On International Firefighters Day, city school students and neighborhood residents saluted Bridgeport’s public safety, courtesy of an event organized by the 138th Democratic Town Committee that represents the Upper East Side.
“Grown firefighters, male and female, were crying today … they saw all these kids in red and blue and firefighters hats,” says 138th District Leader Maria Pereira, an elected member of the Board of Education, who helped to organize events at Edison and Hooker Schools.
Firefighters were joined by Chief Richard Thode and Superintendent of Schools Aresta Johnson.
0
I had a House Fire. I want to acknowledge the work of Bridgeport Fire Fighters as they worked on saving lives and saving property. I also,almost on a daily basis,drive by the West End Firehouse and see the Memorial for the Two Bridgeport Firefighters who lost their lives in their line of duty.
It’s days like this that makes want to continue to fight for our 21,000 students, our schools, and the Bridgeport I know we can be.
Shortly after the holidays, I approached the other 5 members of our 138th TC about doing something nice for our neighborhood firefighters as a “thank you” for their professionalism and assistance with our neighborhood Christmas Tree Lightings.
A Google search led us to International Firefighters Day. I contacted Chief Thode who supported the idea. Next I contacted Interim-superintendent Johnson about organizing events at our neighborhood schools, Edison and Thomas Hooker School. She gave us the green light.
We then started meeting with acting principals Mrs. Andrews at Edison School and Me. Wojick at Thomas Hooker. We provided some suggestions, but each school came up with the specific student performances. The Nutrition Director and her staff were great. They got vendors to donate doughnuts, juices, and ices.
Chief Thode helped us get the firefighters to the schools by telling them they would be teaching students about Fire Prevention & Safety.
The faces of the firefighters when they walked into the schools and saw hundreds of kids in firehats and red & blue was priceless.
Some of the firefighters were so overwhelmed with the student performances that they literally cried. There was a female firefighter at Edison School and the little girls lined up to talk to her and take photos.
They wrote beautiful thank you notes and created adorable art work that they presented to the firefighters.
These events were great for our firefighters, but a great civics lesson for our students.
The fire fighters, staff, parents, and students loved the events. 🙂
Don and Ron, what did you guys do today?
hahahahahahahaha
I went to the bakery and put diapers on the flies so they wouldn’t shit I the pies. You should have asked those women who helped them become firefighters.
Day maybe if you weren’t protecting the pies for flies at the bakery David Dunn, Bill Finch and Joe Ganim wouldn’t have been able to get away with not hiring any women. When did your cause shift from equal opportunity hiring to pie protection? BAM 🙂
Good job Maria! Edison School is one of my favorite neighborhood schools. Looks like it was a great success. I am sure everyone involved appreciated the efforts of the 138th town committee. I think Bridgeport’s finest, Police and Firemen are awesome. It is nice to be acknowledged. This should be a citywide event. Were your Councilmen in attendance? 🙂 Was the Mayor invited? I hope the News was there.
No, but Ralphie Fonseca showed up at Thomas Hooker School although he was not invited.The emails specifically directed recipients NOT to extend invitations to others.
He is not a parent or grandparent at Thomas Hooker School. The principals and I discussed inviting school board members but decided not to because we wanted the focus to be on our neighborhood students honoring our neighborhood firefighters.
Senator Gomes has a long standing record of supporting organized labor and firefighters. He is also incredibly popular in the 138th District.
Edison School’s cafeteria/gymnasium/auditorium can only house 93 people when chairs are in the room. 150 students could not be invited to the event so the staff had older students that greeted the firefighters as they arrived. Additional students lined either side of the hall leading to the event space and cheered and high fives the firefighters as they walked by.
It’s for these reasons that we only invited Chief Thode, Dr. Johnson, and Senator Gomes to each event. The more adults we invited put us in the position of eliminating students. I was amazed at how many parents showed up which caused us to be way over capacity.
I let Frank Rechia from Channel 12 News know about it but he did not come.
Maria, you said that you were going to see s lot of firefighters and that you were going to ask them about us, so what did they tell you?
They don’t know you or Day, BAM 🙂
Robert, so you are Maria?
No. I’m Marge, 🙂
I was only able to ask two of the younger firefighters at the end of the program at Edison School. It was chaotic because children and parents were everywhere hugging and thanking the firefighters. Both said they didn’t know either of you.
There was such a long line of kids waiting to take photos with the firefighters after the event at Thomas Hooker School that I never got to ask any of them about either of you.
Maria, you should have made sure that those young girls took pictures of that Female firefighter because they have been placed of the extinction lists because of the hiring practices of David Dunn, Bill Finch and Joe Ganim. Under these fools no women have been hired for the last six years when every hiring class since 1990 included women.
I’ve had the pleasure of having women work under my command as both a lieutenant and as a Captain and all without failure handled their job as good as any man. David Dunn and Mayor Ganim you need to be ashamed of yourselves. By this time in ten years it should be called, here anyway, International Fire Men Day.
1961
During his inaugural parade, President John F. Kennedy noticed that there were no African-Americans in the Coast Guard Academy cadet unit marching in the parade. He told his speechwriter, Richard Goodwin, “That’s not acceptable. Something ought to be done about it.” Goodwin called Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon the next day and Dillon ordered the Academy “to scrutinize the Academy’s recruitment policy to make sure it did not discriminate against blacks.” [As quoted in Nicholas Bryant’s The Bystander: John F. Kennedy and the Struggle for Black Equality (New York: Basic Books, 2006), pp. 211-212.]
Mayor Ganim, where are the women in the Bridgeport Fire Department? “That’s not acceptable. Something ought to be done about it.”
Steve, how can Edison School be one of your favor school in the neighborhood? It’s in a residential neighborhood, most schools are though, however it’s a plain rectangle building with a paved parking lot as the kid’s playground and open space. This show why I say you are the most racist out of Maria, Day, and Ron and why you are so adamantly against the property on Jewett Ave being converted back to a school. It was to deprave Bridgeport kids, who are going to a similar school as Edison, from going to a new school with a much favorable learning environment.
You sir, like your rainbow farts, your words come out of your ass where your heart lies. This is not a character assassination of you, but an opinion based on my observation. You, your words, opinions are as empty as your rainbow farts. Even those who you are currently cheerleading for probably have a low opinion of you. I’m sure after you apologized to McBride for your empty rainbow words against her and walked the neighborhood, as a follower of Christ, she forgave you. But let’s face it, your apology didn’t come from you heart because it lies next to your rainbow farts, that comes out of your mouth. It wasn’t because you felt remorse. It was because Finch’s lost.
Those who were behind this school from being built should be an ashamed of themselves and it needs to be fixed. Steve I hope you adhere to your own rainbow words and not reply back because this discussion is over.
PS Thank for your help. 🙂
Robert, I have NOT said what you wrote.
Ron That’s alright, I have not understood what you siad.
Robert, I have stated that I would not respond to you because I do not care for your comments- But regarding Edison, You just can not attach every school comment I make to the Ctholic Diocese , which is off the table – it has been voted down. I like Edison because I happen to enjoy the students. they are respectful in the classrooms. I enjoy the neighborhodschools like Madison, Beardsley, Hall , Bryant. Like The Classical Studies Academy,I would love them in the North end. Of curse on a suitable property. What was suitable 50 years ago is not suitable today. Race is not an issue with me Robert.
course not curse
At least we agree on somethings. “What was suitable 50 years ago is not suitable today” That’s why I’m no putting to you death for being Gay,I would however go see a doctor about your farts being rainbow. #Ihavenointegrity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW7VnHnX3LQ
PSteve, you can’t attach every property that will make a more suitable school with the North End of the city. The Catholic Diocese just happens to be in the North End of the city.
Maybe when a property study is done and some new council member are elected it will be back on the table. Just becauSe race is and issue with you don’t make you not a racist. #50,000,000investmentforBPTstudentsVOTEDDOWN.
isn’t an
Robert Texeira, I am going to be as respectful to you as I possibly can. Please refrain from making comments about myself. am not interested in engaging in conversations with a mental degenerate. I have enjoyed this blog for years and I occasionally find your comment humorous. Bust times I do not. I do not like responding to you. For the sake of argument , please just go back and forth with Maria, Ron and Day.I honestly do not want to rip your head off your shoulders and shit down your neck. If you want to bait me and have me respond in your language I will be disappointed in myself. Since your comments are only antagonistic , Please bore others with your commenary. Take you Bam Bam Bam and and either converse respectfully or not at all. I would appreciate it. You would be easier to take if you were anonymous , but, to post what you do using your name , it is embarrassing. Now , refer to me a racist again and I will go after you for slander. If I do not make myself clear. I will repeat. Refer to me as a racist again on this blog and I think your life will never be the same.
what’s up with all the threats? I believe you’re racist. I believe your decision on the North End school was fuel by racism. Others on this blog can form their own opinion of you.
I believe you have mental issues and use this blog because your real world is rather empty. I can not change the way you think because that is not my intention. If that is your opinion of me based on the Support or lack there of for the Catholic Diocese than so be it. I will just respectfully disagree and move on.
I will say one thing nd I will not mention this again. If Lenny were to give an ward fo one liners . I would have to give it to you with Donald day as a second.
He once asked what your favorite meal was. King Crab, lobster etc. Now , Imagine the dish served on top of a garbage can cover.
Your response. How about serving the Garbage in that can on fine chin- which would you prefer?
Other than that. I can not say your negative responses to all of my posts because you are a Maria Periera ass kisser have been as enjoyable. They were not necessary and certainly were unprovoked. I have simply become bored with you . Therefore, Bam – we are done. You will definitely not have me responding to you again on this blog. I am a man of my word.
A. This is clearly up setting you. To the point of threats, insults and physical violence.
B. I called Ron, Day, Maria, Andy, practically everyone, racist. My opinion everyone is racist, it’s at what level one will take it.
C. It has been established this doesn’t constitutes a “conversation” but a “communication”.
D. How or why would my comments or opinions on matters be easier on you if didn’t use my name?
E. I’m mostly your antagonistic because you’re Maria’s antagonistic.
F. And Thanks for your help. Good day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuNvxH5kSKU
I formed my opinion of your racism not solely on your support or lack thereof for Catholic Diocese. In fact, I didn’t even consider them, other than them being a seller of the porperty. So much for the BPT kids, I was looking at the $50,000,000 new school investment for BPT students in a better location in what is said to be a “whiter” neighborhood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0Rjn6W9jYk
Steve, your post was in no way respectful. It was downright over-the-top scary and threatening.
Maria, you asked what did I do, like my job on the BFD I was out saving lives. In fact I saved your life by killing a shit eating dog.
Please don’t ever post here again about someone being “classless” because you have lost and credibility.
Sorry, meant “all” credibility.
Don, Maria got you mixed up with her mini me Robert Teixeira, when she spoke like god when she gave a direct order by saying “Please don’t ever post here again about someone being “classless” because you have lost and credibility.”
I looked at the video and I saw firefighters, Robert Novak and Joe Carr who could tell Maria about us. Of course Maria could ask State Senator Ed Gomes what he thought about us but she to scare to ask because she won’t like Ed Gomes reply.
Will Ed, Novak, or Carr the Maria how he saved her life fby killing an eat shitting dog or who he save the bakers pie ofr flies with a diaper so they won’t shit on them? BAM 🙂 LOL
tell Maria, Baker’s
Day maybe you can help get Maria a job on the BFD, She’s a women, or has protecting pies from flies taking to much of your time form fighting for women being hired on the BFD? BAM 🙂
Please, please visit Doingitlocal.com. One of the firefighters who attended the Edison School event submitted video and a moving testimonial.
It just makes the effort even that much worthwhile. 🙂
The video has almost 7,000 views already!
Really Maria, you made reference to me as a television Pimp and now you feel that there is a go low point in our posts. Who’s determining exactly what is classless and why is my responding in kind not tit for tat. While I’m trying to grow in my faith I’m not even close to the turning the other cheek thing. Going low isn’t my preference, but certainly understand that I can and will when the situation warrants. Keep it civil and you’ll receive it civil. Just saying.
Don, you’re wasting your time because Maia just can’t help herself because she doesn’t know how to Keep it civil, plus she has her clone, Robert Teixeira, wiping and kissing her ass every time somebody makes talks against her mimi me.
Civil LOL Lets have a social experiment, both of you not make a comment regard Maria or race. lets see the deep of your thoughts.
I predict. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8E_zMLCRNg
🙂
regarding,
depth
Robert, here is the problem, we don’t give a dam about you or anything you say. You just keep on kissing Maria’s ass.
TThat experiment didn’t last long. LOL
Robert, don’t you get it? They are not pleased that our neighborhood firefighters were celebrated and that our students thoroughly enjoyed the events. None of that matters.
They can’t acknowledge my/our efforts in the 138th District because they are petty and childish. It really does say a lot about them, none of it good.
Day I took it as a complement. When Maria called you Snoop Dog. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za_dGWIUGQg
Right, after you repeatedly called me a “fat ass”.
It pleases me to know that our good deed in the 138th has gotten under your skin. It wasn’t intentional, but I’ll take it. 🙂
Maria, are you out of your mind? The first time you referred to me as a television Pimp was after a fund raiser for MJF at the Holliday Inn, but taking the higher ground I let it go. I figured ignorance motivated you to refer to a Black Man as a Pimp knowing that you had to understand how offensive that characterisation is. Now after you refereed to the Black lady as an uncle Tom, I then knew that you were a petty little and I would never allow you to ever say anything disrespectful to me ever again without the benefit of going just as low as you have done on numerous occasions.
We just posted a great batch of photos from the Edison School event on our “138th District In The Know” Facebook page. Thomas Hooker photos to follow. 🙂
Maria you said the flooding in front of where you live is flooded again look out the window,
BTW Fonseca is on the BOE and this was in his district o why cant he show up
This was not an event hosted by the BOE. In addition, he has no children or grandchildren at Thomas Hooker School.
When we met with the principals, we agreed NOT to invite any BOE members.
Isn’t Ralphie on the 138th Town Committee as well as the BOE?
That is just plain bull shit and you know it. It doe not need to be a BOE sponsored event for him or anyone else on the board. Ralph is also a TC member. What about the flooding
This event was organized and planned by six 138th TC members. The Fonseca’s had absolutely nothing to do with it.
Eric, Michelle, Helen, Erris, and Andrea have kept EVERY single one of our campaign promises; they have kept none.
We just ignored him and kept it moving.
Why are YOU so concerned about this imaginary flooding if I’m not?
It is not imaginary next time it rains look out your window. You are the one always saying how much you have done up here. Do it
There is no flooding. Is something wrong with you?
Maria, as the district leader, isn’t it somewhat your responsibility to bring the group together even if you do not agree on many issues? Ralphie and Dolly are 138 th district members . Every campaign promise the 138th has fulfilled counts for them also as they are DTC members of your district. You created this team. BTW has Angel been replaced?
Steven,
The only time we have to deal with the Fonseca’s is when we vote to endorse candidates because that is the only formal responsibility we have.
The Fonseca’s will receive ZERO credit for the work we have done in the 138th District.
We will be communicating to voters how they FAILED to keep EVERY single campaign promise they made when we ran for town committee.
Steve did she not bring people together to honor some of BPT first responders?
Seriously are out. I know you’re white and Jewish.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRrl6JF6Kwo
you out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOVehIKpm4k
Don, Marge Simpson and her boy toy, Robert have something in common, they are both delusional, according to Marge I mean Maria, the 138 district is her private organization. She wants people to Pat her on her back and tell her how good she is. I don’t recall anybody out side of Marge’s mini me, Robert who always speak nice about her. Who her co workers who speak glowing of her?
Ron I don’t always speak nice about Maria. I had some hard choice words to her when she said you were mentally challenged in comprehensive sentences and grammar. BAM 🙂
Toy boy. LOL I only pat Maria on the back and tell her she did a good job. When she does a good job. Maria good job in )”Privately”) organizing this event in 138th district to honor Don’s, Day’s, and Andy’s fellow firefighter. Things that make you WTF 🙂
Ron’s
I received a call from a retired firefighter tonight. I asked him if he knew Donald Day and Ron Mackey. He said he and Donald Day never had a good relationship and Ron Mackey’s biggest issue is he is always “running behind Donald Day”. In other words, wherever the wind blows Donald Day, Ron Mackey will follow.
He definitely gave them credit for making significant contributions to the causes related to minority and female firefighters. He also stated the issue is they like to portray that they were mainly responsible for their advancement even though several black firefighters helped move the hiring and promotion of minority and female firefighters. This has angered several members of the old guard.
He closed by saying those running the Firebirds today just don’t want them involved because it’s about what they accomplished and how it should be done. The current Firebird leadership wants to move the organization in their own direction with their own ideas.
This person is as ignorant as you. We are the old guard of the Firebird Society. No Black firefighters helped move the hiring and promotion of minority and women, other than Ron Mackey and myself, NONE. Not this retiree or any other and I defy you to bring this fool to me and let him say he did one thing in the hiring and promotion of blacks, Latinos and women. We both are founders of this illustrious organization with Ron holding a position on the executive board for over 20 years. No one in the history of our illustrious organization has done more than us to hire and promoted blacks, Latinos and women to the BFD.
No one in the history of our organization ever ran study groups for promotions and hiring prior to us, no one in the history of our organization traveled across the country gaining knowledge on testing and testing companies to help our members pass promotions.
Please remind this retiree that without us he would have never been promoted to Lieutenant. Remind this retiree that we hold our meetings in a building that Ron and I got from the city. Remind this retiree that every bit of office furniture in said office we got donated from GE. Remind thus retiree that our 501C3 tax exempt status Ron and I got. Oh never mind I’ll call his punk ass myself.
Don, you notice that this person Maria said called her and gave her what she wrote well, where is their name, is he scare to give his name? What has this person done in the past 25 years to get people promoted? This was a easy one to know who would call Maria.
Day, Ron while you fought for blacks to rank to lieutenant in the BFD. Someone fought for you to be hired in the first place. No party has done or will have done more the blacks in America than the Republican party.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHAyepp7ypY
for the,
Ron, Day, and Andy. did you see this? Someone held a special event honoring your fellow firefighters. You must be proud of them. BAM 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/DoingItLocal/videos/10154657082032169/
Robert, what has Maria Pereira done to help Bridgeport residents to gain employment that would uplift their entire family and also assist them to get elevated in that career?
She supported and fought for a $50,000,000 new school to better prepare Bridgeport students to gain employment.
Staged a special events like this to uplift the kids and the communities spirit.
Ron What has Maria done to prevent you are Day or anyone else from up-lifing Bridgeport residents or elevate them in a career?
Ron, why is this about Maria?
Why can you except this event? I’m sure if it was done by someone else you, Day, and Andy would have a different out-look
Ron, you and Day have a lot to say about Maria using the “I” in the things she does. There’s a lot of you and Day in the up-lifting of blacks.
Robert, the event was about Maria and her five other DTC members from the 138th district, just read what she said on Facebook. Maria has done absolutely nothing personally to help anybody, she’s just one vote on a board of nine, just one.
Ron I always said that Maria is just one vote. So can you explain why some on the BOE wanted her off to the point of a state takeover and the firing of themselves? let it go. 🙂
The key to lifting someone out of poverty is through education. If our children are educated through quality public schools and immigrants and adults advance their education through the adult education program; they have significantly greater employment opportunities over their lifetime.
That is my absolute passion, educate our students, adults, residents, and voters. That is a win for everyone.
It is through education that Bridgeport residents can pass civil service exams to qualify for higher payer jobs.
It can’t be about helping the few, it has to be about helping many.
This is MY focus and passion.
Or private schools. The key word here is “education.
and looking to bring immigrants out from the shadows of being exported, and a place they can call home.
Maria, you are not in the classroom educating students and the results of the students in Bridgeport public schools is nothing to be proud of at any time. You are just one vote on the the nine person Bridgeport Board Of Education and what educational advancements have you personally been responsible for? Donald Day and myself understand the importance of education and that is the reason we recruit and hold study groups for those who know nothing about the fire service to those who are already firefighters to help them to advance in their career as a pumper engineer or a officer. We are talking about about life safety and the dangerous condition of the fire service and the that as firefighters we are a family and that there is no I in the word team. Somebody open the doors for us and we owe those who came before us and who sholders we stand on and we must give back to our community and to those who fought and pushed open the doors for us, some of those we know who assisted us but there are countless number of others that we don’t know but we owe them.
Surely all the blacks and Latinos can’t become firefighters?
Ron I don’t know what your holding in about Maria, but let it go. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSFlvxnbgk
Robert, you must be a rocket scientist with your questions, all blacks and Latinos can’t be firefighters? Who the hell said that? Who the hell are you to say to me, you “don’t know what your holding in about Maria, but let it go.” You just keep kissing Maria’s ass.
Ron what have you done for blacks and Latinos out side of the BFD?
A concerned OIB blogger, that’s who I am.
You just keeping attacking Maria’s ass. 🙂
PS I never built a Rocket Ship, but I did save 10% on my car insurance by switching to GEICO 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0RpqXi3LiE
Robert, this is not about me and what I’ve done but Robert while we are discussing what people have done why don’t you tell us all some of the wonderful things you have done to uplift others in life?
I would say it’s not more of a up-lifting than not beating them down. Maria it was nice event you put together with the schools, kids, and firefighters. BAM.
Ron it is about you. I’m saying you have to give credit to Maria. However you look bad by trying to criticize events like this. You make it about you and Maria.
Robert, you are a LIAR, where did I criticize the event?
Maria, ask that retired firefighter who called you if Don and myself ever do anything to help him get promoted at any time?
Maria if you don’t agree with me that education is not just about PBS, lets agree to agree that you’re wrong. BAM 🙂
Ron your criticism of Maria is implied in everything she does. If anything I’m trying to up-life you. I don’t you or Maria or what the issues are, but you call 138th Maria’s private organization. Her BOE position is no different in your eyes.
I’m saying you don’t have legitimate reason to loathing Maria. You hate Maria so much you dislike me just because I occasionally agree with her. If I hated on Maria you will like me, can’t you see that as a problem. You called me her boy toy LOL
know you, called, I’m not saying,