Sure to strike fear into approximately…nobody in the Connecticut General Assembly, the announcement in February by Hartford Board of Education Chairman Rigueur of the formation of a permanent, standing Legislative and Advocacy Committee of the BOE, has, like most things from this board, produced more words and taken more committee time while producing approximately…nothing.

Although Board Member Johnson gave the sense at the Board’s May 1st Policy Committee meeting that something had been “put together” in the way of a committee, there has been no announcement or record of its formation, the selecting of its members, the selecting of its legislative liaison,  a discussion or record of its legislative agenda, or even a policy to guide the dream.  It wasn’t until this May meeting when it was determined that the title of the policy ought to be called “School Board Legislative Committee” rather than “School Board Legislative Program.”

How does this sound:

“The board of education believes that advocacy is a critical part of its activity and an important responsibility of school board members. Advocacy is engagement in the political process at local, state and national levels to influence the public policies that affect boards of education and school children.  In fulfilling its advocacy responsibilities, the board of education will cooperate with parent groups, other educators, special interest groups, business and service organizations, other school boards, and community members to achieve favorable legislation on education issues.  Coalition building is critical to effective advocacy.  The board of education, in collaboration with the superintendent, will develop a plan to fulfill its advocacy responsibilities.”

This should be acceptable to the Board since it is already in their Bylaws (9020.1).  Perhaps Mr. Rigueur was unaware of this bylaw as he has been unaware (or uncaring) of many others, as evidenced by his comment at the recent Policy Committee meeting: “I’m not sure what the Bylaws say about advisory committees.”

The above current policy makes it a responsibility of the Board to engage “in the political process at local, state and national levels” and to “cooperate with parent groups, other educators, special interest groups, business and service organizations, other school boards, and community members to achieve favorable legislation on education issues.”

Similarly, the newly revised City Charter for Hartford (Sec. 5), despite being a questionable document ignorant of public sentiment (with an “Aye” vote from Councilman/Mayoral candidate Nick Lebron), states that the Board “shall engage in outreach efforts, including, but not limited to the following in order to increase participation by the public in the activities of the Board of Education: political, religious, community-based, social, mutual benefit organizations, civic and business organizations.”

The formation of another poorly attended board committee with the same intent and purpose as the above stated current and weakly followed policies will not suddenly turn the majority of this board into Martin Luther King, Jr., or even George Clooney.

Advocacy calls for vigorous promotion and support for a cause.  The majority of this board is as vigorous in its vetting and holding accountable outside contractors hired by HPS for a cause as the criminal justice system is in dishing out stiff penalties for makers of fake Viagra pills.

When the state Education Committee held a public hearing for the district-saving funding legislation, HB5003, except for similarly worded statements emailed in by Superintendent Torres-Rodriguez and Board Member Johnson, where was the vigorous public voice of the advocate Board?

When students came to the Board with complaints about school lunches, what follow up statements and policies were crafted and pursued by the vigorous advocate Board?

While thousands of children of Latino and Hispanic descent in Hartford may be unable to speak to their grandparents in their native language due to the dismal support for world languages at HPS, where are the supportive and vigorous voices of the advocate Board?

As 224 teachers were leaving HPS since the start of this school year and when Hartford Federation of Teachers President Carol Gale steps up to the microphone at each month’s Board Regular Meeting and reports on teacher dissatisfaction, where are the supportive and vigorous voices of the advocate Board publicly condemning the Superintendent’s treatment of teachers?

When the Superintendent hides student behavioral issue data and fails to report threats to schools, where are the vigorous voices of the advocate Board publicly condemning the Superintendent’s version of leadership?

When AFCSME Local 566 President John Walton suggested to the Board that HPS require outside vendors to hire local students if they want local money, what follow up reports, investigations, or meetings were held by the vigorous advocate Board in support of this recommendation?

When outside vendors appear before the Board for contract renewal and present scarce, dubious data as a reason for continuation, where is the accountability driven voice of the advocate Board?

When students appeared before the Board requesting HPS begin a driver’s education program for educational, economic, and equitable reasons, what follow up reports, investigations, or meetings were held by the vigorous advocate Board in support of this student request?

When the head of the Hartford NAACP comes before the Board and speaks of “pressing issues of racial disparities in resources and opportunities” existing in HPS, where is the vigorous public fight for racial justice from the advocate Board?

When Board Members miss 60-80% of all meetings, what type of advocacy can students, teachers, and the community expect from this group?

No, state legislators have nothing to fear from this group which has failed to create an advocacy image at the district and local level.  In fact, similar to what they have done at the local level, they will lend more support to political leadership and whatever they desire than they will vigorous advocacy for the folks back home.

On the other hand, it would be advantageous to have a legislative policy and committee in place for when Hartford’s next mayor asks five vigorous, accountability driven advocates to step up to the plate to serve Hartford Public Schools.