Acting State Education Commissioner George Coleman seems like an earnest man about reforming city schools. Fact is he’s scheduled to retire in a few months which leaves so many questions about the direction of school students. When will a new state commissioner be named? How long will Superintendent of Schools John Ramos stick around? When will a new controlling board be named to replace the Board of Education torpedoed by state action?
The latest from Linda Conner Lambeck, CT Post: www.ctpost.com/local/article/State-silent-on-applicants-for-new-Bridgeport-1471254.php
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In Linda Conner Lambeck’s CT Post article she writes, “Sauda Baraka, a member of the existing board who voted against reconstitution, wrote a letter to Coleman, calling his actions a disgrace.”
“You now seek to ignore the will of the people, while serving your political interests … For you as an outsider to believe that you can identify the parent and community representatives who will govern our schools is preposterous and outrageous,” she wrote. Well, I am in full agreement with Sauda Baraka’s statement, 100%.
Baraka is right on! How much is the Ramos buyout going to be? Ron–Thanks for your hoarse response.
100% agree with Ms. Baraka.
Ramos should be made to stand in the corner at the next BOE meeting.
LG/Carolanne,
Could we set up a picnic @ Bloodroot before the primary? I’ll have the cops on standby.
We should have nametags without our true identities. It would be very interesting to converse with our intellectual equivalents socially at an unidentifiable gathering. Please consider this request, I think our think tank would profit from it.
I will suspend productive activity for this:
I cannot believe Antitesto would be admitted to any Think Tank.
ZZZZZZZZZ
Hello everyone, I am new to this site. I do not come from Bridgeport but the concern of CT education worries me a lot. I was upset to learn recently state funding for the implementation of The Common Core State Standards will be delayed due to the budget crisis. I also think we should have all public high school students be made to pass the CAPT test with certificate of mastery in all areas of concentration. To the acting State Commissioner, the new controlling board and the local curriculum committees I wish you the best of luck. I think getting the kids up to speed with the Common Core State Standards is an excellent start.
John
JMart–Welcome to OIB. Common Core State Standards may be found at www .corestandards.org. I partially disagree with the mission statement regarding college but agree with the workforce element of their mission. In Bridgeport, that was eloquently stated by Baraka, Pereira and Simmons, who today spoke about how the Board of Ed. members in the majority would not authorize an additional $20k to continue a dropout study. Nearly $650k was spent on an unfinished study by the BRBC, with partial money coming from the city and State, that did not bring about any real savings and failed to complete the forensic audit of the Board of Education.
Phone finally rang and I got polled. Wondering if anyone else got a call this morning. Most the questions were about Gomes. Is he paying for it?
Sure, let’s all now listen to Baraka. Eight years on the BOE and she’s done nothing!
Might have something to do with the fact she’s been in the minority. Hard to get anything done.
Voting matters! On a Board, with Unions on contracts, and for primaries and elections.
So the general electorate vote is frustrated by the “control panel” of the “elected local Board” voting to “short circuit,” declare themselves incapacitated and ask the “motherboard” to take over. All true in this case.
But let’s not get angry at the competent Fire Chief who shows up as required, sizes up the scene and tells us he will review nominations and find five people with the sufficient time (and other useful credentials) to evaluate the local educational structure and provide direction for a few years. When the five meet, the community will have the opportunity to see if they go about the task in a different manner, whether they get the responses they need from the current administration, and whether the dollars directly providing the most necessary class time and instruction are sufficient to get the work done and the district improved. Superintendent Ramos is still here. I have no crystal ball as to his future or that of any of the approximately 3700 employees who work for the BOE today.
At times the BOE has been labeled a jobs program. For those without a vital task, without requisite experience or education for the job they hold, or who are giving their determined minimum, the future may indicate significant change. But the most important goal is the changing outcomes for the young people in the classrooms, and that, rather than any particular political objective, will probably be the measure by which the five appointed to the new panel will measure themselves. They need to behave in such a manner that the new control panel provides a most significant contrast to the smoke, sparks and fires noted at past BOE meetings. Let’s give them a chance.
The BOE is not only a Jobs program, a careful check of the preferred vendor list might show we are not getting full bang for our buck.
I agree with you BEACON2, let’s show the kids we care by demanding the BOE should start implementing, right now, the Common Core State Standards that were signed by Connecticut in July 2010. We must hold the kids responsible as well by having them pass the CAPT test when they are at the sophomore or junior level.
John
ReallyFrustratedDemocrat, perhaps you can tell us who has done something on the BOE?
Anyone happen to catch Bobby Simmons, Sauda Baraka and Maria Pereira on WDJZ this morning?
Yes. I did listen and thought it was a balanced hour of dialogue. One of the resounding themes cast by the callers was about their feelings of their vote being disenfranchised by the actions of “Super 6 Majority” Ramos with the blatant support and approval of Finch.
I thought they did a terrific job telling the other side of the story in a clear and concise manner. Some of the issues they raised clearly warrant further investigation.
The Bridgeport Republican Town Committee will be holding their caucus tonight to elect candidates for the upcoming municipal elections. The caucus will take place at 6pm at the North End Branch Library. If the citizens of Bridgeport are looking for an alternative to the business as usual ways of the city, please take into consideration the candidates who will be running on the Republican ticket.
ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ, WAKE ME WHEN IT’S OVER.
I heard the big three BOE members and I thought they were great. How could they do their elected jobs when they were squashed by the Finch and Stafstrom Six. This isn’t over by any means. Paying out almost a mil a year to a law firm that contributes the max to campaigns can’t be kosher.
Journalism in the internet Age:
thebrowser.com/interviews/jay-rosen-on-journalism-internet-age
BEACON2 should feel happy. The “needle” is moving in his direction. His long form has a bright future.
Antitesto, however, remains hopelessly lost and even the search party is becoming discouraged.
JMart–your topic is much-discussed here. Welcome.
ZZZZZZZZZ
Checked into the poll call I received, and yes Mr. Gomes is doing his own poll. I was also informed of many exciting things coming in the near future from a nice young lady who answered the phone.
Change is in the wind
To Up On Bridgeport and Local Eyes, thanks for the welcome. I’m glad this topic has been discussed on a open forum. I hope real positive gains come about for the kids of Bridgeport and the rest of the state.
John