June 10, 2009 1:40 pm

Colarossi Leaves Norwalk Democratic Party

What’s with the sidden exodus from the Norwalk Democratic party? From a press release:

June 10, 2009:� Parent activist, community volunteer and out-going Co-President of the Naramake PTO Steven A. Colarossi today removed himself from the rolls of the local Democratic Party in response to what he has described as “the misguided priorities which has marked the Democratic majority on the Board of Education for the past several years.”� �Colarossi, who is the dad to a fifth-grade daughter at Naramake and a sixth-grade daughter at�Nathan�Hale�Middle School, feels that parents need to protest the lack of accountability he feels mark the Democratic majority on the Board of Education.� “We need this majority to know that our votes can not be taken for granted, “ he has stated.

His statement reads as follows:� �

Over the past several years of my advocacy on behalf of�Norwalk’s students and their families, I have come to realize that a majority of our elected Board of Education have simply forgotten that they were elected to serve all of�Norwalk’s children.� This majority fails to respond to constituent emails, publicly complains when they are inundated with parental concerns about pressing issues and actually (and shockingly) make decisions affecting schools they never visit.

Norwalk’s Democratic Party has done nothing to make these members more accountable—in fact, the Democratic Town Committee has only served to embolden them by re-nominating and re-supporting them.� The local Democratic Party has supported Board of Education members who have increased administrative positions at the expense of children’s educations, have failed to undertake any effective means to systematically improve early childhood education for all Norwalk’s children and have consistently passed budgets that are replete with waste and inefficiencies.� When I have written to the Chairwoman and Vice-Chairman of the Democratic Town Committee to voice my concerns with the autocratic and anti-educational policies of their majority on the Board of Education, I have never received a response.

For these reasons, like many parents, I have come to appreciate that the local Democratic Party is not the party which supports education in Norwalk—they are not the party which can balance holding a superintendent accountable to the constraints of the taxpayers while serving the needs of the students—and they are certainly not the party to whom I will entrust the future of my children’s educations.� �To effect change at times like these, voters must make a stand not merely at the ballot box but also publicly.� To those decision-makers who have failed our children, we must unequivocally announce that they have lost our confidence and that we will not and can not support them.� I think that no stronger a message can be sent than leaving the political party which has supported this Board of Education majority and their misguided priorities.

Leaving a political party that had been an integral part of my upbringing is certainly not an easy decision.� However, my children depend that I look forward and not back, and that I work to improve educational offerings available to all in�Norwalk.� �Such work is not possible from within the Town Democratic Committee for the Norwalk Democratic Party shares only a name with the party of my dad and grandfather;� it embraces none of the inclusiveness, and lacks any of the vision, needed to govern a city as large and diverse as�Norwalk.�

Norwalk�has amazing potential—we have a dedicated teaching force eager to devote countless hours, boundless energy and limitless resources to the nurturing of our children.� We have a true sense of community in which local, neighborhood schools become extensions of our families.� And, we have an inclusive nature that seeks not just what is best for our own children but what is right for all children.� �As a parent deeply concerned about the future of his daughters’ educations, and as a member of the community troubled at the issues confronting�Norwalk’s at-risk families, I hope to be a part of the changes needed to improve our school system.� And, I hope that the small step of leaving the party of the Board-of-Education-majority encourages others to join me in working for the change our kids deserve.

Colarossi makes a solid case on the failure of the Democratic Town Committee leadership to address educational issues. Bruce Kimmel has left the Norwalk Democratic party in the past over similar issues. And the rumour mill, ever present, churns out more names thinking about making the switch.

anonymous

whos is going to be next ? please tell us, or who does anyone think it is ?
Anonymous

Did he switch to the Republican party, or switch to unaffiliated?
Long Time School Supporter

I agree with what he says but he has the chance to run against the incumbents and does not, at leat in this letter. We need people to step up and be leaders, angry complaining does not produce results when you don’t have enough good candidates.
Long Time School Supporter

Maybe he thinks the Republicans are interested in funding needed reforms-ha!
Democrat

Oh please let it be Michael Coffey!
Asleep at the switch

“The problem we have, hea, is a failure to communicate.” as the warden said to luke.
Besisdes the power struggles and ego’s that entertain us, we are missing the most important point. We, all of us, are failling our children, our community and our confusion and apathy is weaking the strength of our nation. Yes we have lost all confindence in our eduction system, yes we have lost all confidence in our local elected education representatives, who are basically non compensated volunteers. Any grandstanding by anyone still is missing the point. our entire education system is broken. we will reserve confirmation on our justice and economy systems failures, changing faces does not resolve anything. We have no democracy without an informed electorate. It is a simple concept. We can do better. We must do better. Want to really make a difference, rally for increased federal funding, intervention, oversight, mandatory minimum uniform professional development requirements for teachers nationwide, upgrade to the digital world we live in, cameras in all class rooms and computers for every student and teacher. How we elect representives and compensate them must be addressed. we are getting what we pay for. 150+ million budget hundreds of employees, millions in contracts and we dont give these folks on the board anything but a hard time, a few hundred dollars a year, no perks but lots of meetings and agravation. Sure Kimmel abandond a sinking ship, common sense, something that is lost in ego’s and the shuffling of paperwork and faces. Kimmel is an inner city High School teacher, the only teacher that WAS on the board. Sure would love to hear from Bruce. Perhaps an reporter with some freedom could get Bruce to do an interview. Without communication, there cannot be understanding and without understanding we just keep chasing our tails going round in circles stoping briefly now and again to scratch an annoying itch. Democracy at work. Look busy accomplishing nothing and than congratulate eachother on accomplishing absolutely nothing but increasing their 401′s.
Dem Outsider

#6- You make some good points, but you seem to suggest that, unless people have a perfect solution and an absolute platform, they shouldn’t engage in any kind of local protest. Look, we have a board of ed that basically has parents and kids begging for them to keep programs that work and that won’t say a word about what they feel is worth saving.
I don’t claim to know what will shake this majority up– maybe if other parents follow suit, it make them a little more accountable.
Steve Colarossi

I took my name off of the �Democrat� rolls and am �unaffiliated�.
I do think that the two Republican members of the BOE and a minority of the Democratic members of that Board have been interested in a more reform-minded platform. Unfortunately, that cause has not been embraced by the majority and was expressly rejected by the DTC at their caucus when they chose Mr. Kimmel�s replacement.
Is this a small protest? Absolutely. Might it make a difference? Who knows- but it is certainly worth a try if it shakes up the BOE to start making some responsible budget decisions.
Democrat

Steve, you are acting like a a legend in your own mind. You could make a difference by running for BOE but you’re not willing to campaign or put in the time.

We’ve got plenty of gripers and armchair quarterbacks. You could make a difference but choose to gripe instead.
Stephen Bentkover

It occurs to me that now is the time for those of us who are now, and remain “unafilliated voters”, to find common ground to come together. We could try to find non party dictated strategies to make this BOE more responsive to reality and less to their parties respective marching orders. I am told that there are more unafilliated voters in Norwalk, then party registered ones, and maybe it’s finally time to make that work for Norwalk and who knows where that could lead. Partisan politics and the way it is conducted, have brought us to this place, and we need to find a way out or we will find ourselves in the wilderness for the forseeable future. Where is Moses when you need him?
Maribeth Becker

There’s always the local GSD party…

There is a growing number of folks working together regardless of labels to Get Stuff Done! We get a lot more accomplished by working together rather than fighting – and we have a lot more fun in the process.

In addition to all of our other endeavors, many of us GSD folks are busy with pARTy in the Park – a fabulous event coming up on Saturday June 20th. A day of art, music, food & fun. Hope to see you all there!

http://www.norwalkarts.org/pip/
Naramake Parent

Nine, I don’t quite get your point— Steve helped us in having a qualified Principal appointed at Naramake, he’s spent lots of nights arguing for portables for the school, he lead the charge against the silly bake sale ban and he’s been a pretty serious volunteer for years. Seems like that’s someone who’s not just griping but doing.
Anonymous

#10, get real. Why don’t you build a sandbox and see who wants to play. You won’t get the Dems, like Jodi Bishop-Pull-a-Fast-One or Rosa Lets-Vote-In-a-Hurry. Except for Burnett, the Dems are hard-core agenda partisans. Did you follow Naramake? Think you can change the world? Run for BOE.
Master Cheese

I’m with the GSD party and I hope you all join us for pARTy in the park on June 20th.

We do alot of other community things as the GSD group. So come hop on the GSD band wagon and see things happen right before your eyes.
Anonymous

Thanks for the reply, Mr. Colarossi. I must say that some of this criticism here is very unfair: since when does someone have to have a perfect solution in their back pocket to call out a problem?

Without knowing anything about auto mechanics, I can tell you if my car mechanic sucks based on the functioning of my car. I’m perfectly within my right to call out shoddy results as I am the employer.

Same thing here: the BoE works for the citizens of Norwalk, so if any one is unhappy with the results of the BoE’s work, they are perfectly within their right to say so and demand a change, without needing to be an expert on education or school reform, and without offering a solution beyond, “Based on the results, we obviously need someone more capable in the position.”
Democrat

The current Board doesn’t respond to pressure from the party and most do not feel they are answerable to the public. The only thng that seems to sway them is hundreds of people at a hearing. Mr. Colarossi has been successful as an advocate for Naramake but nothing will change overall until we get some reform minded people on the BOE with the skills to implement change.
Oh and let’s not forget the task of ATTRACTING a good superintendent. Who would want to come to Norwalk and work for this BOE?
Anonymous

What about creating a position on the Board of Education for a Teacher Rep. selected by the Union. This teacher can vote and provide information that the board may never hear.
Teachers are left out of the board of Ed.
Anonymous

#17. Feel left out? Run for office. A Union rep on the BOE? Don’t you think that would be a conflict of interest at contract time?
Columbus Dad

#16 seems to be on to something– the Board of Ed members don’t seem to want to answer questions or respond to emails– they don’t seem very interested in what the public has to say, and they don’t care how many nights we waste going to their meetings to educate them about the schools they are supposed to be leading. Too bad the Dems keep putting the same people up for re-election.
Look at we are going through just to save instructional assistants that are critical to Columbus’ whole educational model. It shouldn’t take an organized advocate with an army of parents, letters to the editor and multi-media campaigns to get the BOE to do what’s best for our kids, BUT that seems to be what it takes in this town.
Anonymous

#19: With all of the instructional assistants at Columbus Magnet, why doesn’t that school have the highest scores in Norwalk? Why is that school underperforming?
Democrat

Dear Columbus Dad,
We need people like you to get involved with the party. There are only 2 new people who have expressed interest in running this year. You get the BOE you deserve, if no one is willing to step up.

People need to contact the Dems leadership and say here are my credentials and I want to serve on the Board. The current Board is mostly incompetent and I’m trying to change that but we need an influx of new and energetic parents who want change and are willing to serve.
Concerned Parent

Thank you number 21 for encouraging some of us to answer the challenge to become involved. who should we reach out to and let them know that we are interested in helping candidates or willing to run ? Many thanks !
Used to be Dem, too

#21- Your inner group, your leaders, had a choice of three outsiders to take Kimmel’s seat. Who did they overwhelmingly choose– a throwback to the days that gave us Corda? That’s the stuff that discourages many of us from getting involved in a “party”– yours is little more than an Alex Knopp fan club.
Used to be Dem, too

#21- Your inner group, your leaders, had a choice of three outsiders to take Kimmel’s seat. Who did they overwhelmingly choose– a throwback to the days that gave us Corda? That’s the stuff that discourages many of us from getting involved in a “party”– yours is little more than an Alex Knopp fan club.
SICK TAXPAYER

The time may be coming when fiscal restraint will win over left wing union thug tactics & democrat lock step mantra’s.
Anonymous

25–Very well put.
Democrat

#24 Yes that is true and very disappointing to me as I was supporting new candidates. My message is the same, however, change will only come with more involvement from new people. The new candidates did get a number of votes but the town committee likes to vote for candidates they know.
If you want to get involved, please go to the Norwalk Dems website and contact the Chair or your district leader.
Anonymous

Or you can go to the Republican website http://www.norwalkrtc.org/ and click on “Get involved” or send an e-mail to: info@norwalkrtc.org
Getting involved in our kids future is a win win situation.
Anonymous

Citizens should be able to be involved without having to sign on to any political party, particularly parties who force their members to adhere to a party “line”. The whole idea of voting is to be able to cast your vote for the person you think will do the best job, regardless of party affiliation – not to be told by some egotistical party hack that you have to vote the way the party tells you to. The fact that in order to be appointed or elected to any sort of political office you must be a member of a political party is the number one thing wrong with politics in this country today.
anonymous

You democrats are not supporting new candidates. You pushed Amy Jimenez who is a recycled retread who did nothing before and now is not even running for reelection. She told people at meetings she wasnt running for reelection. Why would she have ever been picked ? There were new candidates like Mr. Colarossi and Mrs. Keyes that would have been wonderful. You tired old democratic leaders only pushed for your friends. Do any of you Dems have kids in the schools like Mr. Colarrossi and Mrs. Keyes ?
Democrat

#29 Of course you don’t have to join but….If you want to have any influence over who the candidates are, you need to be involved in a party. It’s a 2 party system-get with the program. Even the Independent party couldn’t make it on its own here and got swallowed by the Republicans.
#30 I supported the new candidates but we need a lot more involvement from new people to change things. You can’t just show and expect people to vote for you, it requires campaigning.
Columbus Dad

# 9, #16 & #21 Democrat I’m assuming are different people. But regardless, why don’t you sign your names to your posting? If you want support, if you really feel the strength of your convictions, then why don’t you sign you name to your postings here? I’m not running for office, I’m not trying to reform any parties, and I don’t want to offend my friends & neighbors who might think the BOE is doing something right. I’m just trying to help others save our kids’ school.
But, you people– you want to encourage change, but you won’t lead the charge. You’ll let Calarossi lambaste your members (which took guts when he spoke to the DTC), you’ll offer Keyes as a sacrificial lamb, but you won’t stand up to the politics-as-usual crowd with the DTC. That’s too bad- you’re just giving credibility to Calarossi and people like him who leave the Dems.
Democrat

Columbus Dad, why don’t you sign your name? FYI Heidi Keyes is not a sacrificial lamb-I think she’ll win endorsement and hopefully get elected. She’s doing all the necessary things in a smart way. Just attacking people is not going to bring change to the party or any of the boards.
People who run for office and use their names on this blog face attacks and insults from the small minded. I prefer to remain anonymous and urge others to get involved.

turfgrrl

Democrat: While the official policy of this blog is “No Personal Attacks,” I know that some people do get carried away. That’s not to say that some criticism of individuals isn’t warranted, and its a fine line between criticism of policy and positions versus criticism just because … However, that small minded purview of attacks and insults is not limited to this blog. It goes on on all the comment sections on every newspaper, on other blogs, and even the OP-Ed letters section. I like to think that there’s some healthy debate that occurs here and that it out numbers the occasional pettiness that serves no purpose.

To All: Keep it focused on the issues not the person.

Maverick

Bottom line–The education of children should NEVER be surrounded by partisan political crap–It happens to be the nature of the beast in most, if not all, municipalities in this state. To change this now is futile for our current kids. BOE members don’t get paid for their services, and they act like it. Does anybody out there want to work all day, and then go to interminible meetings that get nowhere?? Didn’t think so. All you have to do is ask Larry Cafero, or the current budget director for the state, Bob Genuario, what they thought of their time on the board…..they won’t be honest with you, because they only used their time here as a springboard to the so-called “promised land”. See…it’s ALL about politics, folks! And does anybody out there REALLY think that with those guys at the Governor’s ear, that the courthouse in Norwalk will close? Can you say , “smokescreen”????
Anonymous

Maverick, I don’t think that everyone on the Board of Education, or who runs for the BOE is just a politician. Unfortunately, many of the choices they make seem so ridiculous that it’s hard to imagine that they don’t have some ulterior motives.
Anonymous

Some of what they do is the result of poor information, resulting from listening to the wrong people. Otherwise, why would they have made their choice about assistant superintendent? The candidate who failed to get the appointment has a powerful track record here in Norwalk, and the board had to have known that. However, they listened to some people who had ulterior motives and didn’t appoint him. Shame on them for their failure to do the right thing for the kids.
Steve Colarossi

#31, let me address some of the issues which you’ve presented to help you in understanding the deep distrust many of us feel with the local Democratic Party.
First, you claim to want some measure of reform, but yet you can point to nothing you’ve done which has encouraged reform within your party. It�s tough to take your claim seriously with neither proof nor any way to know who you are.
Second, you claim that people just can’t “show up” to get elected (which I take is your reference to the horse-and-pony show of the DTC meeting which selected the replacement for Mr. Kimmel), and you keep making these rather inane references to how people need to “work” to get elected. If you were talking about a general election, you�d be making a valid point. But, as for your DTC selection process, you had people seeking the nomination who had been actively solicited and who had long track records of community involvement– so you had people who were working hard in the community. I guess for the Democrats you represent, community involvement isn�t enough to be considered a �good candidate�.
You seem to really want candidates who, rather than spending their time engaged in the community, spend their time sitting around a closed room reliving what you perceive to be the agonies of the Esposito administration and regaling one and all with the glories of the Knopp Years. Sorry, but the Board of Education ( which features your parties’ majority) requires that parents like me attend far too many BOE meetings to make sure that the interests of the schools your members don’t visit aren’t harmed by their misguided policies. You see, I haven’t just been griping- I’ve actually been attending BOE meetings, offering suggestions for reasonable cuts to an administratively-bloated budget and trying to save the programs that work for our kids. I guess, like lots of people who are actually involved and invested in this community, attending local DTC meetings are the things that politicians do while the rest of us are coaching our kids’ sports teams, volunteering at Norwalk Hospital, speaking out at BOE meetings or helping out at our children’s schools.
Third, your party could refuse to support candidates who don’t respond to communications from concerned citizens (but you won’t). Your party could refuse to endorse incumbents who have consistently voted against the best interests of our children ( but you won’t). But then again, your party did actively support an incumbent who took taxpayer funding for an election in which he was running unopposed, so I guess you just have different priorities than the rest of us.
In short, your postings reflect the weakness of a local Democratic party that long-ago forgot that change requires action and not just words.
Maverick

Steve–You are absolutely correct on all points, my man. The party hacks on both sides of this debate have no place in the education of our kids. But, unfortunately……it is what it is. Keep fighting for your kids and the overwhelming majority in Norwalk that have no voice…..I don’t mean that “gotcha” voice that has become the battle cry of the do-nothings in town. When folks like you decide you’ve had enough, that will signal the death knell for the NPS. Anybody that claims to be any kind of stakeholder in our schools should pay very careful attention to the next few months.
anonymous

Democrat is one of the paqrty power brokers. Thanks for comin on the site and using your code words for exclusion. Unfrotunately, the lcoal dem party is out of touch and has no relevance in the City. The few dems that are left on the BOE and Council have no real achievments and if you speak to them, theyu lack a grasp of how government works. It is beyond unreal. The only criteria to get on these boards is to swear allegiance to a ship of fools.
Piqued Livid

I don’t feel party affiliation should have come into play when dealing w/ children or running for the BOE. If you feel the current board is nuts, then they are nuts in their own right, not because they are democrat or republican. If we are really concerned about what direction the BOE may go, then we should consult attorneys to find out how we “veto” unfavorable decisions. Otherwise, it will be the same ol’ same ol’ for years and years to come.
Piqued Livid

Party affiliation should not come into play when dealing with children or running for the BOE. If you feel the current Dems. are nuts, then they are nuts in their own right, not because they are Dems. If we all feel so strongly about what the BOE may or may not do base on past events, then find out the rights and the process to veto any unfavorable decisions they may make. Otherwise, it will be the same ol’ same ol’ for years and years to come. Hopefully, not all BOE members are politicians and hopefully the new crop of folk considering make a run for the BOE are paying close attention.
Piqued Livid

Sorry for the two posts. I didn’t think the first went through.

I’m not sure what point the Columbus Dad, who also didn’t sign his name, was trying to make, but we won’t go there. I do think Colarossi made some valid points toward the end of his post. It is his right to do what he pleases and go where he thinks he can make a difference.

Someone commented about a smokescreen in regard to the closing of the courthouse. Do you really think so? Do you also think the proposed closings of the family resourse centers are smokescreens as well? What is the purpose of these smokescreens?
Anonymous

I am also a Naramake parent, and like Colarossi, I will probably leave the Norwalk Democratic Party. Tell me this: How did someone as incompetent as Rivas get on the Board of Ed?
Frightening.
Secondhand Rose

I can tell you how, because I was at that series of meetings. She’s replacing her sister Judy Rivas, who left the BOE for medical reasons. During that time I never heard of any solicitation to replace Judy Rivas; one night her sister showed up at the BOE meeting and was appointed in her place, and voila! she was on the BOE. She kept a very low profile for the first couple months however. Apparently her true colors are coming out now. It’s too bad, but she’snot the woman her sister Judy was – and to the detriment of the BOE.
Secondhand Rose

My apologies for the duplicate post. My computer burped!!

turfgrrl

took care of it

Democrat

Maybe a message everyday on this site will have some effect. You get the BOE reps you deserve. Unless you are willing to get involved and run for BOE or get on the Town committees who choose candidates, we’ll continue to have weak representation. The Dems have 4 announced candidates for the 4 at-large seats: Greg Burnett and Shirley Mosbey (incumbents) Heidi Keyes and Bob Wagman. Amy Jiminez and Rosa Murray have not announced (maybe afraid of losing?) I don’t know who the Republicans have, sometimes they have good people but historically have not supported more funding for education. Here is the chance to break up the destructive majority that is currently in place. Both parties will nominate candidates in July. The BOE elected in November will be the ones hiring a new Super, which will not be an easy job.
Anonymous

#48–”historically have not supported more funding for education.”

News flash–you do not solve problems by throwing money at them–especially by hiring more administrators instead of teachers.
Secondhand Rose

Exactly my point, #49.

Find someone who has the QUALIFICATIONS first. Only then should you worry about salary, and in this day and age with the financial situation in this country a salary most definitly should NOT be in the 6 figures. Nor should there be a house or a car included.
HUH?

“Democrat” should be concerned with the rumor that Mrs. Murray and Mrs. Jimenez are now contemplating their re-election prospects. Of course, as a party, the Dem slate will still need to run from the prospect that Gregg Burnett pronounced the budget a good one except for the loss of the high school deans and Ms. Mosby voted for it. And Ms. Mosby will need to answer for her vote against the Naramake principal (actually, she’ll need to explain why she abstained).