Wendy Lecker, lawyer and sometimes columnist for the Stamford Advocate, must have a serious case of selective hearing.

That’s the only way to explain such glaring omissions in her recent article about the State Board of Education’s decision to approve two new charter schools in Bridgeport.

True to form, Lecker only acknowledged those who agreed with her position, completely ignoring the dozens of Bridgeport community leaders and parents who came out to Hartford in support of Great Oaks and Capital Prep Harbor School.

Despite what Lecker may think, the Bridgeport BOE does not represent the will of ALL Bridgeport residents. It’s clear parents want to see an expansion of charter schools, or there wouldn’t be a waiting list of over 1,100 students in Bridgeport alone.

Lecker mentions the Bridgeport Board of Education “moratorium” on charter schools— a measure passed on short notice without hearing from the broader community — but fails to mention that it was passed after a sham “hearing.”

The Bridgeport school board voted on this moratorium after resident string-puller Maria Pereira stacked the public comment portion of the meeting. There were several parents in the crowd who wanted to step forward in favor of Great Oaks and Capital Prep, but were barred from speaking.

Is this what Lecker thinks democracy should look like? A board of education making decisions with only input from their own supporters?

Lecker, a lawyer who should know the law better than she apparently does, ignores the truth about charter school funding. As noted in a previous article, charter schools do not divert funding away from districts. This point was reiterated by Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor when he spoke before the state board last week.

Lecker and her buddies, promoting debunked information, remain tone-deaf. They can’t hear the thousands of parents in Bridgeport calling for better opportunities for their children.

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