A version of this story appears in TheDailyNorwalk.com.
Superintendent Susan Marks says no taxpayer money will be used to pay for buses for a field trip, which transported Roton Middle schoolers to see President Obama in Bridgeport last month. Students from Roton's Aspiring Males (RAM), an afterschool leadership development programs for boys, attended the Moving America Forward rally at which President Obama campaigned for incumbent congressman Jim Himes and US senate candidate Richard Blumenthal.
On Monday, Republican Town Committee Chairman Art Scialabba sent Marks an email asking for clarification about the trip and specificially who paid for it. After reading about in the Nov. 24 Norwalk Citizen News ("Roton's Aspiring Males are learning life's lessons"), Scialabba said he had concerns. "I wanted to make sure that kids were not being brought to a rally at taxpayer expense," he said. "There is a distinction between an official speaking in a public capacity and polititical one."
Marks responded to Scialabba by memo on Tuesday. "Norwalk Public Schools' money has not been used," she wrote. Scialabba said he was satisfied with Marks' response. It is not clear, however, who will pay for the buses. The bus company usually bills the schools for their services. Phone calls and email to the Roton principal and vice principal were not returned. According to Mike Barbis, the co-president of the Roton Parent Teacher Committee, the PTC has not been asked to pay for the buses.
"I want to listen and be responsive to concerns of the community," said Marks in an interview. "However," she added, "I think it is important to expose our students to educational opportunites that will increase their understanding of the world. Seeing the President is very exciting. The club trip was not intended to be political in nature."
Barbis said he also wrote a letter to Marks in support of the trip. "This was all about civics and nothing about politics," he said in his letter. "Allegations that this was a politicized outing and should not have been funded by the school system have it all wrong and do not understand what the RAMs program is all about."
Barbis's son, who participates in RAM program, went on the field trip. "The trip organizers talked to the kids and explained that this is a rally, and that they don't have to agree with it. They put it into context," said Barbis.
Lisa Thomson, the Roton PTC's other co-president agreed with Barbis and calls the Republican Town Committee's probe "disingenous and party politics." "Where are my politicians on real educational issues?" asks Thomson, a self-described independent, who is founder of REd Apples of Norwalk, a parent advocacy group on education issues. "Our kids go to IMAX and restaurants on Norwalk's dime. They shouldn't go see the President?"
BOE Chairman Jack Chiaramonte, a Republican, disagrees with the Roton parents. He called the trip a form of "indoctrination" and sees a "double standard" among liberals. "If this were a Republican or the Tea Party, the Left would be up in arms." Chiaramonte, like Scialabba, takes issue with the fact the event was a political rally. "If Obama was talking about an important issue, I'd be there with my family. But he wasn't. It was a rah rah rally."
Bob Duff, Norwalk’s Democratic State Senator said concerns about the field trip are overblown. "This was a whole lot of nothing," he said. "Our President was 10 miles away. Most Americans never get a chance to see the President." Duff notes that he, a Democrat, made sure to see George W. Bush when he used to come to the area. "Just because an event is partisan doesn't mean we should restrict the kids from going. The leaders of group have to make sure the kids understand that it is a partisan event and that there are other points of view. The kids should have an understanding of how government works."
Friday, December 3, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
I agree that it was a great opportunity for these kids to witness a sitting president speak and I am glad the opportunity was made available to them. However, I do believe the event was a political rally and don't believe taxpayer money should have (if it was) spend. My guess is that the organizers didn't think about the implications of this type of event but only of the opportunity to see Obama.
ReplyDeleteIf this program is part of the NPS, the field trip should have been approved by the BOE and if it wasn't, it is my understanding it would be a violation of school policy.
We need to start thinking things through and not succumb to knee jerk reactions. As a Democrat, I believe the Republican Chair had every right to question the trip.
Mr.Scialabba brings up a valid point. With budget cuts looming, it makes sense that the BOE (and taxpayers) would be meticulous about how school monies are spent. When transportation is facilitated to a select group of students to attend a political rally, it's good business practice to ask "Who paid for transportation?"
ReplyDeleteThat said, who will pay for the bus rental? Note the carefully worded response to Mr. Scialabba: "no taxpayer money will be used" and "NPS' money has not been used." My hunch is that payment to the bus company is still outstanding which is why the Superintendent was able to respond that way. But when the bill arrives, who will actually pay it?
More importantly, what if Mr. Scialabba had not blown the whistle? Would the Principal of Roton Middle School have paid for this out of his school budget? Transparency in the intended use of school funds is a key issue here.
Principals should be held accountable for how they allocate discretionary funds. And when they are not, it's good that we have the BOE and the Superintendent to make sure there are checks and balances to school spending.