star and former NBA player John Bagley and now most school board votes are a razor-thin 5-4, controlled by Democrats. Republicans are now completely extinct from the school board in favor of the Connecticut WFP, basically an anti-establishment splinter group of the Democratic Party.
In addition to Pereira and Baraka, Democrats Tom Mulligan, Leticia Colon and Bobby Simmons are up for reelection this year. Simmons has been voting in a bloc with the Connecticut WFP. Bobby’s public enemy number one, according to the Democratic establishment, who’s highly unlikely to be endorsed by the Democratic Town Committee at the party convention in July. If that’s the case Simmons must wage a city-wide primary in September.
But how do Finch et al. take out Pereira and Baraka? They must beat them in November by either supporting Republicans or putting up opponents running as petitioning candidates or on another minority party line.
So what was shaping us a sleepy election cycle for 20 members of the Bridgeport City Council and five school board seats might become a fascinating study in how the Democratic Party establishment tries to defeat the Connecticut WFP.
Stay tuned.
Ron Mackey // Jan 2, 2013 at 9:17 pm
How Does Finch Defeat Working Families Party School Board Candidates? He doesn’t.
Baffled in Bridgeport // Jan 2, 2013 at 9:42 pm
Finch can only defeat them by conducting an honest and transparent (and inclusive) process in education reform. Think that’s going to happen??? So easy and yet so hard.
Mojo // Jan 2, 2013 at 10:48 pm
*** Only by well-planned secret deception and more taxpayers’ money along with the usual political smoke & mirrors does he stand a good chance in defeating the WFP. *** TIME WILL TELL ***
John Marshall Lee // Jan 3, 2013 at 10:44 am
Q. Does Paul Vallas, interim Superintendent (and administrative/advisory team from outside Bridgeport), successor to terminated Superintendent Ramos, represent “educational reform” in Bridgeport and to whom?
A. In less than one year “Change” in the form of:
** A five-year plan for curriculum, instruction, and academic alternatives and opportunities was formulated;
** A ‘balanced budget’ for the 2011-12 year was constructed, negotiated at multiple levels and put in place almost 10 months after it should have been completed by the previous frustrated and allegedly dysfunctional BOE with the 6-3 majority;
** The financial plan has been extended to five years, is school based for fairness and to show that dollars are focused on the youth in classrooms, includes public display of grants budgets never seen in such detail previously;
** The public has an opportunity to speak and be heard in terms of response as was not apparent in recent years. The Bridgeport Public Schools site has more factual and technical info for public information than most people realize.
** Learning materials are becoming available across the system, teachers have the prospect of training where necessary for classroom results, and technology and basic infrastructure is planned and getting ready for rollout as necessary for the plan.
Does this look like “education reform” to the Mayor? It is certainly change of significance. And change finds critics who disagree with direction or speed of implementation, or first steps necessary to take second or third steps. And there are critics who have visions without the ability to get from where we are today to some promised land.
Q. What is the Mayor implying by necessary “educational reform” that is not in play today? What does the Mayor indicate the Vision and Mission of the schools is? Are the Vision and Mission of the Bridgeport Public Schools the same? Where can we find them? Will the public listening sessions be held for all Bridgeport citizens/voters/taxpayers to attend, become informed and share viewpoints? (By the way, there is a policy and process that allows a school choice option for parents of Bridgeport youth. I do not know where to find the info, but since the Mayor has reportedly placed his child(ren) in Black Rock School though he does not live in that school district, wouldn’t it be wonderful if he publicly disclosed and posted FOR ALL PEOPLE the process, deadlines, etc.?)
A. Time will tell.
Bridgeporteur // Jan 3, 2013 at 1:18 pm
It looks like a good plan that has gotten some traction. What is Finch talking about with further reform? It’s time for the rubber to hit the road. The implementation aspect of anything is where the Mayor finds himself the proverbial fish out of water.
banmenow // Jan 3, 2013 at 2:18 pm
JML,
I have to disagree with some of your points.
· A five-year plan for curriculum instruction and academic alternatives. Vallas and team purchased new materials. Many of the new materials did not meet the curriculum. In fact the curriculum was rewritten to match the new materials. Remember a teacher’s job is to implement the curriculum with fidelity, not have fidelity to a textbook. Additionally you would be hard pressed to find any district in the USA that would start three new programs across all grades in one year. That is a formula for disaster. Furthermore, there has been little opportunity for teacher training on these new programs. Vallas also promised textbooks for all. The second marking term closes in a matter of days. This will mark the halfway point of the year. Schools are still barcoding books before giving them to students and schools are still placing orders to account for the shortfall of books. This is not change for the better.
· A balanced budget. It is easy to balance a budget when you defer payments. It still does not take away that Vallas did an initial $10.8 million no-bid contract. Seems to me this has been the way of the BOE for a long time. Not sure this is reform or change.
· Financial plan extended to five years and school based. This is change. But is it for the better? Principals now control budgets and supplies. The district no longer purchase certain technology pieces. So if you need a mouse for your computer the school has to buy it. Many principals would rather buy a case of paper. So now a computer will be down all year. The LCD projectors have bulbs that burn out. An average bulb costs $300. Many school budgets will not be used to replace the bulbs. So now most of the curriculum is online, but there are projectors that don’t work so teachers cannot project the necessary work. Not sure that is a change that is helping students or the learning and teaching process.
It is easy to change the policy and procedures. It is easy to change the textbooks used. It is hard to make changes that actually benefit the students. So far as a parent of Bridgeport Public School children, I have not seen the changes that will help the students. It is just another admin team that has lost sight of the fact it is the children who are being shortchanged.
John Marshall Lee // Jan 3, 2013 at 4:13 pm
Banmenow,
Thank you for taking the time, and words to challenge my overview. The devil is always in the detail, especially in a time of change.
** I have heard no apologists for either the old curriculum that had fourth grade students at different schools using different materials (if available) with different expectations. I am not suggesting that you approved of this either as being “for the sutdents”. If the old “current” was so diverse in terms of content and effect, perhaps you will attempt to turn it around in one year? And teacher training is critical and was it contemplated to be implemented when?
**Getting a significant publisher of school materials to provide what was ordered (and supplement orders that may have been deficient) alsong with instructional materials and resources that fit within the technology to be implemented for a period of time and to accept payment over a five year period seems to have been an “pragmatic” way to proceed. Enjoy it now and every year of the five and pay for it over 60 months in an amount comparable to the need and past expenses? I do not know the details of “no-bid” although it seems to be an adjective attached automatically to the $10 Million number. Did the bidding process allow such an exception? Is there something basically wrong with the materials themselves? Do they meet the new/coming core competence direction?
** And the nitty gritty day to day problems of running a school (a business, a church, or a government) with a local leader (principal) with a school budget will be on view for all to see how people adjust to a new environment, right? Pragmatic? Priorities? Determined by central planning or school based perception?
**Policy and Procedures at the highest level are the responsibility of the BOE if I understand the way things are structured in CT. And how the BOE and the Super interact and work for the benefit of the students is a work in progress, too. Right?
And parents reading every night with their offspring (or assisting with school work and the results acheived) and using the portals on the BPS site or chance to participate in the local school or at the BOE meetings is another part of the equation that is necessary to repeat, isn’t it?
Encouragement of students to WORK HARD at the privilege of a FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION to be completed with secondary diploma needs to be a constant within the entire community.
Respect for Board members who show up to do the work of the community respecting the education of children, and extending it to teachers, administrators, specialists, para-professionals, coaches, tutors, mentors, security, nutritional, and maintenance people is also necessary for the community to show. It is real work, necessary work and leads to a community that is proud of the invetment in and necessary work of education of youth for their future place in the community.
Our final responsibility is to become informed as you have, continue to monitor, celebrate progress wherever you discover it, and exercise patience. Time will tell.
banmenow // Jan 3, 2013 at 8:00 pm
John,
First let me say I think Bridgeport is a better place because of the work you and people like Andy do. I sincerely appreciate the time and effort you put into your watchdog activities. However, I feel you are looking at the BOE and Vallas administration with rosé colored glasses. Look, I am a resident, a parent and an employee of the BOE. So I wear different hats on many different occasions.
Do you have children in the system? How about nieces or nephews? If you don’t perhaps our perspectives and expectations are different.
Here is what I can tell you. In the past we did have several different math and reading programs in the district. We have a high rate of students who transfer from one school to another during the year. Having one program in one school and a different program in the next had its challenges. However remember the loyalty is not to the program but to the curriculum. No matter which program a school was using they were using it as a tool to teach the curriculum. The new school is also teaching the curriculum. So although it would be nice if the student could use the same text in every school, the text is just the tool used to teach the curriculum.
Not much has changed even with the standardization of a text. A student recently arrived in my school from another Bridgeport school and was six weeks behind compared to where we were in the text. Those issues will always exist.
The fact we illegally purchased ten million dollars worth of materials is troublesome. I hold no ill will towards the new materials. Again the curriculum is the driving force and the goal, not the text. However, if you want to purchase new programs let’s do it through the proper bidding process and get input from parents and teachers.
Another item you might be misled on is the implementation of these programs. You can’t do justice to three new programs in one year. We will lose good teachers because it is overwhelming even for veteran teachers and there has been little to no support.
Another issue is the rigor of the new programs. Please don’t misunderstand, the common core is coming and as a parent I like the rigor of the common core. But there was no gradual introduction or staggered implementation. We went full speed ahead. We went from asking students to walk to asking them to run a marathon with no time to prepare.
The new programs have required teachers to back map three grade levels. So if you teach fifth grade math, you will spend a good part of the year going over fourth-, third- and second-grade math. The district only gave materials for fifth grade. All other grade levels have to be gotten online. Easy if the computers and projectors work. Easy if the printers work. Easy if you have copy paper and working copy machines. The reality: broken computers, burnt-out projectors, shared printers and no copy paper. All a result of site-based budgeting.
John, I don’t doubt your motives. I know you want change. God knows the schools have to change. If we keep doing what we are doing the results will be the same. We can no longer accept the results we have been getting. Change is hard and growing is painful. But change for the sake of change is often wasted energy. If we are going to suffer through change let’s make sure the change is worthwhile and the children are the ones enjoying the rewards from the change. So far from my perspective the children are still suffering and the admin team is taking care of themselves and friends.
We desperately need reform. But sometimes people are fooled into believing real reform is taking place when it is not. Remember, a pig wearing lipstick is still a pig.
John Marshall Lee // Jan 4, 2013 at 10:46 am
banmenow,
I have no children in the system but have been a mentor for over 13 years now to male students of middle and high school ages. Currently my mentee is in his junior year at Central Magnet and I have tracked pluses and minuses with respect to his Bridgeport school career from the perspective of my previous experience with public and private institutions.
I am happy to hear the specific problems, issues and concerns you reference. Raising the issues call for responses in any system. Hopefully they are being approached in a responsible and professional manner to benefit all students.
Keep your OVERSIGHT glasses on the subject and keep the community informed. I believe there are enough people who are concerned with producing improved results within the system today. To the extent the public school system uses OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE and TRANSPARENT governance and posts targets, methodology and results as information for all, we are already ahead of where we were previously. Patiently keep us informed of how things look from where you stand. Voices with opinions are welcome, but voices of integrity with current facts are even more welcome because it is truthful assessments of where we are and how we got here that have power. Time will tell.
Joel Gonzalez // Jan 3, 2013 at 11:57 am
Can the Working Family Party win City Council seats? “… Connecticut WFP, basically an anti-establishment splinter group of the Democratic Party.”
Bridgeporteur // Jan 3, 2013 at 1:15 pm
How does someone who wants to implement change approach the WFP and whom?
Joel Gonzalez // Jan 3, 2013 at 1:27 pm
The first step would be to raise $1 million from rich friends.
Second, hire friends like Lydia Martinez and Americo Santiago to handle 1000 ABs.
Third, lie like hell to the voters.
Jim Callahan // Jan 3, 2013 at 3:28 pm
I’m going to be a little bit of a devil: What’s to stop the WFP from challenging the Democrats for City Council?
There are almost always a few seats that are cherry for picking. Why waste your time in a machine-controlled Democratic primary? Republicans aren’t going anywhere in the 131, 137 and 139. Go for the gold in the general election? My crocodile eye would be on a couple other districts as well, just for chuckles.
John Marshall Lee // Jan 3, 2013 at 4:19 pm
Callahan,
Shameful of you to be so devilish so early in the year. What do most City Council members have to brag about to their constituents?
Their knowledge of City finances that causees taxpayers to be frustrated and upset? NOT!
Their regular communication with all constituents where they listen and formally represent solutions? NOT!
Their vision and mission statements annually to their constituents? Are you kidding?
Their use of stipends and accountability for funds and activities to the public? NOT!
Need I continue? …
The Council members are vulnerable when the community becomes informed. And what if some “old-timers” featured instructional sessions like: RUNNING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL 101? Time will tell.
BlackRockGuy // Jan 3, 2013 at 5:53 pm
Maria and Sauda have done an outstanding job on the Board of Ed, Finch got what was coming to him with his sleazy move to change the City Charter. The voters are on to him. I would not be surprised if several WF, petition candidates or other minor parties win seats on the Council, as the last election showed the people are fed up with Finch. Even some of Finch’s allies on the Board opposed the Charter revision.
barry soitera // Jan 4, 2013 at 11:00 am
Oh by the way, Working Families Party is a communist group. Do your homework, please, someone.
BlackRockGuy // Jan 4, 2013 at 6:23 pm
barry, I think you should stop smoking teabags.