“Hostile” Parent Who Shouted At Pereira Banned From Addressing School Board Until June 30

What began as an exchange in the comments section of OIB and spilled over to a Board of Education meeting has led Chair John Weldon to ban school parent Albert Benejan from speaking at meetings until June 30, the end of the school year. Weldon letter above.

For background see here.

Albert Benejan confronting Pereira at board meeting

At an April 3rd board meeting, Benejan expressed his frustration standing over a sitting Pereira who repeatedly declared “Move away from me.” Benejan took offense to comments Pereira made involving his son’s school tardiness that she declared “a direct reflection on you as a parent.”

During the confrontation, Superintendent of Schools Aresta Johnson directed her staff to leave the meeting room.

Benejan provided this response to Weldon’s letter on his Facebook page:

The reason I Defended myself and the HONOR OF MY SON is BECAUSE BOARD MEMBER MARIA PEREIRA gave private and false information about my son and me. SO, it’s okay for an elected BOARD MEMBER to TALK ABOUT PARENTS AND NOT RESPECT THEM?BUT IT’S NOT OK For A PARENT LIKE ME OR ANYONE to respond and say NOTHING TO DEFEND THE HONOR OF THEIR CHILD? WHAT YOU ALL THINK ABOUT THIS? What do you all think about an elected board member using their privilege to serve on a board that represents a school district, students, YOU as parents to abuse and use private and privilege information against you or your child? This is where the education of our students begin. 🤔 or does it? Then people wonder why the education system in Bridgeport is failing their students. It starts at the top! That why they have a law call FERPA !!

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23 comments

  1. there has to be consequences (repercussions?) for inappropriate actions. too bad there are some people who escape the consequences of their inappropriate actions

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    1. Simply trying to be respectful. I have never met you, do not know you, and have no relationship with you, therefore I would not presume to refer to you as “Lisa.”

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      1. true, we’ve never met in person – but we have interacted a number of times here on OIB. And you never called me Mrs White in any of those exchanges.

        I chose not to refer to any one in particular in my initial comment. What is your concern with whom I was referring to?

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  2. Lisa, an appointment has been setup for you at AFC Urgent Care
    4200 Main Street for a drug test that’s been paid for by Maria. Your behavior demonstrates the need for this test. If you need any additional information on this drug test please contact Ernie.

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    1. Mr. Day, please don’t speak for me as I always speak for myself. If you would like to arrange for Mrs. White to participate in a drug test feel free to make the arrangements yourself.

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  3. Donald and Harvey – thank you both for your concern. I’m just fine.
    I guess my comment got to Maria. I referred to no one in particular when I posted that comment. I don’t understand Maria’s “need to know” about who/whom I was referring to. And I don’t understand her formality in calling me Mrs White, especially when she and I have had exchanges on this blog where she has not called me Lisa, or Mrs White.

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    1. Lisa, your action and non-reply demonstrates your need for a drug test for your best interest, I suggest that you your all of your post on this topic and hopefully you will be able to see why you you need a drug test.

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      1. If you are interested in having Mrs. White take a drug test I would highly recommend AFC Urgent Care on Main Streer. They were the most reasonably priced drug testing facility I could find in Bridgeport.

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    2. Mrs. White, I was just curious. I have never referred to Mr. Day as “Donald’ or Mr. Weintraub as “Harvey” because I have never met then either. Most people would consider that to simply be courteous and respectful.

      How can people I’ve never met get to me? Just to be clear, you would have to be someone whose opinion or advice I respect in order for your comments, criticisms, or barbs to have any impact on me at all. Not only have I never met you, I have never met Weintraub, Day, and I briefly met Mackey at a picnic in 2009. If all four of you were within feet of me I would have no idea who any of you were.

      People shouldn’t assume they have any significance in others’ lives. Especially when our only interaction with each other is on a blog. I would never presume to have any significance in any of your lives.

      Happy Easter to all of you. 🙂

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  4. Maria I am not speaking for you I’m speaking about the lunacy of you and your get a drug test proclamation toward Ernie. I see what lisa means when she says what’s up with referring to her as Mrs. White because you referred to me as Mr. Day when in the past you have referred to me as Huggy Bear the pimp off of the TV show Starsky and Hutch.
    Where are the results of your drug test? Paging AFC Urgent Care.

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    1. Mr. Day, how can you state you weren’t speaking for me when you posted I was paying for Mrs. White’s imaginary drug test? You were clearly speaking on my behalf. I simply asked you not to do it again. I think most people know I am not shy and have no problem speaking for myself.

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  5. Mr. Day,

    I guess Ernie Newton made a decision to participate in my “lunacy.” I participated in the same drug test and held myself to the exact same standard.

    Really??? You have referred to me as a fine meal served on a trash can lid repeatedly, however you are somehow a victim because I referred to you as “Huggy Bear” once. You were wearing a fur coat and a fedora in the photo where I referenced you looked like Huggy Bear. There were clear similarities to Huggy Bear. I have never referred to you as “Donald.”

    I sent my results to Lennie. I can only assume he is enjoying Easter weekend with his family. Maybe you should consider doing the same.

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  6. First of all I said Maria will pay for it,yet I can safely assume that you are not the only Maria in Bridgeport must less Connecticut. Secondly, I’ve never worn nor owned a fur coat so when you made the reference to me as the TV pimp I had on a suit while wearing a fedora. I have no idea which, the suit or the fedora would lead you to believe that I was a TV pimp other your own biased and racists views.
    Finally, I’ve never intimated or insinuated that I’m a victim because you called me a TV pimp. I’m a grown ass Black man who has never been a victim about anything that life had thrown my way. I improvised, changed and adapted to every situation in my life from blatant racism growing up and growing older to lunacy like that which you bring. Victim? NAH. VICTIMLESS! HELL YES. I’m a Black man without any excuses in life and very few regrets. You can save that victim hat for yourself because you seen to wear it every chance you get.

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  7. Mr. Day,

    There isn’t a single OIB reader who has read this thread that believes you were referencing any other “Maria” other than myself. To imply otherwise just makes you look silly.

    The rest of your post is not worthy of a response.

    Enjoy your Easter. 🙂

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