Pablo Picasso once said, “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”  The Hartford Board of Education has neither pros who have learned the rules, nor those who can break the rules like an artist.

BOE Bylaws 9321(c) states, “The order of business may be rearranged by a majority vote of the members of the board.”  This rule pertains to the agenda structure at the Board’s Regular Meeting.  A structure Board Chair Rigueur was concerned with disrupting during a committee hearing on February 6th.  An example of how to properly and professionally rearrange a meeting agenda can be viewed through this link of a recent Connecticut State Advisory Council for Special Education  meeting.

However, as is his habit, Chairman Rigueur violated this Bylaw and unilaterally “rearranged” the structure of the agenda at the Board’s Regular Meeting this past week; less like an artist and more like a kindergartner’s refrigerated drawing.  Mr. Rigueur, while waiting for the arrival of his fellow engaged Board Members, announced that the agenda would be revised, moving the “Dialog Session” (Public Comment) ahead of the Annual Organizational “Meeting,” which in its entirety is the annual election of Board officers by members of the Board.

Now, this wasn’t his first display on this night of not having the learned the rules like a pro.  And I’m not talking about his monthly reading of Board Rules covering the behavior of citizens who attend the Regular Meeting, many of those of dubious Constitutional standing.

Board Bylaw 93231(b) states that all agenda items for the Regular Meeting pass through the Chair.  Conforming to the agenda format proposed by the Superintendent, it is the Chair who is structuring the agenda.  This does not also mean that he can shred that structure at will. 

If Mr. Rigueur knew and respected the rules of the Board like a pro, he would have been aware of Bylaw 9120, which states, “Election of officers shall be the first item of business following public comments at the board's annual organizational meeting.”

His initial structuring of the agenda violated Board Bylaws, and then like a blind artist, he violates another Bylaw to correct the first violation.

Other Board Members, clueless to the rules as well, raised no concerns about the legitimacy of board governance being threatened if even the simplest of rules are unprofessionally violated at will.  Board Members then reelected Mr. Rigueur to another term as the Board’s Chairman.  He’s done a “phenomenal” job, stated Member AJ Johnson, echoing President Bush’s 2005 platitude to the FEMA Chief for his handling of the Hurricane Katrina disaster: “you’re doing a heckuva job.”

With his reelection, Mr. Rigueur will at least be able to tell his grandchildren that he accomplished something even United States President Donald Trump had been unable to accomplish. So, that’s something.

Following this comedy of errors, Board Members continued electing the other 3 officers of the Board as required by the Bylaws.  At least they got this part right.

Staunch Chair ally Johnson retains his Vice-Chairmanship.  Member Yahaira Escribano, she of the thought that “a leap of faith” is valid superintendent evaluation criteria, will replace Member Kim Oliver, who declined a nomination, as 2nd Vice-Chair.  Member Francoise Deristel-Leger will become Secretary.

BOE Bylaw 9120 states that the election of officers must be by a majority vote and that the results must be announced to the public.  Due to the inadequate sound system used at these meetings, you would have had to be sitting up on stage, amidst the fog of pre-arranged collegiate unity of purpose, to hear who got what for what. 

Sure, you could make like it is 1980 rather than 2023, fire up the Escort and drive down to the Board of Ed and ask for the voting records, which is also in the Bylaws…so you may or may not get them.

Further annual organizational type stuff occurs when the Chair, if he is following the Bylaws, appoints the various Board standing committee Chairs and members, with Board approval.  An action he is required to perform “as soon as possible following the annual meeting,” which was this one.

However, the results of these appointments are not required to be made public until the first Board meeting following the filing of the appointments with the Superintendent.  An eyebrow-raising, questionable requirement.

This brings up Bylaw 9321(h), a Bylaw Mr. Rigueur has violated for the past year.  9321(h) states that “each member of the Board serves on two (2) committees.”  Board Member Rigueur is not listed as being a sitting member on any of the Board’s 4 standing committees.  Is there some existing special secret-double-probation-like rule which excuses a Board’s Chair from having to serve on a committee per the Bylaws?  It’s not in the Bylaws.

Board Member Yvette Bello was also in violation of this Bylaw, having “served” on one standing committee for the past year.  Technically, it could be ruled that Member Jim Shmerling was also in violation of this rule in 2022 as he attended only 1 meeting for each of the 2 committees he “serves” on.  Thank you for your service?

The public will note that the 3 members dissing organizational rules are those who were appointed by Mayor Luke Bronin.

Still clutching his copy of the Napoleon Complex Handbook, the Chair announced that the Board would now move onto the Reports section of the agenda.  “More importantly,” he stated, the Report of the Chair.  The “whatever” reports, those from the standing committees, are included in the agenda packet and on BoardDocs, stated the Chair.  Apparently, they are not as important as the Chair’s report, so they get no respect or sunlight in this public arena.

Folks, this is the group entrusted by the Mayor and the voters of Hartford to certify that Hartford Public Schools is doing right by your children.  Here is a list of the best private schools in the Hartford area.