UPDATE: Former Board of Education member Maria Pereira, a controversial presence in her battle against the political establishment, has resigned from the Connecticut Working Families Party announcing “because the Working Families Party has indicated its intention to support the re-election of Governor Dannel Malloy, I cannot be a part of or associated with any such effort.”
Pereira has been critical of Malloy’s education agenda as well as his support for the state takeover of schools in 2011 that was overturned by the Connecticut Supreme Court. Malloy was endorsed by the WFP in 2010. Tom Foley received more votes on the Republican line than Malloy received on the Democratic line. The WFP votes made the difference. Running on the WFP line, Pereira was elected to the school board in 2009 and served one four-year term. She had also served as the Bridgeport WFP chair.
Excerpt from Maria Pereira’s resignation letter:
However, because the Working Families Party has indicated its intention to support the re-election of Governor Dannel Malloy, I cannot be a part of or associated with any such effort.
I believed that with a Democrat in the Governor’s Office, for the first time in two decades, those of us who were working for better educational outcomes for public school students in our urban centers would find a supportive and encouraging governor.
How wrong I was!
One of Governor Malloy’s first efforts was to disenfranchise the voters of Bridgeport by installing a corporate Board of Education. By trampling upon the democratic process, Governor Malloy exhibited his disdain and contempt for the people of the City of Bridgeport and proved that he is a willing accomplice of the corporate educational establishment.
I had hoped for a governor who would work with the elected Board of Education. Instead, we were subjected to a hostile takeover, the arrogance of a corporate board, and contempt for the Rule of Law.
I believe that the hard working men and women of the City of Bridgeport are as fully capable as their counterparts in Fairfield and Stratford, of electing their own leaders. Governor Malloy has demonstrated that he does not share this belief.
Therefore, in light of your support of the re-election of Governor Malloy, I cannot be associated with or be a part of the Working Families Party in any way.
Please consider this letter my formal resignation from the Connecticut Working Families State Committee effective immediately.
News release from WFP responding to Pereira’s resignation:
On Sunday, March 30th, former Bridgeport Board of Education Member Maria Pereira resigned from the Connecticut Working Families Party State Committee. Maria has been a tireless champion for students and parents in Bridgeport since 2009, and we wish her success organizing parents to advocate for strong public schools for all children. We have been proud to work with her on these issues over the years, and are optimistic we will find each other as partners again in the future as we all work for quality public education.
Maria cites the upcoming gubernatorial election as a reason for her break with the party. The Working Families Party has a rigorous and democratic process for choosing our nominees, and there is lively debate within the Working Families Party about the best choice for us this year. But the party has not made any endorsement yet and any speculation that we have a candidate selected in advance is simply false.
The Working Families Party looks at the records of all the candidates, regardless of political party, and endorses the one who will stand up for working-class, middle-class and poor families. The process starts with an extensive questionnaire on topics ranging from the right to organize a union in the workplace, to fair wages and benefits, to protecting public education. This year, the Working Families Party will also hold a candidates’ forum for our members to hear from and publicly question candidates seeking our endorsement. Our leadership and members will also hold interviews with interested candidates. Only after all of this will the state committee officially decide whether or not to endorse a candidate for Governor, and which.
As has always been the case, the Working Families Party will endorse the candidate who will be the most effective advocate for policies that benefit hardworking families across the state. We’ve always been clear about our values. On some issues, like education, we have disagreed with the Governor. On others, like paid sick days, organizing rights, and the minimum wage, we have aligned with him. There will be extensive discussion and debate as the Working Families Party decides how to proceed with our endorsements.
A vote on the Working Families line counts for the best candidate, but also sends a message to Democrats and Republicans that it’s time to put working families first. It is a vote for an economy that works for all of us, not just the rich and powerful. Voting on the Working Families line lets people support for the values they believe in and still impact the election. It is a protest vote that actually counts.
Taken from the story on CT Post:
Taylor Leake, a party spokesman, said Working Families Party’s Bridgeport town committee was also recently shut down because z”elections are over and we no longer need to raise money for municipal elections.”
Shutting down BPT town committee? Wasn’t that basically a committee of one? Maria?
So it looks like WFP will likely endorse Malloy again and she despises him. WFP statement says it all–they have disagreed with him on education, but agree on other issues. That means they are willing to compromise. Compromise is not in Maria’s vocabulary.
I think this is probably the culmination of events for which the WFP is not happy to be associated with her. MP’s recent DTC election behavior, the way she has treated people, and perhaps some of her actions with the BOE (Bagley puppeteer, manipulating speaker sign-up sheets).
Maybe they decided she was starting to dirty their image.
Lifelong,
You hit the nail on the head.
I completely agree, not only is she an embarrassment to herself, but she is an embarrassment to everything she is affiliated with.
And “I” bet you think every single OIB reader and poster agrees totally with you on this. If your opinion is true, why was Maria Pereira singlehandedly able to convince a good amount of voters to split their votes or not vote for three people who spent a good amount of time campaigning within a pretty strong and experienced group? Never mind, your brain melted a long time ago.
The WFP won despite Maria, not because of her. Don’t kid yourself into thinking the WFP didn’t have a good deal of experience and money behind them. If the DTC only had $40K to play with and spent $35K on a research company out of Oregon, they didn’t spend much on the election. The WFP didn’t win the election, the DTC lost. People are simply tired of the status quo. The old crew did too many things wrong. Unfortunately, the WFP doesn’t seem to do anything right.
Your point is valid. However, the Democrats hid the fact they paid this company and didn’t report the money spent. So what makes you think the only money they spent was what they reported as having spent and raised? It’s the Machine we are talking about here. I’ve never said and never heard anyone call it The Clean Machine.
Kiss her ass much, Joel? Maybe you need a new ChapStick by now. And yes, I’m sure most people who post here agree with my opinion about her.
Do you know the flavor of the ChapStick I use? It’s Godiva Chocolate flavor. If most people do agree with you, it’s because most of them never held office with people who come in to meetings with instructions on how to vote, what to say or stay quiet as to not make a fool of themselves in ways that would have made Maria Pereira shine by comparison. If only half your brain hadn’t melted …
Lifelong Bpt, it’s called the lesser of two evils. It’s better to deal with the devil you know than devil you don’t know.
I know that saying, Ron. I am more in favor of defeating the devil you know and start on the next one. 😉
By that logic, you would always have a butthead in office because you are never try anything new. Good thing you are a Democrat. You’re used to it.
Tell that to the religious organizations supporting these devils. You think just like them–the machine operators. It’s basically the same reasoning I heard from the Ganim Administration when I questioned why the same developers were getting every contract and deal.
“Because they’ve done good work for us,” was always the answer. Following that logic, I’d ask, How would you know others won’t do better or equal work if you never give them the opportunity? Maybe you have a better answer than the ones I keep getting–one that won’t raise even deeper questions.
So am I supposed to believe Maria resigned from the WFP because of the upcoming governor’s race? It isn’t even a two-pony race yet and the WFP hasn’t endorsed anyone yet.
Or did she resign because she is pissing more and more people off and people are distancing themselves from her?
Or could it be it is because very serious election violation accusations have been filed with the state?
Could it be the party is being damaged by her and they want to distance themselves?
Just wondering!!!
barney,
You also just hit the nail on the head.
If I had a hammer!
She has a natural talent of tarnishing everything she gets involved with. I’m no fan of WFP, but they are certainly better off without her.
Damage control is ever a consideration for an institution or a structure. That is especially true where there are applicable rules, a variety of watchdogs and consequences.
No one disagrees with the image of Maria “The Campaigner” as true and bearing some success. But the success was enabled by what behavior? Was it reported by a watchdog? Are there rules and consequences? And doesn’t it come down to who are your friends or who has your back? WFP looked like a party but maybe at this moment it has been more of a group with a political aim? So what rules apply to it, if any? And if it visited the City and found discontent among parents, taxpayers and voters, well is the cause of discontent removed? Likely, not yet. What will cause the public to speak up or seek a different champion or cause? Time will tell.
Pereira’s an embarrassment, but then again so is Malloy.
Malloy! Mal hoy, mañana y siempre.
This is the message that needs to be passed on in the Hispanic community. Maria Pereira is bilingual and has the courage to do just that.
I hope those who counted themselves as being on the opposite side (“the opposition”) aren’t trying to use Maria Pereira to justify your support for Malloy. What Malloy or the Democratic Party is asking WFP is to leave the past behind. I would do that if it were about a few minor disagreements. This is about the Democratic Party bosses going too far for too long in the wrong direction.
Joel–
Notes on a couple of points you made.
1) WFP had financial backing of teacher’s union for BOE election.
2) Dems wasted that money spent on searching for data. Much of it is in the public record (court documents, etc.)
3) Perhaps the “Maria is bilingual” was tongue in cheek … she is not Spanish and does not speak Spanish.
Outside of the difference in opinion on Education–which the WFP acknowledged–they are in agreement on other Malloy items that support workers (min wage,etc).
Bottom line–and others have stated it–she is my way or the highway. She could have stayed active with WFP on other issues involving the community (sick days–she helped protest FOR that, which was a good thing). But what is happening is fewer people want to work with her. Why would Malloy want to tell WFP to leave the past behind? They supported him in the last election.
Joel–She’s Portuguese … now about that ChapStick.
In 1972 we lost the show “Bewitched” starring Elizabeth Montgomery. In 2014 we lost the show “Webitched” starring Maria Pereira.
Does this mean the BOE can think for themselves now without being threatened anymore?
If the WFP were going to field more candidates as Democrats, wouldn’t they have to be loyal to the WFP and quit the WFP first? Pereira for mayor, DTC vs Carmen Lopez, WFP vs Enrique Torres (R), maybe?
No doubt there is more to the story, jumped before pushed is the most likely scenario.
So many people felt her anger, if she backed you she felt she owned you.
She was in a position to do great things but it was her way or the highway and she never met a fight she didn’t like.
Politics is about compromise and give and take and doing what’s best for whom you represent, not having tunnel vision and anger issues.
There was no Pereira without the WFP and she bit the hand that fed her, which is fine here in Bpt as we don’t need the WFP here.
Why is the Working Families Party doing the explanation and announcement of Maria Pereira’s resignation? Does Maria Pereira feel the Working Families and poor people of Bridgeport don’t need to hear from their former leader?
“Maria cites the upcoming gubernatorial election as a reason for her break with the party.” Lennie, who are you quoting here? Does this mean Maria Pereira is leaning Republican? I mean if her resignation has to do with the gubernatorial election or the governor himself, why not drop out of the Democratic Party? The problem here isn’t the WFP or the Republican Party. The problem is the WFP cross-endorsed Malloy and a whole list of Democrats and it’s obvious to many they simply made the wrong decision. I’m sure Maria Pereira feels the same as many of us do–Malloy’s agenda has been nothing but a total disappointment and a failure. That’s what happens when you have a one-party system. WFP needs to realize they are not a Party in true definition of the word and concept of Political Party. They’re more like a PAC. I voted for Tom Foley and Working Families just spoiled what could have been.
Joel–
I’m willing to bet WFP issued that statement because they had to. I bet the letter was sent to CT Post (they had it too) either before or at same time as it went to WFP. Their statement is more reactionary, especially when it comes to the Malloy endorsement. They spend a lot of time on that part and very little on the actual resignation.
blog.ctnews.com/education/2014/03/31/maria-and-working-family-party-break-up-over-malloy/
Hey guys and gals, Lennie fell short on his reporting, here is Pelto’s blog post with Maria Pereira’s letter of resignation. Much admiration for her courage to stand up for her principles and saying it like it is and like it has been. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice …
jonathanpelto.com/2014/03/31/key-bridgeport-activist-battle-stop-education-reform-industry-leaves-working-families-party/
After reading the letter, all I can say is Author, Author.
That letter is Maria in a nutshell. Not content to just say she is walking away from the party that gave her a chance when the others would not, but then throwing that party under the bus and presenting herself as champion of her own cause. And I agree with others, this was a “jump before pushed” scenario and she wanted her version out there. The CT post had the letter too, just in a different story online.
I see another’s vocabulary and ring around the real issue touch–but I will let you be the Judge of that …
I wonder if this statement by Pelto is insight into his real interests or did his typing just get ahead of his brain? ‘when Governor Malloy tries to explain why he deserves support from those that he has trampled in his on-going effort to undermine the rights of teachers, state employees and other community based union, liberal and progressive groups and their members and supporters.’ Notice he did not show any interest in the rights of the students or taxpayer. If the list is in order of importance, his primary interest is ‘the rights of teachers’ but why shouldn’t it be? They pay him.
Teachers and state workers do not have any more rights than any other worker. In any reform, workers get three choices: exist, evolve or extinction. Manufacturing reform trampled the rights of the blacksmith and transportation reform did the same to the farrier. Both Maria and Pelto write under the auspices that, as far as education is concerned, no reform is the best reform. That will only be shown by an increase in performance. To that end, time will tell.
There is no one in Bridgeport she would support for mayor besides Foster or Lopez and who knows if she is spatting with them?
I have never met her face to face but yet I feel like I know her between the chirping on here and the talk around the water cooler at work.
The world is full of large-cap rebels disguised as do-what-they’re-told small-cap grunts.
So true, especially in Bridgeport.
The string-pullers are so few, which is why a Republican presence would counterbalance the puppeteers like Timpanelli, Stafstrom and King Mario.