The Bridgeport Board of Education continues to violate the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act by dodging information requests filed by Bridgeport parents.

Three parents, with the support of education advocacy group Families for Excellent Schools, filed FOI requests with the city on April 11 asking the board to disclose all communication relating to the moratorium against charter schools. The request was received by the Superintendent’s Office April 14th.

According to Connecticut State Law, the request is past due by over 14 days.

According to one of the parents who signed the request, the board has not responded nor even attempted to contact her or either of the other two parents who signed the documents.

The board can’t feign ignorance. According to an article published on April 17, Linda Lambeck at the Connecticut Post asked both Chairwoman Sauda Baraka and the Superintendent’s Office about the requests.

The request also asked for copies of all information relating to the impact charter schools have on the district. Which you would think would be readily available, since the district Chief Financial Officer Marlene Siegel handed out reports to board members with projections of the impact at a meeting only a few weeks ago.

It’s more than suspicious that the board would ignore a request to disclose information they could have simply photocopied or printed out.

Why is the board hiding this information?

One parent, who would like to remain anonymous, explained that she filed the request simply because she was confused why the board would take action against charters schools.

“Why would the board want to stop charter schools? They offer opportunities for students to be the best they can be.”

When asked about the request, she added, “In my mind, knowledge is power. This is just a way of keeping the inner city community down. The more you know the more powerful you become.”

What is the board afraid of? Are they worried that parents will find out the board and its union puppetmasters are selling them a bill of goods? That parents will demand all options for quality education for their children? It’s become clear, considering the district’s action before Monday’s board meeting, that they intent on silencing those who disagree with them.

As I asked before: What are they hiding?

Don’t forget this isn’t the board’s first violation of the Freedom of Information Act. This is a group that’s missing committee meeting minutes going all the way back to February.

 

 

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