See No Evil…

Aug 10

jonpeltoBridgeport, Education Reform, Paul Vallas, Stefan Pryor , , , 34 Comments

As noted by a Wait, What? reader…

Yesterday’s State Board of Education meeting began with the swearing-in of a new student member…

“Do you solemnly swear (or affirm) that you will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Connecticut, so long as you continue a citizen thereof; and that you will faithfully discharge, according to law, the duties of serving on the State Board of Education to the best of your abilities; so help you God.”

And then the meeting continued without properly dealing with the inappropriate use of no-bid contracts by Commissioner Stefan Pryor or the illegal use of no-bid contracts by Paul Vallas, Bridgeport’s $229,000 part-time superintendent of school.

In fact, rather than critical assessment, there was praise for activities that would have generated the demand for a full investigation had the alleged violators been – let’s say – Republicans.

As the CTMirror, noted in their headline, “Bridgeport school reformer brought ‘dramatic transformation’”

“Even though a court ruled it illegal, the state’s ouster of the Bridgeport Board of Education last year has produced encouraging results, according to some members of the State Board of Education.

The replacement of the former Bridgeport board with new appointees led to the hiring of noted school reformer Paul Vallas, whose work as Bridgeport’s superintendent drew praise Thursday from the state board following a report on his first six months on the job.

In those six months, the troubled Bridgeport system wiped out a gaping budget deficit and laid the groundwork for a long-term strategy to improve student performance, Vallas and Bridgeport Board of Education Chairman Robert Trefry told the board.

“I applaud you. Keep up the good work,” state board member Charles Jaskiewicz told Vallas and Trefry as they appeared before the state board in Hartford.”

No Board Member raised any concerns or objections about the following issues;

  • 20 or more no-bid contracts to consultants and software companies totally about $1 million in administrative costs and $12 million in software contracts.
  • A significant number of the consultants turn out to be people who work for Vallas’ private consulting company, “The Vallas Group.”
  • Another whole round of standardized tests, the purpose of which was to make sure teachers actually taught and to provide information for summer school selection…but the test results didn’t come in as promised and were never used for their stated purpose.
  • A new special education system developed without appropriate participation by special education teachers or the families utilizing special education services, as required
  •  The layoff of a significant number of Connecticut residents to be replaced by out-of-state people.
  • And the list goes on…

The CT Mirror reported that “a key accomplishment was the elimination of a budget gap that Vallas estimated at $12 million to $15 million, largely through sharp cutbacks in administrative costs. Vallas said the system reduced the staffing of the central office by about one-third and limited teacher layoffs to nine people in the 20,000-student district.”

  • No mention that Vallas’ failed to account for administrative costs related to his own entourage.
  • No mention that the software contracts were signed in order to push the costs into the next fiscal year.
  • No mention of the expenses related to the unnecessary and inappropriate 2nd round of standardized testing.
  • No mention of the key retirements that are being re-filled but only after the new fiscal year began.
  • No mention that Connecticut’s taxpayers actually filled that gap with a $3.5 million “loan” from the state.

The message from the State Board of Education was loud and clear.

Stuff like the “swearing in” oath is for show.  The Board has no intention, what-so-ever to fulfill its Constitutional duties…

For the CT Mirror see: http://ctmirror.com/story/17160/bridgeport-school-reformer-cites-progress

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  • guest

    What could the new member of the State Board of Education, a student representative from Glastonbury, learn by the behavior of the SBE?  First, she swears a “solemn oath” to support the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Connecticut, and then she gets to watch as SBE member Charles Jaskiewicz openly defies the very constitution of the State of Connecticut, applauding the “great job” (! already!  in 7+ months!) of Paul Vallas and Sandra Kase, appointed by a Bridgeport BoE that should not exist, according the the Supreme Court of the State of Connecticut.
    Charles Jaskiewicz, whose actions and words arguably should effect his removal from the SBE, righteously affirms the illegal and improper unseating of a democratically elected board.
    If the oath of office is such a joke, so is the entire State Board of Education.  The tacit agreement of Alan Taylor and the rest of the SBE, including lawyer Stefan Pryor, is ample evidence that this board does NOT support the Constitution of the State of Connecticut, nor do they “faithfully discharge, ACCORDING TO LAW, the duties of serving on the State Board of Education.”
    Where do I file an ethics complaint?

  • Buygoldandprosper

    Pryor-Vallas clearly are a couple of charlatans and as part of Big Dans Motley Crew serve to remind Connecicut residents just how big a mistake they made when they voted for Malloy our governor by the slimmest of margins.
    Like the conversation with Monkey-Woman in Stamford,Dan will either plead ignorance (easy for him to do) or blame Republican ghosts (never mentioning the rubber-stamp legislature) but do not expect him to reverse himself and admit to mistakes. That is not the Malloy way.
    Dan may believe that the social contract that the voters made with him now gives him the right to follow through with his many visions and,as sovereign of the state of Connecticut,you will offer your obedience to him.
    See you in Beijing!

    Connecticut–Still Revolting! 

  • Gcole

    I have worked with Alan Taylor and I am still amazed at some of the things he says and does. At what point is he not held accountable for the conditions of education in CT. As board chair he needs to do more to ensure a better education for all of CT Public School Students. He also has the responbility to make sure that CT public school systems are operationg appropriately. In the case of Bridgeport it is clear that they are gaming the system and everyone knows it. If the Commissioner isn’t going to do anything about it then he should. Actually I don’t expect the commissioner to do anything becuase he is doing the exact same thing as it relates to his hiring practices. He recently hired a new person by the name of Mark Day. This person was hired in a position that didn’t exist. Don’t know much about his background at this time. He has hired several people in positions that didn’t exist. We also know from yesterdays blog he loves giving out contracts for his friends

    • Linda174

      I believe he created at least 3-5 new positions…mostly Yale buddies…none of them with teaching experience…all policy wonks who are “super smart” and know more than the rest of us, especially the lowly teachers.

      Check out comments on the CT mirror article…not sure they are posting all of them:

      http://ctmirror.org/story/17160/bridgeport-school-reformer-cites-progress

      • Castles Burning

        Thank you.  The comments are a MUST READ after that commercial.

  • Gcole

    I have worked with Alan Taylor and I am still amazed at some of the things he says and does. At what point is he held accountable for the conditions of education in CT. As board chair he needs to do more to ensure a better education for all of CT Public School Students. He also has the responbility to make sure that CT public school systems are operationg appropriately. In the case of Bridgeport it is clear that they are gaming the system and everyone knows it. If the Commissioner isn’t going to do anything about it then he should. Actually I don’t expect the commissioner to do anything becuase he is doing the exact same thing as it relates to his hiring practices. He recently hired a new person by the name of Mark Day. This person was hired in a position that didn’t exist. Don’t know much about his background at this time. He has hired several people in positions that didn’t exist. We also know from yesterdays blog he loves giving out contracts for his friends

    • Linda174

      Alan Taylor was also listed as being on the Board of ConnCan during the reform battle. What does that tell you?

      • Linda174

        Yes, see here and scroll to the bottom. Conflict of interest?

        It is all about the children and the civil rights movement of our time…repeat after me…It is all about the children and the civil rights movement of our time.

        http://conncan.org/aboutus/board

        Allan B. Taylor
        Partner, Day Pitney LLP
        Chairman, Connecticut State Board of Education
        Former Councilman, Hartford City Council

      • Bronx

         The hypocrisy of these reformers knows no boundaries….I love as charter schools cream the best kids off the top of urban districts, no ESL, few children suffering poverty, very limited special Ed. students and create another layer of  INTENTIONAL segregation beyond the de facto segregation of their neighborhoods, schools they claim it to be the “civil rights movement of our time”….rinse and repeat parrot reformers…

      • Linda174

        Hypocrits all of them. Where do their kids go to school? Obama, Gates, Bloomberg, Emanuel, etc…

        New slogan: YOU FIRST!

        Larger class size: YOU FIRST!

        Inexperienced TFA teachers: YOU FIRST!

        Test prep all day: YOU FIRST!

        Can’t cut it at the local charter, see ya: YOU FIRST!

        No art/music/phys. ed: YOU FIRST!

        Teach like a control freak Lemov style: YOU FIRST

        VAM score to determine human value: YOU FIRST!

        Aahhhh! I feel better.

        Anything I missed?

      • guest

        Great idea!

      • guest

        Let’s see how Jumoke does with Milner this school year.

      • Linda174
    • guest

      Thank you for the information.
      They should all be deposed for the legitimate reasons adduced here in this blog and in the columns to the CT Mirror article.

    • guest

      What is this Mark Day’s title?  Send along any other names and consultants.
      Who pays Michelle Rosado?

  • Gcole

    That he is not to be trused

  • Linda174

    I don’t know how to upload or post a PDF, so I am going to try to cut and paste and hope it works. Tom Reynolds was discussed a few posts ago about a GNESPA flyer. He has issued a statement. These flyers were unsolicited and not approved by his campaign. I will post in the next slot.

     
     

    • Linda174

      Here is a link to the statement. I can’t cut and paste for some reason.

      Please read. He supports public schools and teachers. I am not in his district but he called me to reach out and to explain. He is in our court, so please read.

      If you live in his district please forward to all. Thank you.

      http://www.tomreynoldsct.com/blog/2012/08/09/tom-reynolds-disclaims-support-by-outside-group-great-new-england-public-schools-alliance/

      • guest

        good for him!

      • anniemil

        I am in his district and had emailed him also after receiving several pieces of campaign propaganda in the mail, which were sponsored by GNEPSA, ConnAD, Bloomberg, StudentsFirst, etc. He called today and left a message, but his line was busy each time I called back. Good to know. I’m getting an education… I never realized organizations did that without the candidate’s permission/sanction.

      • Ongoingly

        Thanks for that Linda. He’s not in my district either, but I recommend ALL of the Dem candidates be as clear and transparent about their positions on education. It’s so hard to tell the DEFERS from the true Dems these days, since the rhetoric is being co-opted by the corporate ed deformers.

      • guest

        You said it.

  • guest

    I guess there’s plenty of money for young urban professionals looking for work in education Bridgeport, especially if they are following in the footsteps of Stefan Pryor: http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-names-education-liaison-official-3779099.php
    Maybe he has a nice Lower Manhattan apartment–I hear Stefan Pryor’s is fabulous (he did help rebuild, with public disaster-aid money) the lower Manhattan area, making it fit for young urban professionals and other wealthy inhabitants.  Never mind that the federal disaster aid Pryor siphoned around was meant for the people who actually lost homes and jobs due to 9/11–most of them made $11.00 per hour or less; their houses must not have been very gentrified.  Luckily a disaster allowed the developers to have a nice clean slate and a slew of rescue $$$.  Kind of like Hurrican Katrina money.
    This is just a hunch, but I wonder if Joshua Thompson once did TFA, or worked for Michelle Rhee?  He is just so typical of that reformy profile. 

    • Magister

      Hiring a guy with no apparent education credentials or experience for this job is like making me a hedge fund manager.

    • Linda174

      NCLB lite: no consultant left behind. Read that, too. Bridgeport could
      Have hired two teachers for his salary of $102,000. He is 27 and a lawyer.
      Just the kind Pryor prefers.

    • Linda174

      He is for more choices and options (interesting as Newark will be close to all charter schools if Booker and Christie get their way):

      I am most excited about being part of an educational movement and initiative that has created more choice for our youth in the city of Newark.  There is no “quick fix” to the status of America’s public school education, however, creating more opportunities and choice for families is a good place to start.  I am humbled to have been able to play a direct role in creating both awareness and options for Newark’s children.

      http://www.nycup.org/2011/09/joshua-thompson-cup-leadership-spotlight/

      • guest

        Gag!

      • Linda174

        Look at this…this site announced his appointed over a month ago:

        Posted by swhited on Thursday, July 5th, 2012 at 5:26 pm

        RC Co-Chair Increases His Impact

        It’s with great enthusiasm we’d like to share STC Newark RC Co-Chair Joshua Thompson‘s appointment as the Director of Youth and Education (Deputy Mayor) for the city of Bridgeport, CT.

        http://www.schoolsthatcan.org/index.php/2012/07/05/josh-thompson-bridgeport/

      • guest

        So, Thompson went to an all-boys religious school in Newark, which is part of the Schools that can organization  http://www.schoolsthatcan.org/index.php/schools/nj/st-benedicts-prepatory/
        I am not sure, but his undergrad, christian school might have been all boys.

      • guest

        How fast can you say, faith-based initiative?

      • Linda174

        shall we pray?

      • Linda174

        And look at the Board of Directors of Schools that Can…a charter chain.

        Harrison Blackmond
        Democrats for Education Reform.

        DFER…really…privateers bonanza…part of the alphabet soup (TFA, SFER, ConnCon….he has been taught well how to provide “choice”.

        http://www.schoolsthatcan.org/index.php/who-we-are/our-board-of-directors/

      • erin

        Schools That Can isn’t a charter chain. It’s a cross sector (district, charter, faith-based, & indy) network of high performing schools in low income communities.

  • guest

    Where can citizens file ethics complaints agains Jaskiewicz, Taylor, and Pryor?