Note from Board of
Education member Genard Dolan on Friday morning:
Steve, you write that
the members of the BOE are in conflict with the City Council. Do not confuse the public by equating the
Supt. with the BOE Commissioners. The
Supt. is speaking for himself on behalf of the Administration not the elected
BOE. The BOE members have been unaware
of the discourse described in your article.
Unfortunately it gives your readers the misinformation of the Supt.
speaking for the Board of Education. You
should correct this misinformation with a retraction or a corrected version of
events. Chris Wilson's quote regarding
the cost per student seems unrelated to the conflict between Supt. Streifer and
the Council. In fairness to the
Commissioners, you should explain the difference between the elected Board
members and the Central office of the Supt.
Note from Board of
Education Chairman Chris Wilson on Thursday afternoon:
Education reform is swirling all around the
country, in CT and in Bristol. All of
this talk of reform causes anxiety and uncertainty for all those involved in
education-students, parents, BOE members, staff and the community at large. I am not sure about a rift. We are all trying to do our best. We may becoming at it from a different
perspective. 137 cities and towns spend
more $ than Bristol per student. It
seems that the city council wants to erode that position further. I and some other board members support what
we have accomplished over the past 8 plus years. We do not want the quality which has been
built here decimated. WE have attracted
a quality teacher staff and administrative staff which has delivered excellent
results. Since we have been level funded
by the city for 3 years the fiscal constraints are significant.
We as BOE members have had to tackle
difficult issues-closing schools, redistricting, program changes or
eliminations. All of these are
challenging tasks without the fiscal constraints but the fiscal constraints
make it more daunting.
I am committed to public education. I am committed to all students having the
opportunity to attend college or some other post graduate experience in order
that those 8500 students who pass through our doors have that opportunity. Sometimes as we modify programs and
reallocate resources to accomplish that goal the status quo is challenged.
As far as Ken’s point about the old
guard. 3 incumbents ran for BOE and were
elected so I am not sure what change he refers.
I think our rating within the state is pretty good and I am proud of
that. When one looks at quality schools
systems throughout the state those that have a single minded focus are the
successful ones. Those where the leaders
are not single minded are unsuccessful.
I am hopeful we will have the single minded and non partisan
relationship which existed prior the this past election.
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