Former Board of Education member Maria Pereira no longer attends school board meetings in an official capacity, but she is present at just about every meeting as a citizen. A commentary she wrote for a prior post is republished below describing in part the first regular meeting on Monday as kids head back to school, featuring the incorrigible school board member Ken Moales with whom Pereira had some mighty exchanges while she served on the board.
Tonight was the first BBOE Regular meeting of 2014/2015. Moales was absolutely horrible! He goes into these lengthy dissertations and says the exact same thing over and over again. For those of you who don’t know, Paul Vallas made his administrative assistant (Lissette Colon) into the chief of staff shortly after arriving in Bridgeport. Although his administrative assistant did not posses so much as a community college degree, he raised her salary by approximately $35,000 without bringing it to the BBOE for approval.
Here was someone with no formal education now supervising credentialed professionals with masters and doctorate degrees and earning as much, if not more than these highly educated administrators. I guess Ms. Rabinowitz decided she did not want a chief of staff and deleted the position from the organizational chart with the Board’s approval. This individual was transferred to an HR position and their salary was being reduced by approximately $28,000 to $89,000 annually.
Moales removed it off the consent agenda and the BBOE went into executive session. An hour and a half later, the BBOE came out of executive session and this individual’s salary was magically increased by $11,000. And that folks, is how it works in Bridgeport! What makes this even more outrageous is Moales tried to block the hiring of special education supervisors because Bassick had “rats” and we needed money for the “rat problem.”
During Vallas’ tenure, he decimated special education and advocates filed a formal complaint with the CT State Board of Education. The CSDE found the BBOE was in violation of Child Find which requires the BBOE to identify special needs students and provide the legally mandated services. Meanwhile, Moales has been on the Board since the illegal takeover in 2011 and served as Chair of the BBOE last year and did absolutely nothing about the “rat problem.” The BBOE shouldn’t hire the special education supervisors due to the “rat” issue at Bassick, however there was an additional $11,000 for an uncertified employee with no formal education. You just can’t make this stuff up.
This is disgusting. What would it take to remove Moales? This is just pathetic. Maria, on a previous post, what exactly does EXCEL Bridgeport do? Who funds them? What salaries are given and what results have they claimed? I have been in 30 schools. I am still trying to figure out what part they play.
Part I: Steve, Mayor Finch formed a group called Bridgeport Public Schools for Success in 2009/2010. It had a variety of community members, parents, teachers etc. on it. It included Mayor Finch, Barbara Bellinger, Rob Francis, Megan Lowney, Maria Zambrano, Hernan Illingworth, Howard Gardner, etc. The day the illegal takeover of the BBOE occurred, Maria Zambrano issued a statement that BPSS was in support of the takeover. She did this without the approval of the entire group. After that, there was a mass exodus from the group. The group simply crumbled.
Part II: After BPSS crumbled, a Mayor Finch employee and Megan Lowney changed the CT Secretary of the State filing to rename the group Excel Bridgeport. The last time I checked, Excel Bridgeport was registered in Fairfield at Megan Lowney’s personal residence.
The group is heavily funded by several foundations, however its main supporter is Steve Mandel, a hedgefund billionaire from Greenwich. He is also the founder of the ZOOM Foundation and Megan Lowney is its director. Norman Pattis subpoenaed all the emails regarding the illegal takeover. There was an email from Megan Lowney stating a small group was strategizing a charter revision in Bridgeport to give Mayor Finch control of our schools. Here we have a woman from Fairfield working to change Bridgeport’s Charter. They claim they are a group that advocates for public school children and parents and is working to improve the BPS. They are an arm of Mayor Finch and his agenda. It is all a smoke screen. Their role is to promote charter schools and their expansion, privatization and mayoral control of our schools. As far as results, they have none. Every single effort they have been involved in has failed.
Illegal Takeover of BPS = Failure
Influencing CT Supreme Court Ruling on Illegal Takeover = Failure
Charter Revision = Failure
Row A BBOE Candidates = Failure
There is no recall allowed in CT. Once you are elected to an office, there are only two ways the elected official does not serve their entire term. You either die or you formally resign.
Excellent insight, thank you for educating me. This is profoundly disappointing.
As for Moales, he will definitely be a problem for the Mayor on many levels.
Where is Ray Donovan or Olivia Pope when you need them? Someone needs to “handle this.”
Maria, thank you for your terse yet complete explanation.
Steve, Maria gives a reasonable historic perspective on the pushing and shoving going on between those who have certain power and influence in the past several years.
However, come to a BOE meeting some night, pick up an agenda and sit in for the first couple hours. These sessions are more interesting to view than City Council meetings in my opinion. The main reason is you can listen to discussion of actual current topics. (The extensive use of the consent calendar in the Council eliminates that opportunity for taxpayers and voters.)
You also will have an opportunity to listen to adults, at least most speakers are, (within a two minute limit) state what their praise is for or their problem deals with. So you get to hear parents of public and Charter students telling you it is working for their children. That part is interesting and of serious note, it seems to me.
Could we be coming to a time where all parents can look to the City and become clear on what resources and cash contributions are assisting the education of youth in Bridgeport? Can we be seeing a time where the entire community can get behind our State legislative group and question the ECS formula and failure to adequately fund youth in Bridgeport?
When parts of the community are happier to attack other parts of the same community rather than join together in common cause to advance more significant solutions to the long-term problem, we end up wounding ourselves in addition to our original fiscally sick condition. See you at Aquaculture? Time will tell.
JML, it would be a safe bet you will not see me at the school board meetings. Don’t have time and what I need to know I am certain you, Maria or the Connecticut Post will address.
The examples Maria cited are a sad commentary on how the board operates, failing to act objectively and allowing Moales to have input.
I recall that the former superintendent’s administrative assistant was given the title of ‘Chief of Staff’ by Vallas. At the time, this appeared to be part of the upheaval that Vallas brought to the BOE administrative level. It appeared that Vallas needed someone who was familiar with the daily goings-on of his office and would deal with the minutia (such as calls from spanish speaking people) while he dealt with his tasks as a change agent.
The arrangements to move this person to a position and salary they were not qualified for shows that this administration is not willing to deal with personnel matters objectively. Did the board review the posting for this position and the qualifications of the person that the administration would move to it, or did they handle it as just another transfer? The influence that Moales had further suggests that this board is not capable of making objective decisions.
Maria is, sadly, correct, that’s how it’s done in Bridgeport.
Tom, the chief of staff position was not posted. Vallas just simply announced he had promoted this individual into the position. The BBOE never approved the outrageous pay increase, however those questions should have been asked by the illegally appointed members. Under CT state statute, the elected members of the BBOE have a fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers.
Thank you Maria Pereira for this update.
This is much more informative and insightful than anything Megan DeSombre, recently of Ramapo College (same for Mr. Conners of Excel), has ever offered … and here on OIB was permitted to present disingenuously as an independent “scribe” while in reality she was and is a camera-equipped operative for ConnCAN.
Hey Jon Sackler (king of the ConnCAN), set your GPS for Bridgeport and come for a fact-finding visit. Why not? You’re on a losing streak. Better try something new.
Maybe reallocate some of that dough to help fix the leaky roofs in several of our schools. Try to talk your friend Finch into meeting the state-required CASH contribution for our public schools. And if you really want to know a bit more, be sure to meet with Maria Pereira. She knows a whole lot more than all of the people you pay to represent your interests here.
Sidebar … Israel and the Palestinians reach a cease fire. Thank G-d.
Let’s hope they can make it last. Pray for peace.
Steve–we can just hope is all. This horrific ISIS organization needs to be eliminated before a viable peace agreement can be reached. They give terrorists a bad name.
Steve, Pete and Tom, thank you for your compliments. I had the best mentor anyone could have ever asked for. In 2009, I knew almost nothing about education or Bridgeport politics. It was Carmen Lopez who taught me everything I know. She taught me how to research, where to research, what to look for, and most importantly, how to connect the dots.
Maria Pereira, you could have had a better teacher, I cannot begin to tell you how much I’ve learned from her but one of the best things about her besides being honest is she has a backbone and no one can push her around and she stands up for what’s right. Time has already taught this lesson.
Ron, I agree with everything you stated 100%.
Pete, on a side note, great connecting of the dots. So Megan DeSombre and Mr. Conners attended the same college in New Jersey. I saw him at the BBOE meeting last night. He looks quite young and could be similar in age to Megan DeSombre. I wonder if they attended this college at the same time.
On another side note, Megan DeSombre and I actually spoke for the first time last night. She felt it necessary to share with me I post “inaccurate” information about her. This from a woman who has posted one falsehood after another. It would have been funny if it weren’t so sad. She also wanted me to know she is not funded by ConnCAN or Can Con, whatever it is called. She said she wished the checks were rolling in from ConnCAN if that were the case.
Maria Pereira, now wait a minute, where is BOE SPY?
Interesting, Ron. I have been wondering the exact same thing.
Hey Ron,
I have moved. I no longer live in BPT. My kid will be attending high school in another town. Due to this new development, I DO NOT CARE what you guys do or think. Good bye and good luck.
BOE SPY, the best to you and your family.
Re: Megan DeSombre
goo.gl/XfuChm
LC Leaked and Fran Farted!
I just received a recap of today’s convocation at the Webster Arena. Mayor Finch gave a speech about all the wonderful things he had done for the Bridgeport Public Schools and the 20,000 children who attend them. I understand he received a lukewarm reception. He was followed by Rob Traber, the new Bridgeport Education Association president. He talked about how the state and Mayor Finch have repeatedly underfunded the BPS, the illegal takeover, the charter referendum, that Bridgeport was the epicenter of the reform movement in CT, etc. This person told me Mayor Finch was as red as a tomato and Moales looked visibly upset. Rob Traber received a partial standing ovation. I hope it was videotaped and I regret not attending. I would have loved to witness the entire thing in person.
Maria Pereira, Rob Traber is one person who Moales and Finch won’t get in his face about anything.
Ron, I don’t know about that. I was sitting in my seat right before a regular BBOE meeting was about to start. Rob Traber approached Moales who was also seated. Rob is respectfully and calmly explaining to Moales he believes in the Bridgeport Public Schools so much he enrolled his daughter in the public schools and she graduated from the public schools. Although I was at the point I thought there was nothing else Moales could say or do that would shock me, he responded to Rob by stating “As a father, if I enrolled my children in the public schools, I would be committing child abuse.” Even I was stunned and I wasn’t the only person who heard Moales make the comment. Moales was the chairman of the BBOE at the time and was responsible for advocating for and setting the direction for the Bridgeport Public Schools but he felt it was just fine to make such an incredibly disparaging remark about the very public school system he was charged with leading.
Rob Traber,
Bill Finch made you everything you are today. How dare you turn on him when he needs you the most?
Oops, I’m sorry, I always get confused between Rob Traber and Adam Wood. That comment was about Adam Wood.
YOU GO, RT!!! KICK ASS, MY BROTHER. TAKE NO PRISONERS. YOU MAKE ME PROUD.
Well as I read these comments, let me just share first of all I heard the entire story from the horses’ mouths (yes, plural) within the BOE Superiors and more. First, Mrs. Colon was OFFERED the position, she DID NOT ask for the position when Mr. Vallas offered it. Second, Mr. Vallas offered considerably more money and some “fringe” benefits along with the position which she DID NOT want nor take and actually asked the offer to be reduced to considerably less amount WITHOUT the fringe benefits. Mr. Vallas evidently saw the individual and the qualities Ms. Colon had to fill such position and therefore OFFERED it to her. Upon my inquiry from sources within the city she did her responsibilities and more even without a degree. I am a personal believer that sometimes a degree doesn’t give you the ability to do a position yet many times experiences, trials, problems, situations and life itself gives us the tools to be effective in what we endure. Let me be clear, I have a degree but cannot take a stance of feeling superior to anyone who does not. She was NOT a friend of the Finch Administration as so many suspected, yet my sources informed me she was not considered an enemy either, due to when she was the source for any declination of requests, although they were not pleased they knew they shouldn’t have been asking for such requests, but a “friend” she was not considered. Before going into the OFFERED position and it was public record, she made $84k and after her faithful time in the position she held she was offered $89k. What happened behind closed doors, I cannot comment on and will not either on the outcome as those on the BOE are held responsible for their decisions.
I do not sell my soul to anyone for any reason and don’t expect favors from anyone in everything I do. I am sure and I am one that Ms. Colon, when I met her didn’t give me a warm and fuzzy feeling as probably some felt during her time in that position. She had a job to do, did it effectively and many of us who may not have felt the warm and fuzzy feeling is because PROBABLY because we had our own agenda and/or ideas and she did not necessarily give the outcome WE wanted. You see, just because someone doesn’t do what I want, just because I don’t get my way, or don’t take my point of view, I just don’t sit and criticize and burn them. I may not have selected you or voted for you or agree with you, but whoever is voted in, whoever I have to work with I do and will embrace such persons for a productive outcome as best as it can be for our city and the citizens within it. Criticizing, commenting and discrediting doesn’t do anything but extend the negativity that plagues the minds and leads to the vicious cycle of commenting at every meeting and eventually not being heard because every time there is a chance the negativity and criticism flow. In other words, crying wolf all the time leaves you crying alone.
Therefore, if Mrs. Colon is doing her job and is going into her new position and is God willing going to do it effectively, then I prefer to focus my efforts on the RAT infestation at Bassick and so many other messes that are happening. I think we can all see a ton of other people within our city and even within the Schools and BOE who are NOT doing their Job yet evidently because they have “friends” suck this city dry. I pay this city over $35k in property taxes alone and it sickens me to see what happens here MANY times and to hear the kids of this city are going to school with rats and leaking roofs and so many other situations give me a true valid reason to be worried and concerned much more than $16k or $5k. There are a ton of other things going on, look, seek and you shall find and continue being bitter, but I prefer to sleep in peace at night and live in peace during the day. Life is too short for that nonsense.
Finally, please comprehend I do not frown on other people’s wishes on commenting or sharing their opinion publicly or privately in a forum like this, as if I have to the only thing I do wish is they realize all they are considered is null and void if every time they have a chance they have something to say. It falls on deaf ears although it shouldn’t it does.
God Bless our City and the BOE and I pray they are able to pull together the vision and purpose it was intended for which is the benefit of our children and youth who are in crisis and this is no secret.
Regards to all.
Just Amazed. Ditto! Ditto! Ditto!
While your post was very sensible, in my opinion there is still something very wrong with the big picture. Be she friend or foe of the administration or the BOE, I fail to see how her job warranted a $35K increase just because Vallas deemed it suitable without board approval. You say that’s what you pay in taxes to the city. Doesn’t it concern you in the least this was what you paid for? If it were my tax dollars, I’d prefer to see it spent more prudently, mainly on the schools/students rather than on Colon’s over-inflated salary. If I had kids in the Bridgeport school system, I would be absolutely appalled by this blatant misuse of BOE funds.
I concur totally and agree about the misuse of funds on all levels of this city and when we realize it is way beyond my care to be so perturbed over one … 🙂
Godiva2011, your post is right on the money. Who supports somebody’s increase to the tune of $35,000 and who would turn down a $35,000 increase and what taxpayer in their right mind would not have a meltdown over this travesty.
Finally, as far as your other comments that were presumably directed at me, I am direct, I have no filter and say exactly what is on my mind. No one has to ever worry about me smiling in their face and sticking a knife in their back the minute they turn around. If I don’t like you, you will know it. If I disagree with you, you will know it. Not because others will tell you, but because I will tell you. Speaking truth in a city like Bridgeport creates a lot of enemies. I know I am the type of individual who people either love or hate and I am fine with it. I don’t see much gray, I see mostly black or white. I don’t sit on the fence because I am worried about upsetting one side over the other. I research the issues at hand and then make an informed decision. In closing, if anyone ever tells you Maria Pereira is running behind your back talking about you, please tell them they are a liar. The one thing you can count on is if I have a problem with you, you will hear it from me directly.
That increase is not uncommon. Once you get to about the $80K income level the next income level you have to go to is $100K. This is why … TAXES. The tax rate jumps just above the $80K level. If you do not go to $100K you will actually be taking home less because of your raise. Even with a $20K increase in pay the individual only ‘sees’ a slight increase in income.
BOE,
You had better stop going to H & R Block to get your taxes done. You are owed a huge refund if this is what they told you.
Back to the original rat problem, what is being done to rid the varmints?
The person in charge of the maintenance dept. also has no formal education so maybe someone can recommend a good exterminator? Maybe one who doesn’t pay to play in the Park City but actually does their job?
BPT REBEL, I remember the first time I heard about a “mouse” problem at Bassick. In either late 2010 or early 2011, the BBOE held a special meeting at Bassick because they had an upcoming NEASC visit. The faculty member in charge of the Bassick Facilities Committee testified there was a mouse problem. Jorge Garcia was there and he was in charge of the BBOE facilities and was earning approximately $90,000. This is another unqualified individual. In 2009, he was a custodian in a school. He does not even have a certification in any trade and does not have so much as a community college degree. In fact, I requested a copy of his resume when I served on the BBOE and he still had a position as the assistant manager for an Orange Julius listed on his resume. However both his mother and aunt are highly connected to Mayor Finch. He was directed at that time to address the problem. The BBOE stated publicly it was unacceptable for students and faculty to have to learn and teach in such conditions. That July, the illegal takeover occurred and Jorge Garcia was pushed out and claimed to have a job in NY with Global Partners, which is the company that managed Harding for two years, did nothing and was paid almost $2 million dollars. During the illegal takeover, Mayor Finch rehired him as a deputy director in public works. Once the illegal BBOE voted to merge with the City, Jorge Garcia took over the school facilities again. Since then, Bassick testified before the BBOE on several occasions regarding a rat infestation. Each time, Jorge Garcia has stated the problem will be addressed. It is my understanding an exterminator was called in this summer. The building was fumigated and traps were placed strategically, however no rats were trapped. I think we will have to wait and see what happens when the students and faculty return this week to see where the issue stands. I was there about 5-6 weeks ago and there was tons of furniture in the hallways because each classroom was being thoroughly cleaned. I am sure if the problem has not been rectified, the parents and faculty of Bassick will be back to testify.
Having someone like Lissette Colon in a position of such authority had to be demeaning to the staff who worked to earn Masters or Doctorate degrees. Do principals make the money she was making? I have no proof, but I tend to doubt it. Offered her the position? Give me one good reason why she would even consider declining in light of the fact she was given a $35K raise! I’m certain there are BOE employees in lesser positions who barely make that as a salary. So Ms. Rabinowitz sees the forest through the trees and eliminated the position, and Colon moves into another position still making a bloated salary. Along comes Moales and out of the kindness of his heart (and Bridgeport taxpayers’ dollars) again inflates her salary by $11K. So I presume she is now an Administrative Assistant again making $100K. Does any other employee in a similar position earn that much? This is just a travesty. So much for a board that cries about being underfunded yet they see fit to spend on this individual’s salary rather than on something for the common good of the schools. I’d bet you can get a good exterminator for about half of Colon’s pay raise. The whole scenario is sickening, shame on Moales and the rest of that dysfunctional wasteful board.
Ms. Colon’s most recent salary was approximately $117,000. Bridgeport school principals earn more than that. She is not going to be an administrative assistant. She is going to work on teacher recruitment and yes, she will be earning $100,000 annually plus benefits. The charge was lead by Moales, however he definitely had accomplices.
At least she works, whether or not it’s $100k worth of work, I can’t and won’t determine that, BUT as I said earlier, there is so much disastrous activity in this city that can bring you to an early grave by worrying so much about it, I prefer to not invest my energy into things I have no control over. Individuals who abuse public funds and public trust in the long run self-destruct and in the end of it all will be brought to light. That’s what happens when people put others on pedestals and think they are the messiah of the political world. It’s a mess, it’s a disaster and it’s too convoluted. It’s a game and when you realize you’re not one of the players, it brings resentment and bitterness. It’s so funny when you see some who believe they are in the in crowd and they are not! … Sounds like high school. Good night everyone.
Just Amazed,
What happened under Vallas is over. Done.
Was the $100,000 position posted? Is there a job description? Did Ms. Colon meet the qualifications? How was her selection determined?
Did the BOE have an obligation to offer Colon another position? Yes. Is this how this board conducts personnel matters? Sad commentary.
Carmen Lopez, Rob Traber, Maria Pereira and others of their character and courage will make a big difference in needed changes next year. Keep open minds my friends, we may have to pick our own devil.