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NORWALK, Conn. – It isn't just that Grace Bustell doesn't know what will happen when she reaches seventh grade in the fall – it's that she doesn't even know if she will be in Norwalk, the only home she has ever known.
Her mother says the family is moving if the massive layoffs planned for Norwalk schools go through.
Barbara Smyth, who shot into the spotlight as the organizer of City Hall protests, was hoping that the wheels of government would turn swiftly to alleviate the fears of Grace and others like her. But Thursday, she said she and other Norwalk residents were "dismayed" to learn that Monday's meeting of the Board of Estimate and Taxation, the board that holds the purse strings to Norwalk's "rainy day fund," has been canceled.
"The Common Council has sent a clear message to the Board of Estimate and Taxation that they have heard the voices of the parents, students and community members of Norwalk and approved the release of rainy day funds to save our schools from impending doom," Smyth wrote in an email to news organizations and Norwalk officials. "The people of Norwalk recognize the catastrophe is at our doorstep and are dismayed to discover the BET meeting scheduled for Monday, July 2, 2012, has been canceled."
Mayor Richard Moccia was fast with a reply. "Please be advised that this meeting was canceled last week prior to any resolution by the council, to imply that the cancellation was done in response to the resolution is incorrect," he wrote in an email. "As much has been said about being responsible and nonconfrontational. It would have been responsible to check with this office before the press release was issued."
Smyth "respectfully requested" in her press release that the meeting be rescheduled and held no later than July 11, with notice put on the city's website by Monday. "The Board of Education must move forward with reinstating positions and programs as quickly as possible to ease parents' and children's fears of what they will find when they return to school this fall," she said.
"We are awaiting information from the Board of Ed and will schedule accordingly to the availability of the volunteer members and myself," Moccia said.
Moccia and others were informed of a related deadline at Tuesday's Common Council meeting. Grace, her sister Maeve Bustell and her mother Margaret Kozlark each took the microphone to say that they would be moving if the situation with the schools was not resolved satisfactorily.
Kozlark said Norwalk would be losing good people: Maeve, a scholar leader at Nathan Hale, wrote a song played by the school's band last month.
Now a Norwalk High freshman, Maeve won the geography bee in seventh grade.
Before the meeting, Kozlark said she rents and works from home, so moving to Fairfield or Newtown would not be difficult. "I can't tell you how disheartened I am," Kozlark said. "My kids were born here. It's ripping my heart out, but how can I as a good parent stay here?"
Comments (7)
It is one thing to bring a 15 or 16 year old to one of these events as an example of participating in democracy but many of these parents and parent/teachers organizers are bringing their small children and using them as props. They are letting them feed into the frenzy. If they were presenting well-balanced facts as well as passion they would be much more effective.
I don't think there is any problems with children being informed about what will happen to them. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but some parents HAD to bring their children because they needed to be watched and not left alone. I went to most of these meetings and let me tell you while yes there where alot of kids there they where not all up front some where in the background playing with their friends while their parents fought for their school.
As for Symth being a teacher Yes she was but she resigned this year. It was posted in another article. And why should teachers not be able to stand up for what they believe for the school. Most teachers have children that attend NORWALK PUBLIC SCHOOLS! The teachers that are worried are the new ones who don't make much. There should be no tener. Teachers should be graded just like students. Because most of the new ones want to be there helping kids.
This meeting should not of been canceled. It shows gross neglience on the city's part.
And let me tell you I fully informed my children who are 12 & 8 about what is going on. I warned them as well that I am not sure who will survive this cut and that I was not sure how much longer they would be attending school in Norwalk. I have been researching Home Schooling since there is no way i can afford private schools. My kids might not be happy because they love there schools but this is not about that. This is about them getting a proper education and if they need to get them from home so they don't turn out to be thugs then let me tell you that is what will happen. Its sad because before they started school I looked into homeschooling and was worried about them not being socialized now I am worried because they are and this is a horrible time. I have a good feeling (I hope) that Norwalk will come out on top but lets not forget about the kids in the process.
Please do not judge parents who educate their children about the power of democracy in an age-appropriate way and involve them in safe, peaceful activist roles that are relevant to their lives. I can't think of a more appropriate introduction to democracy than one of the family-centered rallys organized in front of City Hall over the past few weeks. This experience has been a positive learning opportunity for my children, and for others as well. We're not crazy. Many of the children have important things to say, and while I don't know the specific children featured in this article, I believe they have a right for their voices to be heard. If you choose to sit back and put power in the hands of others, that is your choice. But for the rest of us, we will continue to fight for the quality education our children deserve.
You're absolutely right about age-appropriate political education. I took my "product of the Norwalk public schools now doctoral candidate in comparative literature" daughter to picket the Lincoln Day Dinner many years ago! Just be sure your kids also learn about the inequity of the state's ECS funding. If we could bring all this passion to Hartford maybe something would finally happen.
Is this woman not employed as an educator? I am a little tired of the teachers (some who live here and many who don't) coming out of the woodwork with this tail of doom and gloom which is just really about saving their jobs. Hey, I don't want anybody to lose their job, but enough is enough with this. I trust the mayor, he listens and he cares, we all know that. He is a smart guy. The board of education takes the summer off every year just like the schools. This is an unusual year, so maybe they will meet. I think they ought to stick by the budget they adopted and look forward.
I went to a few of these meetings, because I care about my children and what will happen to them. I couldn't believe how many of these crazys are bringing their babies and pushing them out in front. I don't care if it makes the mayor pay attention, its wrong to use the children like this.
If you are going to move because your child is going to have 25 kids in his class, then start looking for movers. No 5 year old should even know what a layoff is and if you are scaring your kid this way, shame on you.
It's pretty disturbing to read about a 5 year old crying because her favorite teacher might lose her job, or this rising 7th grader being threatened by her mom that they'll have to move...I hope these stories are more for show than real fear and insecurities being foisted on their kids.