Court Allows State to Take Control of Charter School
By Robert A. Frahm, Hartford Courant, July 13, 2007
State officials went to court Thursday to seize control of a charter school that has compiled a strong academic record despite accusations that its director used thousands of dollars in school funds for personal expenses.
The decision to try to save the Highville Mustard Seed School in Hamden came after a group of parents convinced Attorney General Richard Blumenthal that their children have thrived there, and that the school should stay open.
Hartford Superior Court Judge James Graham granted the state's request in what Blumenthal called an unprecedented step designed to "stop the cronyism and corruption and internal conflict" that threatened to undermine the state-funded school.
Race-based Racketeering in public schools
By Lewis M. Andrews, Waterbury Republican-American, July 16, 2007
As public educators continue to come under fire for failing to improve mediocre schools, those with a vested interest in the status quo increasingly mask their self-serving agenda with phony prescriptions for racial equity — projects designed to recruit the naive while intimidating knowledgeable critics into silence.
The most successful racial strategy is the so-called "education-equalization" or "education-equity" lawsuit. This is a legal action aimed at compelling a legislature to raise school funding, especially in poor and minority areas.
To date, education-equity suits have been filed in 42 states, with the court finding for plaintiffs in more than half. In November 2005, an organization called the Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding (CCJEF), representing traditional allies of the teacher unions, filed a brief with the state Supreme Court which, if upheld, would cost taxpayers more than $2 billion.
Edwards Pushes Better Education for Poor
By Thomas J. Sheeran, Washington Post, July 17, 2007
PITTSBURGH -- Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards on Tuesday called for measures to strengthen education for poor children and make schools more economically diverse in order to fight poverty.
"We don't just have racial segregation in our schools, we have huge economic segregation," Edwards said while on the Pittsburgh leg of an eight-state tour to highlight poverty issues. "We have two public school systems in America ... one for those who live in wealthy suburban areas and then one for everybody else."
Griswold presents third budget to voters
Julie A. Varughese, Norwich Bulletin, July 18, 2007
GRISWOLD -- Taxpayers will head to the polls Thursday for the third time to vote on the proposed 2007-08 combined town and education budget.
The $30.88 million proposal calls for a 16.75 mill tax rate, which is a 0.34 mill decrease compared to last year, according to Board of Finance member Joseph Przylucki.
Using the figures from the recent revaluation, it would have required a tax rate of 17.09 mills to fund last year's budget, Przylucki said
Court Ruling Is Clear On Not Using Race For Schools
By Steven J. Stein, Greenwich Time, July 18, 2007
The statement by Steve Walko, a member of the town task force on racial imbalance, space use and declining enrollment, to the effect that the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Parents Involved in Community Schools vs. Seattle School District is not "... something we can ignore" suggests there is controversy about the use of race in allocating children to schools within a district (Greenwich Time news story, July 16).
Moreover, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and the spokesman of the state Board of Education (as reported) add confusion, not enlightenment, to what the Supreme Court majority decided on June 29. It is simple and straightforward: Allocating children to different publicschools based on their race violates the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection guarantee.
Montgomery Ranks 5th in U.S.
By Daniel De Vise, Washington Post, July 18, 2007
A new study by Forbes magazine ranks Montgomery County public schools fifth in the nation "for the buck," with nods to Howard and Loudoun schools for delivering return on educational investment. It ranks D.C. and Alexandria schools among the worst.
The analysis, "Best and Worst School Districts for the Buck," ranks 97 jurisdictions for performance -- as measured by SAT data and graduation rates -- relative to per-pupil spending. It focuses on locales with populations greater than 65,000 where more than half of school funds come from property taxes.
Education plan focuses on race
By Angela Carter, New Haven Register, July 19, 2007
The main architect of the platform is Hamden High School Principal Gary Highsmith, who began his career as a substitute teacher in city schools in the 1980s and worked his way up to assistant principal of the K-5 Beecher School before leaving the district.
“We want to create a world-class system in New Haven,” Newton said. “We know we can put that together. We brought Gary on board to put that together.”
Opinions and Editorials
Hartford Courant Editorial, July 18, 2007
When it comes to corporate commitment to Hartford's youths, The Hartford Financial Services Group must rank among the most generous.
Recently, the company named the 17 student recipients of its two annual college scholarship programs - the Alliance for Academic Achievement and the STAG Leadership Scholarship. Both programs offer four years of financial aid, summer employment, mentoring and life skills courses.
The 14 Alliance winners receive $5,000 in financial aid, and the three seniors in the STAG program receive $3,500 annually. Some 115 students have attended college through the Alliance program since it began in 1999. About 1,600 have graduated from the STAG program since 1966.
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