The following statement was issued by NPS yesterday:
The Norwalk Public Schools issues this press release to clarify the circumstances surrounding the arrest of Tanya McDowell and her son's enrollment and attendance in the Norwalk Public Schools. Ms. McDowell's son was enrolled in Brookside Elementary School from September 21010 through January 2011, based on Ms. McDowell's registration and residency affidavit, which stated that Ms. McDowell and her son resided in Norwalk.
On January 11, 2011, Ms. McDowell testified in the Norwalk Housing Court that she and her son actually lived at 66 Priscilla Circle in Bridgeport, Connecticut. She did not testify at that time that she was homeless.
Sometime prior to January 19, 2011, Ms. McDowell registered her son in a a public school in Bridgeport. That school sent the Brookside Elementary School a request for "Previous School Information," which had been signed by Ms. McDowell. Attendance record indicate that her son's last day at Brookside was January 14, 2011.
The Norwalk Public Schools enrolled Ms. McDowell's son in September 2010, based on residence information provided by Ms. McDowell. The Norwalk Public schools did not initiate the proceeding in the Housing Court at which Ms. McDowell testified. The Norwalk Public Schools did not initiate a residency proceeding to remove Ms. McDowell son from Brookside Elementary School. Finally, the Norwalk Public Schools did not initiate any action for tuition reimbursement against Ms. McDowell.
The Norwalk Public Schools fully complies with the McKinney-Vento Act, which requires public schools to provide schools for the homeless. In this case, according to her own testimony, Ms. McDowell and her son reside in Bridgeport, and we are aware of no evidence that she or her son are homeless.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
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So now where are the people who commented on what a horrible job those highly paid administrators did? Anyone as quick to apologize as they were to criticize?
ReplyDeleteDon't hold your breath. They were very quick to judge. I don't expect that we'll hear an apology.
ReplyDeleteThe Norwalk Public Schools did not have her arrested. The police arrested her after her testimony in court. Rumor has it she has a "checkered" past. So does that mean since I live near Westport, and my kids go to school in Norwalk, can I use my sister's address and send them to a Westport school?
ReplyDeleteThis brings back memories of the Tawana Brawley case. I expect a visit from Al Sharpton shortly...
ReplyDeleteIt seems that this woman knew what she was doing and is now saying that she is "homeless" because it will benefit her case. I hope those who are championing her cause will read this - the news reports have not included this information, nor have they included that she has been arrested for drug (crack and pot) posession and distribution. I feel very sorry for this child and hope that his mother cleans up her act for his sake.
ReplyDeleteNote to 8:30, if you tried to do this in Westport, there would be a hearing. I have friends who live in Westport, on the Norwalk line (they pay taxes to both towns, but their school tax and address are Westport) and the town of Westport actually investigated wheather or not they were in Westport and sent a surveyor to their home to make sure the property lines/taxes were correct. Other towns are much more stringent about residency than Norwalk.
These columns have provided a place to 'lynch' the school system, individuals and anyone who is a topic here. Are people so angry with the system that really nasty is the way we vent? What happened to compassion? What happened to helping out a person who has fallen down? How would you feel if you become the next 'victim' here? Forget the facts about you. People are allowed to lie about you and accuse you without facts....What have we become?
ReplyDeleteWhat have we become? Res ipso loquitor. That's the answer.
ReplyDeleteNegligence? So that allows people who comment here to be cruel???? Don't think so, Latin major. You displayed your knowledge of one Latin phrase, but I am still wondering about compassion.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, its seems that some comments are deleted for content for only certain people. Bruce Kimmel seems to be protected when comments turn nasty. How about the above regarding Fay Ruotolo, for one? Doesn't she deserve the same treatment? Where is equitable treatment here?
Latin major, veritas and aequitas!
Added to say that the nasty comment about Fay Ruotolo was here, but not on this post.
ReplyDeleteSuch vehemence. Is it needed? If the woman broke the law, perhaps justice will be served. If the state or city broke the law, then perhaps justice will be served. The LAW will determine the technicalities and it seems both sides may have fabricated some, but many post regarding this situation sound like they could easily be from those who stood around in slavery days watching Blacks get lynched for sport.
ReplyDeleteI don't condome this young lady's life style IF the reports of it are true, but if she can't get a job or was raised not to know better, who's to say she didn't do what she thought was best for her child. I suppose if she were some middle-class non-minority then she would have been forgiven or excuses would have been made and accepted. Right. Give me a break people.
What I hope for this woman and her Roodner Court friend is that as young women, they have learned valuable lessons and and take SERIOUSLY the help being offered to help them turn their lives around for their children's sake.
None of your vehemence matters. My opinion doesn't even matter. The law will decide. Think rehabilitation, reform, not lynch mob.
29, your opinion sounds much like my own. It's very hard for me to understand how people create spin based on what they read. I would hope people understand that what they read is not necessarily ALL the facts in the first place. We are just so gosh-darned reactionary. It seems to me that when Ms. McDowell was arrested on the unrelated drug charge, her records were combed through by the court system. Wasn't it the prosecutor who initiated the arrest? Ms. McDowell just happened to place herself in a position where she became accountable in every which way. If the court system comes across a violation of law, I would think it would need to act upon it rather than let it go. The legal system deals with facts and not emotions. Regardless of what we may FEEL, that has no impact upon the legalities of this case. The woman was in the wrong place at the wrong time, you could say. No matter how sorry we may feel for her or her son, this second arrest is the consequence of Ms. McDowell's previous one, although thoroughly unrelated.
ReplyDeleteTime to move on...
ReplyDeleteCould we have an update on the administrators' union vote?