Escribano Shoots Down Rumors

While UFOs are being shot down all over North America, Hartford Board of Education Member Yahaira Escribano was shooting down rumors in Hartford. 

During the Board’s Family & Community Engagement Committee Meeting on February 9th, an update was given on renovations being done at Betances, Wish, and Kennelly schools.  Ms. Escribano added to the presentation by saying that “murmurings” through the community are saying Wish Elementary will be closing permanently.  Ms. Escribano said, “on the record,” these rumors are “false,” it is a “false narrative.”

While Escribano was shooting down rumors, NBC Connecticut was shooting video of Hartford Schools’ Education Expo.  The school choice event was held on January 28th at SMSA. 

Kayla Pallas, Assistant Director of Enrollment and School Choice at Hartford Schools, stated at the meeting that this had been a “great event” covered by NBC Connecticut.  Murmurings which I have heard, is that despite the great performances at the Expo, attendance was very poor.  And any video shot by NBC Connecticut has yet to be shared anywhere, based on a search of their website, HPS’ website, and Youtube.

Ms. Pallas also shared in a slide presentation on the Expo, that Hartford’s Office of Talent Management, “shared with great enthusiasm” that they had hired 3 teachers at the event.  That is 3 more than we will ever know for sure were hired through the work of Adams & Knight, hired by HPS in November to recruit teachers to Hartford, and yet to give a public report on the result of their efforts.

While NBC Connecticut was allegedly shooting videos, Escribano was shooting texts to her Board colleagues.  Ms. Escribano is the Chair of this committee, the Family & Community Engagement Committee, and there are 3 other Members of the Board who sit on this committee: Johnson, Browdy, and Walker.  Ms. Escribano was the only Board Member present at the Feb. 9th Committee meeting.

The absence of board members at this meeting, meant that the meeting had no quorum, accordingly, no action can be taken. 

During the meeting, there were presentations given concerning the awarding of contracts to 4 different Hartford family resource centers, totaling more than $600,000.  To one, Member Escribano stated, “this is a straightforward contract…I have no questions…we’ve done this before,”  and she moved the meeting on to the next contract presentation.  Yes, let’s not hold the meeting up with questions about any form of assessment concerning the work of these groups; “we’ve done this before” is not an assessment.

These contracts cannot be approved absent a quorum, nor can they be moved out of this committee absent a quorum – this is an action.  Ms. Escribano stated after each contract presentation, “we can move on to approval of the next contract,” which may just be misspeak on her part, she cannot approve a contract unilaterally. Chair Escribano, at the conclusion of the meeting, stated that the contracts would be advanced to the Finance Committee, and then the Regular Meeting for approval.  The contracts ought to be rescheduled for this committee when enough Board Members can make an appearance, thus creating a quorum.

Like UFOs over North America, rumors in Hartford, video by NBC, and texts by Escribano, Chair Escribano’s actions during this meeting of the Family & Community Engagement Committee ought to be shot down.