School Superintendent Philip Streifer said tonight that those seeking to lobby Gov. Jodi Rell to increase support for education should talk to her Thursday morning when the governor makes a stop at Edgewood School as part of Read Across America.
Rell plans to read to schoolchildren at the school starting at 10:30 a.m.
I don't think most people would be able to enter the school -- there are children to protect, after all -- but outside the building there ought to be some opportunity.
Though we long ago decided to ignore these public relations-type proceedings -- and Lord knows I've steered clear of them for years -- the heat generated by this year's budget crisis might make it more interesting than usual. But maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part.
I hope I'm not the only one there asking Rell about how Bristol will fare. But if I am, what should I ask her about? The commuter rail idea? Education funding? Sunday liquor sales? Route 6? The possibility of a big tax break for journalists?
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
11 comments:
I think she should be left alone while she volunteers her time to read to the kids and give them a memory thay will always cherish.
Rude as the press can be at times, nobody typically bothers the governor when she's talking to kids. We talk to her on the way in or on the way out, a time-honored tradition in Connecticut.
Gov. Rell is pretty gracious with that.
VOLUNTEERS her time? What planet are you on? She's getting paid to be governor and she should be doing the job, which includes answering questions, but not necessarily spending hours driving to schools and reading to kids.
Stop Pandering: the campaign hasn't started yet!
When is School Superintendent Philip Streifer, the teacher unions and the rest of the education industry going to figure out we're in the worst economic time since the Great Depression? Their conduct regarding their budgets, pay raises and increased spending during this crisis has been despicable.
The governor IS volunteering when she reads to kids AND when she answers questions on her way in and out of the school. Neither one is a requirement of the job, and it is very gracious of her to do both. I think it would be nice if she could come and read to the kids without being bothered outside the building.
Believe me, no governor minds answering some questions. They WANT to be in the paper and on TV. Ultimately, getting their message out is dependent on us asking those questions.
I joked with the governor about how the way things are going, she might not have to worry about newspapers a year from now. But she looked pained at the idea that we might all close down. She knows how important our role is, just as her own is crucial.
"Believe me, no governor minds answering some questions. They WANT to be in the paper and on TV."
I disagree. There are elected officials who don't care about publicity, some who don't want it at all, and none of them wants to answer questions constantly. It's the ones who are ALWAYS there for the photo shoot who are doing the least.
12:07
You seem to be describing some Bristol politicians!
7:20pm - I don't think that it is right for you to be describing Ken JOHNSON IN THAT LIGHT - EVEN IF IT IS A TRUE ASSESSMENT.
"It's the ones who are ALWAYS there for the photo shoot who are doing the least."
LOL...Tommy...LOL
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