Odd Statements By

The School Board Chair

To the Editor:

After the events of the last several weeks, I find myself asking many questions. Why did the Board of Education chair promise to promise us same services and full-day kindergarten (FDK) once she got the board together to commit the funds? Why did the BOE chair pull that topic from the agenda of that very meeting — two days before the vote? How could the BOE chair fail to come through after she got the Yes votes she asked for? How could the BOE chair ignore the warning signs she had been given regarding additional special education expenses coming down the pike?

The revelation of additional special education expenses resulting in priority shifts and program cuts may seem familiar to you, because it happens all the time. In fact, it was stated that there are two more evaluations in progress that could result in six-figure increases to special education costs this year. Education supporters indicated situations like this as one reason to restore funds to the education budget during this budget cycle — understanding that this type of event would result in reduction to service or program cuts because the budget was so tight with no room anywhere to borrow funds from in order to pay for the “unforeseen” but not “uncommon” changes to our student population’s needs.

Just days before her statement appeared in The Bee, BOE Chair Debbie Leidlein was seated next to Ron Bienkowski as he said the account usually looked to in order to fund the unexpected special education needs, now had far less dollars (it has had $300,000, $400,000, or $500,000). Without the funds needed, there would be freezes on accounts or reductions. (See Newtown-ct.gov Videos on Demand, Legislative Council 6/27 1:57.) Was Ms Leidlein not paying attention to Mr Bienkowski that night? Should someone in her position been aware of this? If yes, what was it then that led her to make that promise before the vote? Incompetence? Naiveté? Poor judgment? A complete disregard for the judgment and experience of others? A blatant attempt to get needed votes to pass an inadequate budget no matter the risk?

Is it odd that Ms Leidlein would make the statement positioning to promise same services and FDK on July 10, after declaring in just one month prior that FDK was “not supported by the voters during the first referendum”? (Legislative Council 6/6 2:30.) The fact that it is impossible to know this, together with her unsolicited assertion, seems in direct opposition to a pursuit of the program in question, no?

On June 6, Legislative Council member Paul Lundquist asked Ms Leidlein if she did need more money and, if so, why she was not asking for it. Why wasn’t she? Especially given what we have all learned about the not so lean or transparent municipal budget? Do the answers to these questions support a conclusion that the BOE chair’s number one priority is the education of the children of Newtown? If not, are we okay with that?

Michele Assante

Wendover Road, Newtown                                               July 25, 2012