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Saturday, January 11, 2014

1-11-14 Wait What? All Week

Wait What?:


  Wait What? All Week



    With ousted Democratic Board of Education chairman Kenneth Moales, Jr. at his side, Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch gave Paul Vallas Bridgeport’s “Key to the City” for his “service to students.” There is still no word whether Governor Malloy or Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor stopped by last night’s “Farewell Reception” for Vallas in Bridgeport […]The post Mayor Finch gives “Key to the City” t

A Wait, What? blog post earlier this week entitled, “Malloy/Pryor Common Core Strategy – Hey, but we’ve got some computers!” outlined the fact that while many of Connecticut’s urban schools are woefully underfunded,  Governor Malloy and Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor were able to find $25 million in state bonding to buy computers so that more […]The post No Really… Nothing more for instructio

Hearst media commentator and fellow pro-public education advocate Wendy Lecker has another great commentary piece in this weekend’s Stamford Advocate. Wendy writes: “High-quality preschool is one of the best investments society can make in our children. It has been proven to improve academic outcomes and reduce the costly incidence of special education and grade retention. […]The post Connecticut

Malloy and Pryor traveling in “Radio Silence” when it comes to Vallas Farewell Reception
Two days after the media requests were submitted, neither Governor Malloy nor Commissioner Pryor’s communications staff have bothered to respond to the repeated question of whether either of them will be attending Paul Vallas’ “Farewell Reception” that is being hosted by Mayor Bill Finch tonight from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Bridgeport Holiday […]The post Malloy and Pryor traveling in “Radio Silen
The CAPSS Story: Local taxpayer funds used to work against the interests of parents and children?
What would parents and taxpayers say if they found out that while their property taxes were going up and their local Board of Education was being forced to lay-off teachers and reduce school programs, scarce local public funds were being sent to a state-wide organization that was working against the interests of students, parents, teachers […]The post The CAPSS Story: Local taxpayer funds used to

JAN 09

“I am in control here” – A day in the life of Special Master Steven Adamowski
 “As of now, I am in control here, in the White House.” – Alexander Haig, Secretary of the State It was March 30, 1981 and an assassination attempt sent President Reagan to the hospital. Secretary of the State Al Haig called a press conference at the White House to announce, “Constitutionally, gentlemen, you have the President, […]The post “I am in control here” – A day in the life of Special Mast
Publicly paid public employees providing public information – Not on Malloy’s watch
The following occurrence is but a single example of a much larger problem facing Connecticut today.  On issues big and little openness and transparency have become the causality of government strategies. In this case, the request to Governor Malloy’s publicly funded communications operation was simple enough. “My 9 a.m. Email yesterday read, “Is Governor Malloy […]The post Publicly paid public emp

JAN 08

Vallas demands taxpayers cover his $1,700 a month health insurance till July.
Yes it is true; Paul Vallas announced his intention to resign as Bridgeport’s Superintendent on November 8, 2013.  He affirmed that decision at Bridgeport Board of Education meetings in November and December. Vallas even sat there nodding his head when the Board of Education adopted a resolution setting February 7, 2014 as his final day […]The post Vallas demands taxpayers cover his $1,700 a month
Malloy calls his “educational reform” initiative “part of this grand experiment.”
In the United States you can’t take medicine unless it has been fully tested and determined to be safe and effective by the Food and Drug Administration.  Heck, you can’t even sell or buy genetically modified salmon without it going through a compressive independent assessment process. But for reasons that are extremely hard to comprehend […]The post Malloy calls his “educational reform” initiativ
Connecticut Democratic Party hit with campaign finance complaint
For months questions have been swirling around State Party Chair Nancy DiNardo, Governor Malloy and the Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee about the role they played during the September 2013 Bridgeport Board of Education Democratic Primary The Democratic State Central Committee diverted an unprecedented $40,000 in state party funds to support Mayor Bill Finch’s pro-corporate […]The po

JAN 07

Vallas resigns as Bridgeport School Superintendent… Again!
It is all pretty simple.  The contract between Paul Vallas and the Bridgeport Board of Education states that if the Bridgeport Board of Education fires Vallas, they must pay him a full year’s salary of $234,000 plus benefits.  If on the other hand Vallas decides to leave his position all he need to is provide […]The post Vallas resigns as Bridgeport School Superintendent… Again! appeared first on
Malloy/Pryor Common Core Strategy – Hey, but we’ve got some computers!
Governor Malloy’s budget provides no additional state funding for major local educational expenses like special education and school transportation.  Meanwhile, Connecticut’s Education Funding Formula (ECS) is approximately $2 billion underfunded meaning the costs of funding local schools are being unfairly, and arguably illegally,  shifted on to the backs of local property taxpayers.  The result

JAN 06

A Pro-Public Education Party for Connecticut?
The Connecticut Mirror leads with a story today about Governor Malloy’s PR campaign to “appease” Connecticut’s teachers in the hopes of getting active and retired teachers to support his 2014 gubernatorial re-election aspirations. The article, which is entitled “Malloy works to appease teachers in 2014,” reviews some of the turbulent history between Malloy and Connecticut’s […]The post A Pro-Publi
Capital Prep STILL NOT complying with Connecticut’s bullying laws
As parents and teachers are reporting, Capital Prep’s school climate is one in which child on child and workplace bullying is rampant. Incredibly, Capital Prep remains out of compliance with the most basic requirements of Connecticut’s bullying laws, despite an official Department of Education site visit in September 2012 that led to the demand that […]The post Capital Prep STILL NOT complying wit

JAN 05

Education Blogger Mercedes Schneider warns: Beware of Data Sharingcheerleaders Offering Webinars
Fellow pro-public education blogger Mercedes Schneider is one of the most powerful and important voices in the anti-corporate education reform industry movement.  Her research is extraordinarily thorough and her writing is amazing. As proof, the nation’s leading voice on behalf of public education, Diane Ravitch, links to Mercedes’ work on a regular basis.  If you […]The post Education Blogger Mer
Governor Malloy’s fake Connecticut Budget “Surplus”
If you’ve listened to Governor Malloy lately or checked out some of the media reports recently you’d think Connecticut was on the road to economic recovery, that the state had a budget surplus and it was “Morning in Connecticut.” Putting aside the continued high unemployment rates, Governor Malloy’s failed economic development strategies and the growing […]The post Governor Malloy’s fake Connectic
Parents with direct experience with Capital Prep continue to speak out
Over the past few weeks, more than a dozen parents whose children have or are attending Capital Preparatory Magnet School in Hartford, Connecticut have written to tell their stories or ask which public agencies are responsible for investigating their concerns about what is occurring at Steve Perry’s Hartford school.  Allegations of illegal practices range from […]The post Parents with direct exper

JAN 04

News Flash Update: Vallas demands money to leave the position he has already resigned from
Paul Vallas, one of the corporate education reform industry’s most celebrated figures has reached new heights when it comes to the corporate reform industry’s level of arrogance and a sense of entitlement. Vallas, who was wooed to Connecticut by Governor Malloy’s Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor and appointed to the position of Bridgeport’s Superintendent of […]The post News Flash Update: Va
News Flash: Vallas now says he didn’t announce his resignation Nov 8th after all, wants more money
In an absolutely unbelievable last insult to the taxpayers of Bridgeport and Connecticut, Paul Vallas and his lawyers have told the Bridgeport Board of Education that he did not announce that he was resigning on November 8th; he only announced he was going to announce that he was resigning. Instead Vallas is now claiming that […]The post News Flash: Vallas now says he didn’t announce his resignati