Larcheveque Bows Out, Republicans Endorse Candidates For School Board

Board of Education Chair Joe Larcheveque Thursday night rejected pleas from Republican Party operatives to seek another four-year term at the GOP convention in which candidates for school board, city sheriff and City Council were endorsed. Citing family commitments and frustration with school board dysfunction, Larcheveque opted out.

Republicans endorsed for school board sitting member John Weldon, 2015 petitioning mayoral candidate Chris Taylor and Black Rock realtor Diane Rello to four-year terms. They also endorsed to fill out the four-year term vacancy of Kevin McSpirit who was replaced by Weldon, per appointment by Mayor Joe Ganim, former board member Jim Carbone. This is a bizarre school board cycle because of the state law the City Attorney’s Office cited, and won a court challenge, for the mayor to fill school board vacancies if the board does not act within 30 days. See background here. Rello, say sources, may be just a placeholder until the GOP can figure out the number of candidates it may run this cycle.

Under state-mandated minority-party representation no party can hold more than six school board seats in Bridgeport. So if the Dems occupy six that leaves three others to the Republicans, the Connecticut Working Families Party or petitioning/independent candidacies.

In an unexpected move, Republicans placed on the ballot for city sheriff the GOP’s highest vote producer the past decade, three-time mayoral candidate Rick Torres. The party dumped Joe McClaine who GOP operatives say was an inactive participant in favor of Torres. Torres joins incumbent GOP sheriffs Mike Garret, the town chair, and Michael Moretti as the candidates. Democrats and Republicans, per city charter, are allowed three city sheriff positions for each party elected to two-year terms. They have the authority to serve legal papers within the city.

Democrats will endorse candidates Monday at Testo’s Restaurant.

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27 comments

  1. No party can nominate more than three BOE candidates per the City Charter.

    No where in Judge Lopez’ comprehensive legal opinion did the charter or a state statute state that a fourth BOE candidate can be named if there was a vacancy to be filled for tge remainder of a term.

    Each party endorses three with tge top vote getters in November filling the vacancy because the statute states a vacancy must be filled before full term seats are filled.

    Where does the charter or any statute state that a candidate must be nominated specifically to fill a vacancy.

    Mary Jane Foster ran four BOE candidates in 2011 and her petitions were disqualified by Ayala for exceeding the three BOE candidate maximum. MJF was placed back on the ballot by Judge Bellis, however one of her four BOE candidates was forced to withdraw.

    Any attempt to allow any party to endorse four BOE candidates needs to be challenged.

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  2. Joe Larcheveque never initiated a single policy, program, initiative, budget savings or revenue generating idea. Not a single one in four years.

    He did however, do every single thing Danny Roach directed him to do, voted to allow Mayor Finch to violate the MBR, supported any city initiative that hurt our 21,000 student while benefitting the City, joined Dennis Bradley,Fran Rabinowitz, and the charlatan law firm of Shipman and Goodwin in abdicating his statutory obligation to 21,000 students by joining a boycott, voted to build Harding High School on the largest brownfield site in CT, voted for a MOU with the City of Bridgeport where we would pay for crossing guards, refuse pick-up, snow removal at a cost of $2.2 million dollars which should have been used to help our students in the classroom, voted to not charge the Lighthouse Program $500,000 for supplies, utilities, custodial overtime, etc. While we are facing another $9 to $11 million in cuts, and we just picked up an additional $200,000 in costs to pay for bus transportation and special ed. costs for a Capital Prep. expansion we received less than two weeks notice to find the funds for, voted to disband the Parent Advisory Executive Board after 45 years of existence because they were publicly criticizing him and his colleagues, The DPAC and SPACS are currently in complete shambles, etc.

    This is Joe Larcheveque’s record on the school board, and his party pleaded with him to run again?

    The Republican Party is a bought and paid for subsidiary of the corrupt Democratic machine. They are not an opposition party and play along as long as the administration throws them a few crumbs. They are not respected in any way, shape or form and demonstrate ZERO leadership on a single issue plaguing Bridgeport.

    My only regret is that I spent over 100 hours pulling the minutes, his attendance and voting record in preparation for an opposition campaign, and now we won’t be able to use it.

    Weldon ran for office in 2009 and 2015 and could not win. He has yet to offer a single policy, initiative, program, revenue or savings suggestion, has let critical referrals sit in his committee unaddressed, voted to let Lighthouse off the hook for $500,0000 While we are facing $9 to $11 million dollar in budget cuts while not attending a single Finance Committee Meeting, however, he did vote to obligate the board to pay $456,000 to the City of Bridgeport to pay 50% of these SRO costs without seeing or reading the federal grant in question.

    In fact, I have filed two FOI requests with Larcheveque to supply the board with the name of the federal grant or a copy of the grant. Larcheveque has yet to respond in violation of the FOIA. In addition, when I asked Mr. Larcheveque had he seen or read the federal grant that he expected the BOE to partner in and redirect $456,000 in scare financial resources to offset 50% of salary costs in four years, he replied “no” as he turned bright red.

    This is the Republican Party of Bridgeport.

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  3. You are nasty. The guy is leaving I don’t see where bashing him now helps anyone except yours. You have a motto of going after eberyone. Seeing that you appointed yourself BBOE Queen just what is your claim to fame? Yeah I know you and you alone won 7 elections in your district. Lets look at the candidates you endorsed and supported. Paoletta, Smith,Fonseca 2 am I right so far? Now you don’t like any of them. Maria please move or get a rent in another district?You fucked this one up

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    1. Andy,
      How many hours did you spend in coming up with your “fact based” research and summary? Were you demonstrating a case where less seems to be more? What sort of sadness are you feeling? Time will tell.

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  4. Maria I am sad>> Watching what is going on in this entire city. I am sad watching you and a small group of know nothings ruining what was an educational system that has been tasked with the impossible and that is to be mother, father and teacher to kids that even the parents don’t care about.
    Maria you have turned a noble position into a rattlesnake pit with your constant negativity. With that being said I have talked to teachers in every school and they all say the same thing they are left out on an island and use their own money in many occasions to keep the kids educated. The principals in many schools have the proper credentials but not the brains to run a large school. You and I know they were put there to have the proper numbers. The list goes on and on with you PLEASE MOVE

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  5. *** Once again, another ex-BOE member deciding he’s had enough of the thankless job of pushing political shit against the educational tide. Many have been there and have gone without the Bpt. School System improving to the point of acceptable quality public education! And leave it to beaver, (Bi-polar Mary) to throw stones, re-guard less of living in a B.O.E- glass house personal history debacle, past & present. ***

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    1. Mojo,

      Larcheveque has been part of the problem. He is another in a long line of people that have put the wishes of the mayor’s administration and party insiders over the needs of the students and their families. For over 30 years Board of Education members have been doing the bidding of a corrupt out of towner, Mario Testa. The vast majority of non-certified positions in the BOE are filled as political patronage. Jobs such as custodian should be done through a civil service exam. There has not been a civil service exam in years for these positions.

      Andy,

      Paoletta, Smith, and the Fonsecas all went against their promises.

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      1. Eric at one time and not 30 years ago the board was led by Mike Bisciglia a Republican and things got done and the system ran smoothly. You can kiss M’s ass all you want but this board sucks and gets nothing done.

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        1. Andy, good point and the Republicans were in the minority but Mike Bisciglia a Republican was always elected to run the BBOE. I worked at the Bridgeport Brass Company and Mike was the Vice President and we were on the company’s United Fund together and I was also on union’s negotiation team and grievance committee so Mike and I got to talk about the BBOE and other City issues. I would tell Mike that he needed to run for mayor but he would smile and say no. Mike Bisciglia was always a real gentlemen and honest who cared about the school children in Bridgeport who was able to truly get along everybody. Later on Mike got position at the University of Bridgeport.

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          1. So when did the schools start to fall apart? Tom Mulligan tells heremembers listening to the radio with his parents the schools shouting the city didn’t give the schools enough money. It’s well known and reported the schools are now full of patronage jobs, and Mario is the final say on who is hired. 20 years ago, according to many Bridgeport graduates, the schools were just fine, they had few issues. Enter charter schools, out of the influence of Marios job placement machine and a few people want to destroy their reputation. The state just approved expanding the charter schools state wide, including Bridgeport. Obama supported school choice. The CT legislation is certainly not a republican majority. In this instance, which money to follow, tax payer funded schools full of patronage jobs, or the tax incentives given to outside investors willing to invest capital into urban failing schools?

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          2. Me. Buchanan, please stop posting about public education, because you are clearly not knowledgeable about it.

            Because of the budget impasse, Governor Malloy signed an Executive Order releasing over $5,000,000 for the 500 charter school seats. Malloy has received millions from the same white millionaires and billionaires that invest in charter schools. Jonathan Sackler, his wife and his parents donated $200,000 alone to Malloy’s reelection. They maxed to his campaign,the DTC, the National DTC, etc.

            A “few” people want to destroy their reputation? Their own data, results, fraud, theft, etc. ruin their reputation. The number of well respected educators, researchers, reputable studies, etc. have repeatedly opposed them on a variety of fronts.

            And, Tom Mulligan is your great source of information, one of the greatest Democratic political hacks that ever graced Bridgeport. Please.

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        2. Yes, I remember Mr. Bisciglia.

          The bottom line is as white flight started in this city so did the concern for how good or bad the schools were. Once this town became majority black and brown, and we did not take responsibility for educating our children the shame is on us for failing them.

          Shame on you for thinking that everything was hunky dory 30 years ago…of course 30 years ago you were working and getting what you could from the city.

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          1. Eric, you wrote, “The bottom line is as white flight started in this city so did the concern for how good or bad the schools were. Once this town became majority black and brown, and we did not take responsibility for educating our children.” Eric, Bridgeport did then what they are doing now, the continuation of just the public school system and not looking into other systems of educating or experimenting with other systems like charter schools. Today the loudest mouth around in the BBOE is a white female who doesn’t give a dam about blacks and black students. Maria stuck on public education only even though that system is a failure, Maria doesn’t care.

            Eric, I notice that you are quick to point out the failure of others but you say nothing about the failures of Maria Pereira. I wonder why.

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      2. So they went against what Maria wanted. BFD!! What if what they voted for was better and more advantages than what Maria wanted. Should the screw the rest of the city to please Maria? Get a fucking clue

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    2. My name is “Maria” not “Mary”.

      Every single vote I listed is factual. The minutes and voting record of each meeting is easily accessible.

      Please point out the specific example or examples that I referenced which are not accurate. More than happy to recheck my assertions. I am also more than happy to apologize for any inaccurate information I posted regarding Mr. Larcheveque.

      Mr. Larcheveque has consistently stood with the corrupt Democratic politicians instead of working with the four BOE members that stood against Testa, Finch, Ganim, Roach, etc. In fact, all the Republicans have. Annette would sometimes show these bright streaks of independence, but then she would just fold.

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  6. Jennifer, you sum up the past history  good. I was at one time totally against school choice and charter schools because I thought that it would take money from the public schools and jobs from union workers. That was then and this is now, I believe in strong unions but we are in a crisis in Bridgeport and in black communities across America and the same old ways are not working. The American way of public education has not change with the social and financial conditions in the black communities and there is a cry for help but we are still being given the old and stale food of the public school system and that’s a failure. Charter schools might not be the answer but we sure know that the public school system is not working in Bridgeport. There are some charter schools in New York and I would think the unions could work to find alternate ways to educate children.  

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    1. Ron, I agree with you. The DTC machine has a strong hold on voters in Bridgeport because of patronage jobs, which are union protected positions, and their driving force does not appear to be improving the services your tax dollars provide, especially public education. Like you, I don’t know if Charter Schools is the answer, I would argue, current parents certainly think so, considering the number of applications and students on waiting lists to attend the charter schools. Unlike CT, the money follows the students in Indiana. In our small community there is 1 charter elementary school, it opened because the community wanted to keep their small local county school, rather than consolidating into the larger city school. While it was not without controversy and arguments, when the dust settled, neither the citizens or BOE fight this, they actually work together to support what the citizens want.

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  7. Ron Mackey, no one cares about your opinion on public education because you can’t speak intelligently on the topic. For heaven’s sake, you can’t spell or punctuate, therefore NO one of reasonable intelligence will defer to your opinion.

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    1. Maria, speak for yourself, you understand everything I say no matter how it’s written. Maria there have been a number of people on OIB who totally don’t agree with you and have said so. I can truly say that I do have friends but that’s something that you can’t say. You don’t have friends on the BBOE do you? Sauda Baraka and Howard Gardner are not your friends, in fact all you do is bad mouth people.

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