Comments on: Will No One Stand Up For the Taxpayers of Bridgeport? http://jonathanpelto.com/2012/08/02/will-no-one-stand-up-for-the-taxpayers-of-bridgeport/ Working to educate, persuade and mobilize through "perceptive and acerbic" observations about Connecticut Government and Politics Sat, 18 May 2013 18:48:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: What are Mayor Finch and Governor Malloy going to do about Paul Vallas…? - Wait, What? http://jonathanpelto.com/2012/08/02/will-no-one-stand-up-for-the-taxpayers-of-bridgeport/#comment-5691 What are Mayor Finch and Governor Malloy going to do about Paul Vallas…? - Wait, What? Sun, 05 Aug 2012 22:54:23 +0000 http://imnctnetwork.com/waitwhat/?p=2680#comment-5691 [...] previous positions as the CEO of the Chicago, Philadelphia or New Orleans school systems.  See:  http://jonathanpelto.com/2012/08/02/will-no-one-stand-up-for-the-taxpayers-of-bridgeport/ and [...]

]]> By: Sue http://jonathanpelto.com/2012/08/02/will-no-one-stand-up-for-the-taxpayers-of-bridgeport/#comment-5616 Sue Sat, 04 Aug 2012 14:01:00 +0000 http://imnctnetwork.com/waitwhat/?p=2680#comment-5616 I just saw this. ARE THEY KIDDING ME?

linda lambeck
‏@lclambeck

And they are doing new in-house #bridgeported special Ed without hiring any additional staff. So far 25 kids r coming back 2 district.

from Bridgeport, CT

]]> By: Castles Burning http://jonathanpelto.com/2012/08/02/will-no-one-stand-up-for-the-taxpayers-of-bridgeport/#comment-5535 Castles Burning Fri, 03 Aug 2012 00:31:00 +0000 http://imnctnetwork.com/waitwhat/?p=2680#comment-5535  Highly suspicious.  Thanks for pointing out.

]]> By: Linda174 http://jonathanpelto.com/2012/08/02/will-no-one-stand-up-for-the-taxpayers-of-bridgeport/#comment-5525 Linda174 Thu, 02 Aug 2012 21:50:00 +0000 http://imnctnetwork.com/waitwhat/?p=2680#comment-5525 Remember the private equity group that was meeting in a secret location in Manhattan? Well a reporter from Reutters attended and here is her report:

Posted on Ravitch as well.

So here it is folks. Stephanie Simon of Reuters attended that private equity investors’ conference at an elite Manhattan setting and the boys are looking to make money from selling their stuff to the schools, running schools, teaching math, investing in new ventures of all kinds.

This is what many suspected but found hard to believe. The Wall Street crowd says this is their moment.

They see the steady advance of privatization and for-profit ventures and they love it.

They know that the purpose of the new academic standards is to create winners and losers, and they will invest in product to sell to both ends of the spectrum.

They will monetize the children, outsource the teaching, do anything that turns a buck.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/08/02/usa-education-investment-idINL2E8J15FR20120802

]]> By: guest http://jonathanpelto.com/2012/08/02/will-no-one-stand-up-for-the-taxpayers-of-bridgeport/#comment-5524 guest Thu, 02 Aug 2012 20:43:00 +0000 http://imnctnetwork.com/waitwhat/?p=2680#comment-5524 Really.  How do we know what is legal when they keep rewriting the laws?  Look at Adamowski.  He just does whatever he wants, with no parental imput, or even BoE imput in Windham.  According to the LAW, the one created especially for Windham by George Coleman, the State BoE, Susan Johnson, and Don Williams, Windham no longer has to abide by the LAW.
I guess it’s the same for New London now.  With Bridgeport, it looks like different laws coexist.  The State of Connecticut “took over” (illegally) the BoE; they bought-out the superintendent–meaning he gets his entire salary but does nothing–they hired Vallas, Vallas hired Kase, etc.  Now they are stocking the district with lots of no-bid consultants and software.  Pryor and Malloy will claim it is legal–just in the case of Bridgeport.

]]> By: guest http://jonathanpelto.com/2012/08/02/will-no-one-stand-up-for-the-taxpayers-of-bridgeport/#comment-5523 guest Thu, 02 Aug 2012 20:36:00 +0000 http://imnctnetwork.com/waitwhat/?p=2680#comment-5523 This will probably tie them up and prevent them from actually helping students.

]]> By: TMS http://jonathanpelto.com/2012/08/02/will-no-one-stand-up-for-the-taxpayers-of-bridgeport/#comment-5522 TMS Thu, 02 Aug 2012 19:11:00 +0000 http://imnctnetwork.com/waitwhat/?p=2680#comment-5522 From most accounts, the Feds are encouraging the behavior. Whatever it takes to win the “Race to the Top”.

]]> By: WesternCTteacher http://jonathanpelto.com/2012/08/02/will-no-one-stand-up-for-the-taxpayers-of-bridgeport/#comment-5521 WesternCTteacher Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:09:00 +0000 http://imnctnetwork.com/waitwhat/?p=2680#comment-5521 Maybe the Feds need to get involved.   

]]> By: Sue http://jonathanpelto.com/2012/08/02/will-no-one-stand-up-for-the-taxpayers-of-bridgeport/#comment-5520 Sue Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:03:00 +0000 http://imnctnetwork.com/waitwhat/?p=2680#comment-5520 And, to top it off, they’ve mandated that the school guidance counselors  be in charge of SRBI implementation and weekly review. Go figure.

]]> By: TMS http://jonathanpelto.com/2012/08/02/will-no-one-stand-up-for-the-taxpayers-of-bridgeport/#comment-5519 TMS Thu, 02 Aug 2012 16:09:00 +0000 http://imnctnetwork.com/waitwhat/?p=2680#comment-5519 I asked that very same question a couple of blogs ago, “who will stand up for the taxpayers”. The response I got from those of you who know much more than I do about CT politics was pretty much, “no one”, mainly because our Attorney General is good friends with the Governor. In my silly little mind, I thought, “so?” he’s not appointed, but elected by the voters/taxpayers, but I obviously don’t know what I’m talking about.

The fact of the matter is there is no taxpayer outrage. Taxpayers have to stand up for themselves. Until we are willing to do that in-mass, nothing will happen. There is enough information out there for taxpayers if they want to learn anything different from what they are being told. As for the direct stakeholders, I’m so tired of the excuse that parents are just so desperate for better education that they will follow anyone who promises them success. I work a full-time job, raise my child, take care of my elderly parent and still find the time to educate myself on issues that affect my quality of life. Parents have to take responsibility for their kid’s success in all aspects of that child’s life. These parents are not being victimized, the kids are, but these are their kids. If they are not willing to stand up for them, then how effective can the rest of us be? 

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