YourCT.com header image 2
← Norwalk: Sunday Night Election Update Norwalk: Briggs Says Moccia Veto Secretive →

Guest View: Thoughts On The Norwalk BOE


by turfgrrl


November 4th, 2007 · 46 Comments

This is part of an ongoing series of guest posts about issues in Norwalk yourCT.com is a non-partisan site dedicated to airing all sides of an issue. That can’t happen without valuable contributions from our readers.

by Dave Davidson

Sunday, November 4, 2007
To the editor:

As an unaffiliated voter, I have always prided myself as voting for individuals running in various city, state and national elections based on their background as private citizens, their proposed programs and their records, if they held public office before, rather than on the political party that they are identified with. I continue to believe that is normally the appropriate approach to take.

For the past several years, we have watched the members of the Board of Education of the city of Norwalk fail in fulfilling their responsibility of overseeing the operations of our educational system. They have permitted the administrators of the system to make decision after decision without their active participation, acting as a rubber stamp, even evading their sworn obligations by saying the administrators are “the professionals.” This shirking of accountability and neglect of office is unacceptable to me, and I hope to other residents as well.

All the members of the current Board of Education came into their offices running on the Democratic line. One member recently removed himself from that party.

On Election Day, each of us will have an opportunity to vote for a member of the Board of Education. This year, we will be voting by district, so each of us will only vote for one member for our district, rather than for several members that run “at-large” and represent the entire city. If we are going to impact this failed board, every vote will be important.

I urge residents to vote for the Board of Education candidate who is running on the Republican Party ticket in their district. We must have voices on the board other than those represented by the current Democratic Party, who have shunned their responsibility and must now be held accountable. Whatever decision is made in voting for mayor, Common Council or the other offices on the ballot, votes for the Board of Education should be for the Republican Party candidate.

Every vote will be important this year. I ask voters to please consider these comments when they make their decisions.

Thank you.

Dave Davidson

Norwalk

Tags: Education · Norwalk

46 Responses so far ↓ “Guest View: Thoughts On The Norwalk BOE”


Pages: [1] 2 » Show All



  • 1 itspathetic // Nov 4, 2007 at 8:00 pm

    Mr. Davidson, I could not agree more. If we could vote the soundrels out, instead of voting others in, I would do that in a heartbeat!
    I thought we could vote for the full slate of BOE, but I know in my own district there is a good R running, so I am thankful.
    It was never a matter of how much money there was to throw at them, it was always a matter of how much they SHOULD need. Let’s force one of two methods next year: zero-based budgeting where they are forced to account for every cent requested or a cap of 1/2 the current budget with cuts starting at everything or person that does not directly impact the classroom.
    Then, and only then, should we start adding more money into the pot. I’m sick and tired of throwing good money after bad in this education budget. The results don’t warrant it, and giving more money won’t change the results.

  • 2 NoName // Nov 4, 2007 at 10:54 pm

    Its apparent you don’t know what you are talking about, You are wrong on so many levels. Your whole argument is specious. Its so easy to condemn with a broad brush yet you offer no substantive facts. Did you witness these failures at the BoE meetings? Or did it just sound like a good attack? I would expect a better a better essay from a person of your reported intelligence, yet, you stoop to the hollow rantings of the proletariat.

  • 3 anonymous // Nov 4, 2007 at 11:13 pm

    Thank you, Mr. Davidson. I couldn’t agree with you more. Absolute power corrupts and this is one wretched example. It is imperative that this entrenched group is mixed with others who will ask questions and stir the pot. As it is, Central Office has total control and absolute power over its finances where predictably, more friends of friends will come to our town to make second pensions.

  • 4 Wake up already! // Nov 4, 2007 at 11:38 pm

    Very Good Mr. Davidson. I will not only look to help by casting my vote for the republican in my district, I will call as many people I know and ask them to help do the right thing as well. Number 2 sounds like Jodi.

  • 5 anonymous // Nov 4, 2007 at 11:49 pm

    What district are you in #1

  • 6 itspathetic // Nov 5, 2007 at 12:27 am

    Anonymous#5, I am in District C. Iannacone’s got my vote.

  • 7 itspathetic // Nov 5, 2007 at 12:30 am

    I know for sure I am not posting at 12:27am on a “school night”, so Turfgrrrrl maybe got caught up watching f-ball or looking for veto schmeeto signs, but we need to re-set the clocks on yourct so I can add my two cents for another hour!

  • 8 itspathetic // Nov 5, 2007 at 12:31 am

    Scratch, make that my one cent. That’s what I have left after the BOE budget this year.

  • 9 Charles the Hammer // Nov 5, 2007 at 7:32 am

    Tuesday is D-Day for the citizens of Norwalk: “Democracy” Day.

    When voters consider their choices for Board of Education, we should all remember that it consumes somewhere around $140 million in tax dolars for our schools each year. That is, by far, the largest city governmental allocation. This BOE has not held the Central Office administration of Sal Corda responsible for the proper expenditure of funds with any sense of urgency. We are plagued as a result:

    Dubious actions by the chief financial officer Stewart Opdahl including nepotistic purchases for his son and loading up school shop equipment for his brother’s farm.

    Unequitable distribution of renovation funds amongst the schools.

    “Absentee” management by many crucial officers of the district, most importantly the Superintendent and his cabinet, as well as the BOE itself. These people do not get out into the schools they manage.

    Wrong-headed policies like: the “dumbing down” of grade values(inflating zero to 50%), mandatory “do-overs” on failed tests, central office caps on homework, lessening penalties for cutting classes in the high schools.

    Inexplicable oversights like removing restrooms from the blueprints of new multi-million dollar science wing at Norwalk High. (That one’s a real “beauty”)

    The arrogant disdain Sal Corda has shown towards the elected officials on the City Council, teachers in his district, and the parents, students, and taxpayers he is charged to serve. Recall how he held programs and staffing hostage in the stubborn fit he staged during the last budget.

    All of this nonsense, and more, has been allowed by the current BOE. They simply must be replaced.

  • 10 anonymous // Nov 5, 2007 at 8:34 am

    If we can get those 5 seats to change, then Sal is Cooked! Even if we get 4 of 5, with Kimmel that will be enough to invoke policy changes at the BoE. District B will be difficult. If the Dems ran Hitler as a candidate and the Repubs ran Mother Theresa in district B, I’d bet Hitler would win. Don’t they see that they invalidate themselves by voting strictly and blindly democratic? The Dems take them for granted as a sure win so they don’t have to do much for them since they are a given, The repubs think why should we bother? They would never support our candidates. so they do not court the black vote. If the black voters of district b ever “wake up” and gave the repubs say 35% of their vote, then they would have both parties trying to get their support and tehn they would have much more clout to get support they need to get things done in their district.
    So lets see tomorrow if the voting block of District B will vote a republican into the BoE. If they do, then there is hope that they do not vote blindly. If they don’t, they have themselves to blame.

  • 11 Silence Dogood // Nov 5, 2007 at 9:00 am

    Charles, remember something else: Not only did the current BOE allow the actions (and inaction, in the case of the absence of King Corda, Queen Karen and the Duke of Opdahl from the schools), but they granted His Majesty an incredibly generous contract extension. The observer can easily conclude that the King intimidates the BOE into giving him what he wants. Does he threaten to resign? Let him, the Queen and the Duke resign — today, if possible! I cannot see enough value added from this administration, whose members act with complete disdain for everyone.

    Next major issue: The Cambridge Report. Issue after that: The budget process after the King’s “Grand and Transparent Bluff” last year.

    We need a new BOE. I am a registered Democrat, although I often cross party lines when I vote, but I firmly believe that we need five Republicans in the five contested BOE seats.

  • 12 anon // Nov 5, 2007 at 12:55 pm

    According to campaign literature Mayor Moccia is claiming credit for improving education in Norwalk as he is a member of the BoE. I therefore assume he is is agreement with Dr. Corda and his administrators. He never spoke out against the contracts and never criticized the work being done. If it is so bad why hasn’t he spoken up?

  • 13 anon // Nov 5, 2007 at 1:02 pm

    Voting well for the BoE positions during this election is crucial. We have been experienceing ‘bright flight’ in Norwalk for several years now, our neighboring towns are increasing enrollment, we’re losing kids. Why? Because so few people have faith in our schools. But it’s not just the homebuyers who are seeing problems, checking out the numbers,and moving out or not buying. There were only 12 districts out of 169, and Norwalk was one of the 12, that had to pay $200,000 to have Cambridge Ed come and look at the operations of our school becuase the State is seeing problems too. This BoE probably meant/means well, but they don’t have a clue as to how to run a great school system and demand greatness from their administrators—it’s not about needing more money, it’s about needing competency.

  • 14 anon // Nov 5, 2007 at 1:10 pm

    So competency includes electing a guy who can’t run a pizza parlor and a carpetbagger from New York and who, until this year, hasn’t been in a school and a few others who when off their talking points are at a loss. Give me a break. If you want a better system get better candidates!

  • 15 anonymous // Nov 5, 2007 at 1:19 pm

    We can see what wonderful candidates you’ve elected for the past 8 years. Your an incompetent fool #14 THE FACT is you are happy with all The KISS ASS BoE members YOU helped place there you ignoramus. Maybe if YOU had placed BETTER candidates there to begin with, we wouldn’t have Cambridge here to investigate our FAILING school system thanks to BoZo’s like you. Give us all a break and KNOW what your talking about instead of your partisan Bull $h!t.

  • 16 give me a break // Nov 5, 2007 at 1:22 pm

    I agree. Action speaks louder than words. This Board of Ed is a utterly pathetic group that has allowed the demise of our schools.

  • 17 truthfully // Nov 5, 2007 at 1:39 pm

    Don’t forget how they have spent our tax dollars as well. They’ve allowed Corda to hold all the purse strings and not even question him. Is this the management you praise 14? You have so much distain for the republican candidates, yet they are the ones who have spoken any sense. They are the ones that are discussing the problems while the dem candidates are patting each other on the back. And speaking of visiting schools, there’s some irony. Ask the teachers how often the BoE and Corda are in the schools. It’s pretty sad when the inside joke amoungst teachers when they hear Corda will be at their school is “Does he know where our school is and how to get here?” And by the way 14, the republican candidates have several children of their own in the Norwalk Public schools so you are off base with your comments, Again!

  • 18 anon // Nov 5, 2007 at 2:55 pm

    Politics don’t matter here—the reality is we pay a fortune for our schools, even though we have significantly shorter hours per day/year than neighboring districts (who pay less and have better scores); supposedly ‘more time on task’ is what it takes to move things forward so go figure. We are losing parents by the handful and truckful to other towns with schools with good reputations (WE DO NOT have a good reputation—go ask any real estate agent–but don’t hold them to it, they’re not supposed to say bad things about public schools, some kind of law–I’m not kidding.) We have a superintendent who is an excellent propagandist and a BoE naive enough to believe him. What Norwalk needs is it’s own version of Radio Free Europe.

  • 19 Charles the Hammer // Nov 5, 2007 at 5:09 pm

    Silence, thanks for pointing to other key failures of the current Corda administration and the failed supervision by our elected BOE. I commend you for setting aside “party” loyalty in this matter.

    The fact is we also had bad management by Konspore, et al, when the GOP blundered by hiring King Corda’s predecessor Victor Herbert. That error cost us plenty! Not only did we get a poor superintendent, we had to “buy him out”, and were then committed to Corda so as not to turn over two inept administrations in quick succession. It was a matter of “bite the bullet.” So, here we are.

    Fellow Norwalkers, I tell you, we have plenty of terrific kids, dedicated principals and talented teachers, and a good town full of caring parents, volunteer coaches, mentoring business people, and supportive taxpayers! So let’s DEMAND some results from those charged with managing the expenditure of over $140 million on our schools every year. We can do much better!

    Get out and vote for a big change on the BOE tomorrow. The incumbents had their chance! Support the challengers:

    District A- Ellen Wink

    District B- Maria Borges-Lopez

    District C- Glenn Iannaccone

    District D- Jack Chiaramonte

    District E- Michael Harden

  • 20 Silence Dogood // Nov 5, 2007 at 6:23 pm

    Charles: And what did this BOE do? It extended the King’s contract by a year, giving him a 3-year contract, thereby making it prohibitively expensive for a new BOE to buy him out.

    I think the current BOE will look very bad after the Cambridge report becomes public. I surely hope that the reports (1 for each school and 1 for the central office) will be posted here. I would like to see all of them.

    People often pay little attention to BOE elections, but this is a community that still has high expectations for its schools. Those who work in the schools deserve good leadership at the site level, at the central office and at the BOE. There cannot be good leadership by people who are woefully ignorant of what goes on in our schools. There cannot be good leadership where there is so little communication.

  • 21 Jody Bishop-Pullan has to go // Nov 5, 2007 at 7:36 pm

    The lack of leadership on the BOE with Jody Bishop-Pullen (DEM) as chairperson is hurting Norwalk. She resides like a queen over a totally DEMOCRATIC board.

    She can’t claim ignorance; people are pointing at the horrible results of Corda’s programs.

    She might be a lovely person otherwise but she is either too lazy to stand up to Corda or she thinks she reports to him.

    Personally, I want a bulldog leading the BOE to get the best out of the resources we put in. To be spending 70% of Norwalk’s funds on EDUCATION with NO OVERSIGHT, resulting in LOW SCORES, POOR MORALE, and the audacity of raises and early commitments to the existing central office admin team is RIDICULOUS.

    The BOE has to ask questions, analyze and rebuild our educational system so it is efficient, effective and improved.

    Norwalk would be foolish to re-elect the current board. I suggest that we remove them and, with at least, some new thinking we can have at least discussion of the BOE issues - not immediate rubber stamping. Having a board will ALL one party members is a mistake - it almost forces a team acquiessence, not challenges to the status quo.

    Oust Jody and her running mates or continue to pay the price in higher taxes and lousy educations for our children.

    The current board is counting on apathy to keep them in.

    Show them we are thinking AND watching. Putting in new people will alert the ones not running that they better start doing the job or they will be replaced NEXT.

  • 22 Michael Harden could have two heads, // Nov 5, 2007 at 7:41 pm

    I am voting for him and I am a DEMOCRAT.

    ANYTHING would be better than another two years of “Rubber Stamping Jody Bishop-Pullan.”

    I wonder if she passes at the rubber stamps at the first meeting of ALL DEMS
    and tells them everything would be so much better if they just had more funding.

    What a JOKE. Throwing money around like a drunken sailor is not what our kids need.

  • 23 anonymous // Nov 5, 2007 at 7:42 pm

    It is really sad - tragic really - that the one thing everyone agrees on in Norwalk is the need for good schools and the willingness to open our pocketbooks and spend money on them. And what do we get in return? An out-of-town opportunist school superintendant who is too afraid to show the public where the money is going.

    We may not get the best people if we limit ourselves to forcing employees to live in Norwalk, but at least they’d be more likely to actually care about Norwalk. Firefighters, policemen, School Superintendant, City Finance Director - they need to live in Norwalk!

    I’m a democrat and the only republican vote I will cast tomorrow will be for the BOE candidate for my district!

  • 24 Mary Pugh // Nov 5, 2007 at 8:32 pm

    I would be happy to see a total overhaul of the BOE. May the next board please take a hard look and examine spending patterns, looking at our budget just as one would for a business. Are we getting a return for our educational dollar investment or not?

    I have not been pleased with Dr. Corda’s performance and was dismayed to learn that his contract was extended. I am at a loss to understand what the rush was to extend his contract- especially in light of the lack of performance within the schools.

    Although evaluation should be part of every educational system, I think Corda’s approach “over-evaluates” the teachers to the tune of turning them off - morale is important to maintain.

    I also have difficulty understanding why we need so many different inputs on curriculum choices- with so many chiming in, it is a wonder a decent decision gets made.

    I will be supporting Mr. Harden in his quest to make a difference on the BOE. We need new voices and new minds hashing over the problems and finding fresh solutions. I think we need to consider not allowing the BOE to be composed of only one party. We need varying points of view.

    Just my thoughts,

    Mary

  • 25 Umpire // Nov 6, 2007 at 12:46 am

    Calling all freethinkers.

    We know we are letting our children down.

    Lets get it togther here, we are the ADULTS.

    Lets turn this around, together we CAN make it better.

    Isn’t that what its all about?

    It does take a community to raise a child.

    And for those that do not understand do we not have

    a human obligation to care, care enough to do something

    something positive that will bring back that long ago

    dulled sparkle in the wonder in a childs eye.

    This is not an issue of debate, we have a moral and

    civic responsibilty to provide every child with a solid

    academic foundation. We must do more than keep hope

    alive. We must bring back the dream.

  • 26 Aunt Bertha // Nov 6, 2007 at 7:04 am

    If I were Queen for a day. I would place people in office who were committed to doing the right thing by not bending towards pleasing Corda. He has not been a fearless leader and advocate for or students. He has been ABSENT. I would get rid of the do nothings…ie. Vice pprincipals or principals that need a vice principal to do their work in the elementary schools. Then I would get rid of the do nothings at central office and we All know who they are…just ask Silence. I might put some content area people in place like Mr. John Kehoe is in charge of the math department. I don’t know anyone who works harder for the school system than this man has and does. Get a few more people like him running down town and life in the schools would improve. Ah, if only I could be Queen for a day. Go out and vote for anyone that is going to make change happen. We can not be sticking to this BOE out of apathy or because of a rainy day. GO GET WET and VOTE the do nothings out - a directive from your Auntie.

  • 27 anon // Nov 6, 2007 at 9:24 am

    If you are so smart why are you a teacher?

  • 28 Silence Dogood // Nov 6, 2007 at 12:23 pm

    #27: I am sure that Aunt Bertha is a teacher because that is what she loves to do, no matter how difficult the job may be. I have no regrets about my career choice, even though it has on many occasions kept me up late. The person who loves the profession finds ways to make it enjoyable for the students and for him/herself.

  • 29 Aunt Bertha // Nov 6, 2007 at 7:17 pm

    #27 you have it all wrong, I am so smart because I am a Teacher. I am proud to help students change their lives by inspiring them to learn and grow. I am sorry for anyone who does not have a REAL Teacher in their life! I can make money doing other jobs, I have made better money bartending in college, but there is nothing as important as what a teacher does for a child when they bring them to a place of understanding. Truly, I am passionate about teaching and changing the world for the better. Anon, you should visit a school where teachers feel this way. And there should be a BOE that backs those who believe they CAN make a DIFFERENCE. Good luck to you, I hope you voted today.

  • 30 Mr Greenpeace // Nov 6, 2007 at 7:47 pm

    Aunt Bertha you have always been a gem on this blog, you write with passion obviously you have what it takes to mentor and teach. You have been there for me when i stray and thats awesome a total stranger who cares.

    I didn’t come out to defend simply to say yes we went and voted and took care of business Bertha just like you suggested.

Pages: [1] 2 » Show All

Leave a Reply