To the editor:
We are disappointed that our first selectwoman made these comments regarding tactics without trying to take the opportunity to meet first and discuss areas of disagreement. Staying on the theme of civility in political campaigns, we believe face-to-face conversations are the best way to build understanding and resolve differences.
To be clear, we continue to have the total, emphatic support of the Westport Republican Party. We were selected as candidates following a thorough vetting process that involved not only the leadership of our party, but all members of the Republican Town Committee.
We have the support of our party because of what we stand for: the parents’ right to be involved in their kid’s education, rejection of pornography in schools, commitment to supporting every student in achieving academic excellence without regard to racial background, respecting a sense of privacy in how teachers interact with our children, standing up for the rights, opportunities and safety of our girls, and transparency in informing parents what is really happening inside our schools.
But these are not just Republican priorities. These are the priorities of the great majority of parents and teachers in Westport, and these are the issues voters will respond to on Election Day, independent of party affiliation.
We want to make sure Westport continues to have top-notch schools where the main emphasis is on learning and academic achievement. To that end, we are shining a spotlight on the major initiatives of the current leadership of the Board of Ed.
Our competitors are pushing for significant changes in how we educate our kids based on politically motivated agendas that have nothing to do with the success of our children. And they are supporting their campaign on the false premise that our schools are number one in the state so they can do whatever they want without affecting the true value of our kids’ education.
Westport schools are built on a foundation of balanced and proven educational approaches. Under current board leadership, we are now shifting the focus from academic rigor and foundation-building to equity, social emotional learning, cultural relevance and other vaguely defined concepts that have not produced good results anywhere. Even though we are only at the beginning phases of this transition, we are seeing firsthand a decline in the quality of education being delivered, especially at the elementary level.
While our competitors tell you that we are number one, do they also tell you U.S. News and World Report ranks Saugatuck Elementary School at number 56? Are they explaining why the district failed to meet enrollment expectations this year as many families have chosen to pull their kids or not enroll? Families are voting with their feet, and as we have campaigned, we have met many who are dissatisfied.
Leadership in politics means understanding and responding to the needs of your constituents, not constantly straddling both sides of the fence. When it comes to the Board of Ed, it means understanding and responding to the needs of the students, not abusing your power to advance political causes and ideas you happen to favor, at the expense of those students.
We are running because we have serious concerns about what our schools will look like in five years if we do not renew the Board of Education and bring about a change of leadership. It is not too late to right the ship, but we need to act now.
We will always fight for what is in the best interests of the children of Westport.
Jamie Fitzgerald and Camilo Riano
Republican candidates
Board of Education
“These are the priorities of the great majority of parents and teachers in Westport, and these are the issues voters will respond to on Election Day, independent of party affiliation.” Isn’t that what Alma Sarelli said when she got 31% of the vote against Jon Steinberg, following her failed write-in campaign for BOE?
It would help if you stated some positions beyond the very narrow platform that really doesn’t attract a lot of Westport, Connecticut voters. The failure to speak out on those issues (like redistricting) suggests that you are unaware of them, which doesn’t give people the impression that you would be competent members of the BOE, regardless of their take on the book issue.
This is the second time I have seen Mr. Riano and Ms. Fitzgerald comment on the district not meeting enrollment projections and wanted to point out how meaningless this charge is. While I understand they have said they have business credentials, although they have not cited specifically their personal experience managing $140 million budgets, WPS is not a business. Enrollment projections do not equal a sales goal. They are a planning tool, a demographic exercise, an imperfect one as close observers of the CMS crisis (like Ms. Goldstein and Mr. Phillips) will remember. If the district does not meet an enrollment projection, it does not mean that recruitment fell short. This charge, however, reflects a lack of understanding of the “business” of our public schools.
Just a reminder that having the full and emphatic support of the Republican Town Committee means having the support of the body that represents just 18.7% of Westport voters, minus Ms. Tooker. (According to data from the Secretary of the State provided on our town website)
So Mr. Riano and Ms. Fitzgerald have to write in themselves and insist they have the “total, emphatic support” of the Westport Republican Party. I guess party officials couldn’t be bothered to haul out their keyboards and defend their own candidates? The Westport RTC again seems to be throwing uncooked candidates against the wall and seeing what sticks.
Do the existing BOE members (any) have experience managing a $140 million budget other than a government one (Oops! Overspent! Dang, just gotta raise taxes to get more revenue!) The third paragraph in this letter speaks to the stuff that concerns me the most: namely academic excellence and complete transparency. Would love to hear both sets of candidates offer specifics on some of the other things Chris Grimm mentioned in his comment.
The enrollment goal was mentioned at a BOE meeting either by the administration or by the BOE itself, so must have some importance. If I’m not mistaken, the population of Westport has grown quite a bit since COVID, and I would assume that would correspond to proportional growth in enrollment. Maybe it has, but the district expected to grow even more (I honestly don’t know), but it also could mean the district did NOT grow at the same rate as population in the town, or even that it shrank.
We took our children out of the district last year. Why? Because we were frustrated with our children spending all day at school, and then coming home and taking supplemental math (RSM), supplemental foreign language, mom & dad coaching on reading and writing, and not being able to name the 50 states (post 3rd grade). It begged the question what were they doing there all day? I can also say a long-time resident family in Westport moved to a nearby town because they were frustrated their elementary school students were not being challenged at all. Two other families we know moved their children into the 1) the same private school my children attend now, and 2) another private school (they passed on ours). That is a total of 10 children (two are mine) who left the district this year or last, that I was able to think of right off the top of my head – all for the same reasons: didn’t feel our children were learning important things (math, science, social studies, history, language, reading, writing, grammar), and probably learning other stuff we didn’t feel too happy about.
If the enrollment goal not being met has anything to do with this (children falling behind in learning the traditional basics), I would think that might set off some alarm bells. If it doesn’t bother people, fine, that’s why you get to vote for who you want.
How are we ranked so high if we are failing? We are not failing. Our students are doing great! Social emotional learning helps ALl of our students to be able to focus and suceede and does not hinder academics.
I am sorry you that you are one of the minoroty that had such an awful experience in Westport schools. The majority of Westport parents and students disagree with you. There are always a minority of people who are always disatissfied, and they tend to stick together in their negativity.
Let’s be clear and transparent. Since I have seen SES’s ranking mention at least twice now in opinion pieces, I looked up how many pubic elementary schools are in CT. I’m a numbers person and like to have context. With over 600 schools, this puts SES in top 10%, 9& technically. You would have thought it ranked dead last.
-Proud parent of 2 amazing kids who attended SES
So according to Chris Grimm, the mission statement of Camilo Riano and Jamie Fitzgerald falls short due to their lack of addressing the issue of redistricting? Apparently they believe parents rights, pornography in schools, insufficient attention to academic excellence and students safety are the most important issues. During my youngest child’s time in theWestport School system, Bedford Middle School became Saugatuck Elementary and the children were transferred to the new Bedford next to Staples H. S. Oddly enough there was no gnashing of teeth or rending of garments when informed of this change. I am confident that Camilo Riano and Jamie Fitzgerald are aware of and fully capable of handling the redistricting concerns and any other demands of their positions on the BOE.
Yep. It’s a tip-top team of forward-thinking, compassion-based care bears.
Where exactly are you finding a lack of compassion? Every person has a right to be treated with respect until they fail to extend that respect to others. Ms. Fitzgerald and Mr. Riano have been polite and issue oriented in everything they have said. Reactionary, emotional responses are not elevating the argument.
Ms Wylie. Let’s not rewrite history. One only has to have been to or watched BOE meetings over the last few years to see Mr Riano be disrespectful and lacking compassion. Issue oriented ? He’s a one note choir. And possibly even worse no one knows anything about Ms Fitzgerald or her views on anything school related. Would love to hear from RTC why both were their candidates !!
Who doesn’t want their kids to learn CRT , wear their pants 6 inches below their underwear hoodies in 95 defrees nd dog ear the pages on Gender Queer?
I have noticed that highly emotional leftists take offense at anything that isn’t 100% supportive of their positions. Capitulation to this has led us to the current situation of nonsensical pronoun discussions to evil encouragement of mutilation of children’s bodies. By the way, compassion is what one feels for the afflicted. I thought all of this was healthy and wholesome and to be encouraged,right?
Decent people do feel compassion for others who are suffering but just as you would not tell an anorexic person that you agree they should go on a diet you should not be affirming and encouraging transgender experimentation in the schools.
Why is the right so fascinated by the genitals of others? You worry about yours; let them worry about theirs.
Tom Prince: Not in school, and when they are 18+, stop worrying. Do we agree or are you projecting as was suggested??
Talk about the psychological phenomenon known as projection. The right is fascinated by genitalia? Hardly. Conservatives would appreciate removing constant discussions of sex practices from every aspect of life as is the fixation of some people. As you may have noticed, the more this is pushed in the schools the more pushback there is. Thank God there are still people willing to take the flack to stop this perverted agenda from being implemented.
I find it very disturbing and concerning that Dorie Hordon who is on the current school board had her husband craft the email that Camilo and Jamie sent out using the terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas and The Jews to attack DEi and other Jews in the community.
This is a deeply disturbing revelation.
Dorie has been the megaphone for Camilo since he has not been attending and speaking at recent board meetings. I wonder if a FOIA request is in order.