Pereira’s Aresta Development–School Board Member Calls For Education Chief’s Resignation–Weldon: “Completely Asinine”

Aresta Johnson with mayoral candidate, State Senator Marilyn Moore. From Moore campaign Facebook page.

For the better part of two years, Board of Education member Maria Pereira was high on school chief Aresta Johnson’s skill set, job performance and attentiveness to students. Now, she’s so low on her, Pereira is calling for Johnson’s resignation claiming she’s “capitulated” to the political establishment. Last August Pereira had described Johnson as doing “amazing work.”

This is quite a reversal for Pereira who had previously expressed concern that the very political establishment she now asserts has an alliance with Johnson once was out to get rid of her. On March 15, Johnson attended a Downtown fundraiser for State Senator Marilyn Moore’s mayoral campaign challenging incumbent Joe Ganim. OIB has not confirmed if Johnson contributed to the campaign or was just there as a guest to pay respect to the legislative leader, but dropping in on a Moore fundraiser is not exactly genuflecting to the political establishment.

A series of events have triggered Pereira’s wrath toward Johnson including recent changes in board policies and some cancellations of regular meetings.

On Friday, Pereira posted the following remarks in the OIB comments section:

I was just informed by CT Post reporter, Linda Lambeck, that John Weldon sent her an email at 3:30 PM informing her that Monday’s regular meeting was being canceled.

I am an elected school board member and Dr. Johnson’s staff did not send us notice of the cancellation until 4:32 PM on a late Friday afternoon.

Dr. Johnson and her staff are 100% involved in this treacherous, deceitful and unethical behavior.

Dr. Johnson has completely capitulated to the corrupt Democratic Machine. She is 100% in Mayor Ganim’s, Mario Testa’s, and King John Weldon’s back pocket.

She has turned her back on our 20,400 students, our 30,000 parents, and 2,700 staff members.

For the reasons identified above, she must submit her resignation. She must go.

When Pereira crosses her Rubicon generally there’s no turning back her tenacity to follow up on her promised vengeance. Her political orbit has clashed with the mayor, school board, city councilors, state legislators and beyond with her detractors asserting compromise is vacant from her persona, despite giving the self-proclaimed “army of one” props for her strongly researched arguments and antithetical posturing of political norms. Sooner or later, they argue, Pereira will turn on you; she craves enemies. Pereira counters the only thing she turns on is people who don’t keep their word.

Aresta Johnson addresses gathering at opening of new Harding High School in 2018.

Pereira is generally part of a minority bloc of votes on the school board. This year she is up for reelection to another four-year term.

Pereira wants Johnson out. Can she make it so difficult for Johnson that the school leader would take a walk as school board members perform an assessment of her work? Juggling personalities on the nine-member board is no picnic in the park, no matter the person they put in charge to lead the urban school district.

School Board Chair John Weldon, for one, issued this statement in response to Pereira’s charges:

I typically don’t respond to OIB posts but, in this case, I feel a bit compelled to. It is extraordinarily inappropriate for Ms. Pereira, as a Board of Education Member, to harass or menace District staff (which is what she did for the better part of Friday) or to berate them on a blog when they won’t submit to her bullying tactics (which is what she’s doing now). Further, the notion that the Bridgeport Superintendent of Schools is in anyone’s back pocket because she’s organizing an event that Ms. Pereira (for whatever reason) disagrees with is, for lack of a better term, stupid. Over the last few weeks, Dr. Johnson and her staff have been organizing an event to highlight student performance and achievement, under my advisement as Chairman, to be compliant with newly established policies which are designed to place importance on the people we are here to serve–the 20,400 students. Contrary to Ms. Pereira’s assertion that Dr. Johnson has turned her back on those 20,400 students, Dr. Johnson and the rest of the Board are embracing them by dedicating one full Board Meeting to be focused solely on them. To say that, for doing this, Dr. Johnson should resign her position is completely asinine.

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72 comments

  1. Maria, two years, wow I placed my bet on two months before you and the superintendent parted ways. 🙂

    The way I see it you are irrelevant on the BBOE, not here on OIB though. 🙂

    So I say you build a slate for all the open seats on the board this election cycle. If you and your “slate” wins at least you will have some leverage, for at least a year or two. Otherwise enjoy the show. break a leg, PEOPLE. 🙂

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqmoIyIPEcc

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  2. Let me get this straight, I am a “bully” for calling the Superintendent’s office to ask why I did not receive my board packet on Thursday as is customary.

    I am an elected school board member who was elected by over 10,000 voters to serve on the school board and attend meetings to fulfill my statutory obligations, yet every member of Dr. Johnson’s staff I spoke to on Friday did everything in their power to avoid answer basic questions such as why we did we not receive our board packets yesterday? Did you receive an agenda? Has the regular meeting been canceled for Monday?

    Please read CT Post reporter, Linda Lambeck’s Twitter Page where even she was repeatedly told by Dr. Johnson’s staff that they were forbidden to answer her questions about a PUBLIC MEETING because we always want to hide and keep secret when we are celebrating our students. Unbelievable!

    John Weldon emailed Linda Lambeck at 3:30 PM on Friday that our regular meeting was canceled. He emailed Lennie Grimaldi at 3:32 PM. I am an elected school board member and Dr. Johnson’s staff emailed me at 4:42 PM on Friday that the meeting had been canceled. She sent a separate email with two special meetings replacing the Regular Meeting we voted unanimously to hold in November 2018.

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  3. John Weldon is the antithesis of hypocrisy.

    Chris Taylor has referred to our teachers as “bad rubbish,” yelled out at a meeting, ” I hate Allen Wallach, I hate Allen Wallach, I hate Allen Wallach,’ threatened the employment of former athletic director, Chris Johnson at a public meeting, stated that he used to snort cocaine in the bathroom of the former Fitzwilly’s restaurant and implied I used to join him in snorting cocaine which was captured in a live Facebook stream, he stated at a public meeting that he wanted Allen Wallack and a Larry Schilling, a City employee, both fired, he has verbally attacked the Chief Talent Officer at a public meeting where the CTO got up and stormed out, he physically assaulted me on school grounds, which was captured on school surveillance cameras, he stated at a Public Hearing that Chase E. Bassick was involved in the slave trade, and so much more, yet John Weldon has not called him out of orde a single time, censured him or admonished him publicly, yet he has the audacity to issue a public statement to OIB calling me a “bully, dumb and asanine.”

    This is the same Chair that gave Dr. Johnson four 1 ratings on her evaluation which was the worst possible rating and is equivalent to incompetence. In fact, after we met and discussed our ratings and substantiations, he submitted his final evaluation with two additional 1s to do everything in his power to lower her overall rating to below a 3.

    John Weldon, you called me “dumb” and “asainine.” I’ll tell you what. I challenge you to a public debate on national, state and local education policy. I will even provide a step stool and high chair for you. Unfortunately, your feet will likely be dangling off the floor.

    Lennie, set this up. 🙂

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    1. Sorry. I wrote, “John Weldon is the antithesis of hypocrisy.” It should have read “John Weldon is the antithesis of integrity. He represents absolute hypocrisy.”

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  4. The Bridgeport Board of Education directly supervises and evaluates one employee, the Superintendent. The Superintendent, regardless who is serving in that capacity, is an appointed and public official, therefore anyone has a right to publicly criticize or praise her/him

    John Weldon was appointed by Mayor Ganim, after he ran for the school board twice and was repeatedly defeated, and then immediately joined the boycott calling for my resignation.

    The guy who couldn’t get elected, received zero votes to join the school board, had/has done absolutely nothing to improve public education in Bridgeport; thought he should join a boycott demanding my resignation.

    A typical Republican beholden to the corrupt DTC who had the 130th DTC Chair, Danny Roach, telling his loyal democratic voters NOT to vote for the democratic school board members because they were safe. They needed to vote for REPUBLICAN school board candidates John Weldon and Chris Taylor while standing in front of Black Rock School on election day. Can you say R-I-N-O?

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  5. The hypocrisy of John Weldon is blatant.

    He joined a boycott demanding my resignation, however I am “bullying” Dr. Johnson for calling on her to resign.

    I told Dr. Johnson privately that she should submit her resignation in February. I also told her in February that I would not vote to renew her contract.

    I am not sneaky or unethical. I never come up from behind, and I don’t blindside people. You will always know where you stand with me. You will always see me coming.

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  6. Lennie, I don’t “crave enemies. ” What I do “crave’ is elected and appointed officials who keep their commitments, are honest, ethical, possess morals, values, are intelligent, knowledgeable and articulate.

    If you ask for my support based on specific commitments and promises about what you will do if appointed/elected, but fail to keep your commitments and promises once elected or appointed, I owe that individual absolutely nothing but assistance being escorted out the door.

    In fact, not only will I escort that individual out the exit, I will throw them over my shoulder and carry them out the door myself.

    I will absolutely not be made to feel guilty for holding appointed or elected officials accountable for their promises and commitments.

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  7. Off topic,I am really disappointed in the campaign strategy,so far, of State Senator Marilyn Moore to become the next Mayor of the City of Bridgeport. The theme that was established was “Reset,Reform,Restore.” So far,Moore’s campaign has been anything but those three goals. It’s been a very traditional “sleepy” campaign. We are seeing a continuous stream of events which shows that the GanimTesta political operation is SCREWING the People of Bridgeport. Instead of shouting about it,we hear whimpers.

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    1. Lisa, I normally don’t canvass in the north end, however I am definitely going to door knock on Savoy Street. I will definitely be knocking on your door. LOL!

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  8. I am Not surprised at all. Name one person Maria has started with that she has not turned against if she can’t control you. She has a History of doing it to people who disagrees with her slave mentality. If you don’t bow down to her and kiss her — she will do things like this. She’s no better than the people she hates the most Joe and Mario and the democratic party. Thank God she doesn’t have the VOTES to fire Dr. Johnson. She learned very well from President Trump if you disagree with me YOUR FIRED! lol

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    1. Ernie,

      I am significantly better than Joe Ganim as I have never been convicted of 16 federal counts related to betraying the public office I was elected to serve in. I am also not a convicted felon who was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison. Joe Ganim voted for Donald Trump.

      Mario Testa does not reside in Bridgeport and is a racist. He does not care one iota about the Black and Brown people of Bridgeport. He simply uses them. Judge Bellis ruled he was involved in absentee ballot fraud.

      Your buddy Chris Taylor has repeatedly berated and attacked Dr. Johnson, and placed her contract renewal on the agenda months before required under her contract to force a vote against her renewal. Dr. Johnson called you for help and them Chris Taylor sent an email to withdraw the agenda because his “brother,” Ernest Newton got on the phone and chewed him out. The fact that Dr. Johnson called you for assistance only supports my position that she has capitulated to the corrupt DTC Machine. What honest, ethical, principled public official would ever call you for help? I shared that with her in a private conversation and made it clear that she should not have done it. In turn, you have repeatedly called her about who should replace John Bagley as basketball coach at Harding. You have no right or authority to direct the Superintendent to fill any vacancy with one of your buddies. Absolutely none.

      And it’s “YOU’RE FIRED,” not YOUR FIRED. You are such an embarrassment to the City of Bridgeport.

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      1. Robert T
        I don’t have a thing for Maria. The point i was trying to make is as long as Dr. Johnson did what Maria told her to do things were great between them. Maria feels she is never wrong. Maybe she should use her talents and become a English teacher in the Bridgeport School system.. Maria if anyone is an embarrassment in the City of Bridgeport maybe you should Look in the mirror at yourself. O bye the way i heard you lost a few cases you filed with the SEEC on absentee ballots fraud. Robert T remember Slavery is a mindset. The slave-masters mind-set as long as you did what you were told to do you were a good negro, if you didn’t the slave-master would turn on you. Sounds just like Maria!

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        1. No your point was racism, That’s your thing now, not about right or wrong, justice or injustice. When you speak of being told what to do. That water foreclosure scheme has be going on for a very long time and many minority people were victims of it. Are you saying people in city government and community leaders just came a where it? And are you saying someone told you what to do when you broke the law and was sent prison for your illegal action in breaking the public’s trust to get that money and perks? You are just trying to get it back through racism, to enjoy the perks of the Slave-masters mind-set provides you?

          And remember God told you what do also. Are you saying God has a slave master mind-set, and all the black preach are collaboration with that slave master mind-set?

          P.S I really think you are over reaching on Maria influence. She is one vote just like your on the council. She seem to play by the rules. The rules you seem to have been told to break that but you in prison for five year because you don’t want to take responsibility of your actions. but praise God for the blessing and carry your failures. How was your trip to Slave master mind-set Capital, Washington DC. ? You can’t get there without being in the game. Get out the Vote. Moses. Also just because Maria didn’t win all of her case with the SEEC doesn’t mean she should give up in injustice. That statement shows your mind set, Ernie.

          https://www.facebook.com/marcus.brownharrigan/videos/776482739412298/UzpfSTEwMDAwMTE2NTgwNDIyMDoyMDgwMDA5OTE4NzE0NTE1/

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        2. Ernie,

          You know absolutely nothing about my relationship with Dr. Johnson.

          I have never “told” Dr. Johnson what to do, although if she violates our bylaws or a CT statute I will certainly speak with her about. I have always done that via email or by phone.

          When there have been issues with her staff I have shared that with her via email or by phone.

          To imply that Dr. Johnson and I have had a slave/master relationship is beneath even someone of your low standing.

          Ernie, please list here the “few cases” I have lost regarding absentee ballot fraud.

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          1. Maria
            Please take a look at all your relationship with the people you have started with once you don’t agree with them you turn on them. If they don’t vote the way the puppet master instructs them. Everyone is on your hit list. Robert I was elected without the party’s support. I own the powers to be nothing. Like i have stated before your enemies are not mine. Thank God i can think for my self. I don’t need Maria or anyone else to think for me. Remember that’s what the slave-master taught. Do as i SAY! It remind’s me of someone on this BLOG!

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          2. Ernie, you have NEVER been a slave as the 13th Amendment was ratified in 1865.

            You may have ancestors who were slaves, however you have never been a slave.

            Have you been a victim of racism? I am sure you have been.

            If an elected or appointed official garners my support based on promises and commitments about what they are going to stand for, specific policies or initiatives, campaign promises and more, then they fail to keep their commitments; I owe them absolutely nothing except putting my foot up their a__.

            Am I being clear?

            I should feel guilty for turning my back on a lieing politician or appointee??? Absolutely not.

            I hold people accountable in every aspect of my life, but especially politicians and highly paid individuals funded by tax payer dollars.

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    2. Ernie you have a thing for Maria, you troll and attack her more then most. You claimed she hates black men because one broke her heart. I’m assuming, and yes I know what that say about assume, a white girl brake your heart? Because you go after her, just wonder why. As for me, I troll you because you praise God, Jesus, often like he’s just a get out of sin card for your actions. Just remember White people give you that book, Bible, when you trash them and Maria. JS

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y4b-DEkIps

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    3. Carmen Looez, Bobby Simmons, John Bagley, Samia Suliman, just to name a few.

      None of these individuals ever capitulated to the corrupt DTC, Mayor Ganim or,Mario Testa. None of them made promises they didn’t keep, nor did they sacrifice their principles, morals or values

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  9. This is Maria’s Modus operandi, if you don’t do what I want you to or I disagree with what you want to do, we’re done. No one should be surprised at the outcome of Superintendent Johnson and Maria’s BBOE relationship.

    I said it before and I’ll say it again, Maria is like your favorite meal served on a garbage can top, looks good but not very appetizing. Smart, intelligent and knowledgeable, but just don’t disagree with her or her philosophy.

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  10. Ernie, your insinuation of slavery and Trump seems to be on the lines of racism, but if she, Maria, turns on everyone why use the reference slavery and Trump to her leader ship mentality?

    Just a quick lesson in our ESL Class on OIB. It was the Democratic Party that you Ernie are part of and support, who supported slavery, Jim Crow laws, and segregation, not to mention fought to keep it in “White America in the Civil War.

    And when referring to Thanking God please remember those Pharaohs and its civilization with the slave mentality who build the Pyramids was a black race in Africa and, God sent ” the first Moses of his people” to free from their bondage, (“Steven People”) 🙂 Because If anybody believe White people occupied Africa 5000 years ago is just as color blind to Ernie’s racism. So lets not propagate seeded racism for votes and support Ernie. Maria doesn’t have a slave mentality. She a leader who can’t keep followers. 🙂

    P.S The Black Moses of his people and gay Hebrew cheerLEADER. You’re welcome. 🙂

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B-f7bsWUMQ

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    1. Because we all know White people’s Ancient History started with the Greeks and Romans. 🙂

      P.S People have every though about how all the prophets, Moses, Muhammad, even Jesus (God) as he was walking form town to town had to take a shit behind a tree or rock and wipe their ass with some leaves, because you know it wasn’t widely available. So when you have a debate on how many bathrooms people should be thanking God you live in country and time where you have access to A bathroom. So while we debate the color of Jesus he still had to take a shit behind a rock and wipe his ass with leaves. 🙂 JS

      Just fact of history people 🙂

      Thank you Jesus. 🙂

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK0NRgbZVmA&list=RDoK0NRgbZVmA&start_radio=1&t=4

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    2. Add Day and Ron to being racist. Because black people will never vote for a Puerto Rican, right Day, Day where do you place that garbage that came out of your month. JS.

      Because when it comes to Maria. You only find her slave master mentality offensive if its against a black person. You don’t recall you having an issues with here when she was asking the “white superintendent” to resign. But I could be wrong.. JS

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC40iQlg6NY

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    3. There is no current school board member who has had a closer relationship with Dr. Johnson than me. I have known her as the Director of Science, the CHS Magnet School Principal, and CHS Principal where my daughter was enrolled and where I served on the PTSO. In fact, during the illegal takeover I found out Vallas was going to demote her from Principal of CHS. John Fabrizi was heavily involved in that maneuver. I called her and warned her what was going on. Two days later she was called downtown and she was demoted. I fought for her to be selected as the Superintendent when the majority, including then appointed John Weldon, was opposed to her.

      In fact, as little as three months ago, John Weldon repeatedly told former staff and politicians that he would not vote for Dr. Johnson’s extension this year. Dr. Johnson loathes John Weldon. You think John Weldon is on board with her because she is now an amazing superintendent. He now supports her because she has completely capitulated to his every whim. She has sold her soul, and thrown her honesty, values, and principals to the wind.

      After 18 months in the roll, I knew she was not going to be able fulfill the leadership demands required of the superintendent of the second largest school district in CT. Dr. Johnson simply has no backbone, no political will, is indecisive, and has completely capitulated to those involved with the corrupt DTC.

      I had a very frank discussion with her in February and shared with her that I would not vote for her renewal and strongly encouraged her to resign. I was honest and forthright with her which are values I live by.

      I didn’t have the votes to fire Dr. Ramos, Paul Vallas or Fran Rabinowitz, however where did they all end up? Interestingly, Ernie, Ron and Don make no reference to the fact that both Sauda Baraka & Bobby Simmons were opposed to Dr. Ramos long before I joined the school board. Sauda Baraka, Bobby Simmons and John Bagley were all opposed to Paul Vallas. Sauda Baraka personally asked Fran Rabinowitz to apply for the interim superintendent position. We were all huge supporters of Fran Rabinowitz, but in the end, Sauda Baraka, Howard Gardner, Ben Walker and I all opposed Fran Rabinowitz. Do you think that we all made decisions to oppose or withdraw our support in a vacuum?

      This is not personal. This about meeting and fulfilling the obligations as Superintendent competently, ethically, honestly, and leading this district forward with measureable progress. 20,400 students rely on us to provide them with an adequate education that will allow them to lead successful and accomplished lives.

      I honestly believe Dr. Johnson is going to resign because she has been unhappy for sometime. I also believe she has been seeking other employment for some time. There are other personal factors driving her as well that I will not share here.

      I know my decision is the right one. I don’t support or vote for someone because I like them as a person. I vote for them based on their record on issues, are they competent, do their values align with mine, will they be a good fit, and will they put in the work necessary.

      Mike Gionotti is my friend, however I could not vote for him to fill the Board vacancy for several reasons, which I made clear to Mike. I have met and spoken with Mike many times since the election to fill the vacancy occurred. We are fine.

      I will not vote for someone I do not support because of pressure by those who have no intimate knowledge of what has, is or will be occurring.

      That’s all folks.

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  11. By the way, I agree with the headline 100%.

    “Weldon: Completely Asinine.”

    I am restating that I am challenging John Weldon to a public debate on national, state, and local education policy. Let’s see which one of us can articulate and speak intelligently on a variety of education issues.

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  12. And just remember like the Wright Brothers first in powered flight and who our police be writing their reports. Is who our history is written, taught, and reported. 🙂

    Matthew 13: 9-16
    9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.” 10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbMqWXnpXcA

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    1. Bob,
      None of us are perfect, however Ernie Newton’s inability to spell basic words is an absolute embarassment.
      I was speaking to a former House Speaker, and the things he said about the then Bridgeport delegation were absolutely embarrassing.

      I specifically asked him, “was the Bridgeport delegation ever respected?” He didn’t so much as flinch. He immediately said, “no, never.”

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      1. Maria since you have been on the Bd of Education is our Bd of Education an embarrassment.
        What leadership have you shown its always been your way or the highway. I can’t find one person who has said anything good about our Bd of Education since Maria been on it. Maria one thing is for sure no one works with you! So i guess you can say your in the minority.

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        1. Once again, it is you’re not your.

          Your sentences are so poorly written and punctuated that it is absolutely an embarasment. I am not talking about perfection. There is a difference between typos and someone who clearly cannot spell, punctuate and capitalize.

          How could you have possibly been City Council President, a State Representative and a State Senator? You epitomize and personify why Bridgeport was/is not respected in Hartford.

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        2. Ernie, your associates are all affiliated with the corrupt DTC, therefore it is not surprising that you cannot find anyone to point out the my positive contributions on the Board of Education.

          What you won’t here people say is that I am dishonest, unethical, for sale, unprepared, uninformed, unintelligent, and a rubber stamp.

          I do think, however, that many of those adjectives would be used by many to describe you.

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  13. See fellow racist, would a “white racist” with a slave mentality call out and attach another “white racist” (ISH) the jury’s still on Maria heritage being “white” (Spanard) 🙂 We all heard the tape. Bob. Now that was a slave mentality Ernie. Who is a friend of Ron’s

    No, a course not. They would stick together. Si senors 🙂

    Speaking of racial collaborations. 🙂 I for got prophet Dr Dre. 🙂

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA770wpLX-Q

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  14. Lets be absolutely clear.

    Ernest Newton was convicted of absentee ballot fraud while serving as a State Rep. As a State Senator he was a drug addict who even collapsed while in the Senate due to his drug addiction. He plead guilty to violating the public trust to enrich himself, and was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison.

    No, Ernest Newton, you do not have any level of credibility when it comes to disparaging ANY other elected or appointed official in Bridgeport.

    The only thing you have ever done for Bridgeport is to sully its reputation and image, and to serve as an embarassment to its residents.

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    1. Maria
      You are a sick person if you would only take your Med’s o, I forgot you don’t know how to take them.
      Maria anything you write about me is old news. Just remember you like setting fires and acting like a crazy woman. You are a damn liar Maria lets look at your record. You are a closet criminal ms firebug. Please go play with smoky the bear. Ms FIRE BUG! The Voters will be doing Bridgeport a great justice when you are Voted out of Office so you can set cars on Fire! Ps Take your Damn MEDDDDDDDDDDDDDD’s

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  15. Maria I really feel sorry for you. You want everyone to believe you are so perfect.We know without your Med’s you are a walking crazy woman looking for fun in all the wrong places. One day you will meet your match and some is going to slap the shit out of you. Remember what goes around comes around. your is coming. Just remember you of all people should not be throwing stones. Fire Lady.

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  16. Ernie,

    You’re an elected official who has repeatedly advocated for physical violence against a woman, yet you regularly pontificate about stopping violence.

    Sit down you hypocrite.

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    1. Hypocrite
      Really Maria
      You have stabbed so many people in the back just because you think you know everything and when people stand up to you and tell you we master, we can think for ourselves. You get pissed off and turn against them. Maria like i said you are nothing more then a Bully on the Board of Education. Thank God Elections are COMING!

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  17. No Maria i don’t wish any harm to people like you. All you do is walk around trying to Bully People. You of all people should know don’t dish it if you can’t take it. Like i said before please stay on your med’s. Anytime you talk about Ernie Newton I’m going to give you what you are looking for. I’m not afraid of Bullies like you Maria and i don’t give a damn about what you think about me. The Eastend and Mill-Hill section of town is who elected me Not you or Joe or Mario which include DTC supported Ernie. Just remember you need a title to feel important I don’t. because until you ran for the Bd of Education and town committee no one ever heard of Maria Pereira the Crazy Woman. Once again Please take your Med’s.

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    1. Ernie she’s bulling you with the facts. 🙂 What drugs did you used, Dope, crack? I know it wasn’t weed because you wouldn’t have collapsed on the Senate floor. Maybe show up with some pizzas and Krispy Kreme donuts and taking a nap 🙂

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      1. Rob
        First of all you don’t know what you are saying # 1 I never collapsed on the house or senate floor ok you dumb ass. and # 2 You like kissing up to Maria because you are a a – – kisser. I understand Rob! Like i said to Maria i don’t care what you or Maria think, say about Ernie Newton you know WHY, I’m Just having fun! I’ve been clean for 23 years. My New high is reading the Blog. My new Drug is Laughing at the dumb things people say! Like you Rob i getting a buzzz lol

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  18. Let me get this straight.

    You made a post about me on this thread and I RESPONDED to your post, yet you have the nerve to write “don’t dish it out if you can’t take it.”

    It appears it is you who can’t take it. You’re clearly agitated, striking out, hyper and rattled.

    On the other hand, I am just taking it all in stride. Calm and collected. Cool as a cucumber, although I hate cucumber. 🙂

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    1. No Maria
      You could not have won the election to the board of education had you not been on Joe’s and Mario’s put together ticket. Ms. Hypocrite you ran with a Ex-felon and as soon as joe didn’t do what ever it was he was supposed to do, you turned on him and mario. You love to talk about how great and smart you are really.Maria when was the last time the board of education had a meeting and acted as adults. You with all your so call knowledge you been the Biggest Cry Baby of them all. Our school board ,yes, has had many problems money being one of them. We have a school board that can’t work together because everybody wants to be in charge. I ask you What have you done in the last 4 years other than act Crazy at Bd meeting.

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      1. Ernie,
        I was elected to the Board of Education in 2009 on the WFP line without any assistance from Mayor Ganim, Mario Testa or the corrupt DTC. . I believe both you and Mayor Ganim were in prison when this occurred, therefore you may not have any recollection.

        I have never “turned” on Mario Testa because I have never been aligned with Mario Testa. I have met/spoken to him 4 or 5 times in my entire life. In fact, the first time I met Mario Testa was the night Sauda and I won in 2009. Mayor Finch, Mario Testa and Dotty Guman came to our headquarters. I looked at Mario and said,” And you are?” His eyes got wide, he inhaled and looked furious. I had no idea who he was and he was insulted by that.

        I’ve always wondered if I had supported Mayor Finch if Ganim would have lost. I believe after the Governor’s race I now know the answer.

        Mayor Ganim defeated Bill Finch by 414 votes in the Primary. All Mayor Finch needed was to move 208 votes from Ganim to himself and he would have won. Ganim’s third best school in 2015 was Thomas Hooker. He beat Bill Finch by 150 votes. With just some effort on my part; I was able to defeat Ganim at Thomas Hooker School in the Governor’s Primary. Ned Lamont won Thomas Hooker School by 47 votes with no operation in Bridgeport. That is 197 vote swing. All I needed was 17 more votes. And, I did not walk 50% of the Thomas Hooker School Precinct because I was still recovering from back surgery.

        I have a personal goal of Mayor Ganim losing Thomas Hooker by 150 votes this year. That will be a 300 vote swing in just one school. We will have to wait and see if I am successful. 🙂

        There were several powerful people at the meeting when I finally committed to help Joe Ganim win his race for Mayor in 2015. In fact, I had lunch with one of those powerful people last week. He brought up that meeting and said, “I remember exactly what you told him (Ganim). He lied to you and broke every promise.” I replied with “do you remember what I told him I would do if he didn’t keep those promises?” He responded in the affirmative. By the way he has refused to help Ganim’s re-election as well. I told Joe Ganim that if he broke his promises, I would walk through hell and fire all Summer in 2019 to make sure he was not re-elected. Summer 2019 is fast approaching, and I always keep my word. 🙂

        You and Mojo have asked we what I have done on the Board and I have responded to both you with a detailed list of accomplishments.

        Quite honestly, it is you who appear to be the “cry baby.”

        I have to ask myself why I even engage with you. Any man that would wear a bright, red suit with coordinating red shoes on Valentine’s Day is simply not worthy of my valuable time. People were sending me screenshots and calling me simply laughing at you. Someone sent me a link of you in D.C. dancing on a sidewalk to a street performer playing bucket drums. People were making fun of you, Ernie. Really, Ernie. There is a time and place.

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        1. Maria
          I was have fun, my life is not miserable like yours. Maria the gentleman was a homeless person in DC. I wanted him to know his music was beautiful. His hand made drums sounded like real drums. On my dressing like i said before i don’t give a damn about what you and others think of Ernie Newton i have a life maybe you should try and get one. The reason you respond to me is because you can’t Bully Me. You like people who bow down to you because it makes you feel important. Just like Trump and the slave-master, felt. Maria its a shame with all your knowledge you have. You have not found a way to work with people who may not always agree with you. If only you could understand just like you have an opinion other have one too. Maria you point out how long you have been on the board of education in Bridgeport in all those years you have fought with everyone who has served on the board. Please do not mention the people you ran with WFP because you turned on them. P.S On the Joe Ganmin run i was not apart of that conversation. What you said to Joe or didn’t say. Just like i said if only you could learn to respect others opinion.Everyone doesn’t have to agree with Maria but you turn them into enemies. one thing is true i know where i stand with you the good thing about that is i don’t need others to justify who i am.

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        2. I hear Maria, That pregnancy joke about Mario carrying Joe’s bastard child, chilled our relationship, no sense of humor, people 🙂 But to my credit Jeff like it 🙂

          Please Maria, you aligned with Joe because you and Joe were on the outside looking in. Also I believe you won by a smaller margin than Joe. 🙂

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  19. Maria
    I get on this BLOG to have some fun with my haters. you get on it because no one listens to you on the outside and you do have one or two followers on the Blog Mr. T. I never take anything you say about me personal . Like i said before i don’t give a damn what you or anyone else thinks of Ernie Newton. Maria please try and get a life. Life is to short trying to be right all the time. Have a great day to all.

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  20. Sitting here on a late Monday afternoon reading a blog where a Bpt Councilman &and a member of Bpt;s board of Ed arguing who is more screwed up…Bpt,we are doomed..

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  21. Harvey, you are absolutely correct in your observations about these two Bridgeport public servants. I see two people in a dog eat dog war and both are wearing milkbone underwear.

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  22. Ok, knock it off. Maria, you’ve more than made your point; Ernie, you’re too experienced to engage in this manner; and, Texeira find something constructive to do instead of fanning the flames of racism, real or perceived. In a few months, serious decisions must be made that could impact our City one way or another. Spend time doing some soul searching as to what role all of you might play in supporting candidates that might qualify for several elected offices this year. It doesn’t have to be a lost cause or a given that certain individuals are certainties. While you all sit at your keyboards and blame the Testo/Ganim team of controlling the outcome of the election, you’re making it easy to happen. I’m not yet getting this vibe from them; all they have to do is sit back while you eat each other up, and then they wrap up the outcome. Silly, stupid behavior. FYI, I don’t care if any of you get mad or upset with me, someone has to say it.

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    1. Lisa, I think that Maria and Ernie should continue to go against each other but instead of the negative talk let them both tell us what the have actually have done. What has Maria done while being in a City wide elected position on the BOE and what has Ernie done as a council member, a State Rep. and State Senator.

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    2. Sis you are so right i’m having fun. Lisa i have always had a great Love and respect for you. I will listen and i’ll stop allowing people to rent space in my head. i’m just going to read the blog from now on. Lisa we have bigger issues at hand.
      Thanks and much love my sister.

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  23. Don’t worry. I will challenge Maria once I am appointed to the board. It is time that we recall Maria from public office and retire her old tired tactics once and for all. Dr. Johnson is doing a great job! Maria is a bully but bullies fold once they meet someone who can stand toe to toe with them. When I am on the board, Maria will resign.

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    1. BREAKING NEWS!! Stephanie Thom Stephanie Thompson, I will challenge Maria once I am appointed to the board, the voters of Bridgeport will now see who is and what her positions are about education for the 20,000 plus students but so far Stephanie Thompson platform is about Maria Pereira and to “meet someone who can stand toe to toe with them. When I am on the board, Maria will resign.” Stephanie Thompson you haven’t said anything about the students education, sounds like a female Dennis Bradley.

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      1. Ron, I didn’t respond to her. You have repeatedly posted she should be ignored. You have also questioned whether she is a plant. I agree with both of your positions.

        Please take your own advice and ignore her.

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