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Once again, it’s transition time on the Stamford Board of Education (BOE). Two new members, along with a re-elected incumbent, start in December. Welcome!
Will this new team, despite party affiliation, have the courage and conviction to do their due diligence when fulfilling two major BOE responsibilities—supervising the superintendent and setting policy with fidelity?
Sadly, fourteen years of one-party rule (6 Democrats-3 Republicans) have created disastrous achievement results for this district in Lower Fairfield County. Teachers understand this political faux pas extremely well, too. In fact, 27 individuals recently resigned, August-October, and 25 transitioned to other districts. What is the BOE culture or leadership really like that has allowed this type of detrimental decision-making? Do they not understand that instructional leadership is about improving learning? Do they perhaps have a control problem? Or both?
What is quite clear is that this BOE has been overly greedy in controlling the thinking and direction of the district—they have created policy changes to limit discussion, curtail emergency meetings (a 5-member consent now required) and hire a superintendent without a candidate pool or formal vetting process (current employee). Regulation changes were also used to usurp policy (high school attendance). During teacher union contract negotiations, they even went to mediation because central office ‘ideas’—not well researched and changed from year to year—are much more important than doing what is developmentally best for children (4x4 flexible schedule). Most concerning, the BOE Labor Committee has been led by the same 2-3 members for at least 9 years—subversive leadership at its finest. It is clear when political power is allowed to be wielded over and over—forced submission is easier to work with than dissent—families, educators and taxpayers lose trust. So, what is the answer? Moral clarity.
In 2008, Philosopher Susan Neiman coined this phrase ‘moral clarity’ and wrote a book about it…values do guide and inform our lives. By taking moral questions seriously and allowing vivid debate, Neiman believes we can find critical answers. Instead, this BOE has assumed “moral simplicity” (everyone-else-is-wrong-except-for-us syndrome) and it has created a mess. If fact, this BOE refuses to look themselves in the mirror without the superintendent present. Who supervises who?
There is a difference between one-party rule and democracy. Using common sense, principles, and standards are essential. Moral courage and imagination are desperately needed on the Stamford BOE. As elected officials, we need to be moral grown-ups and take on the question of ‘what’s the right thing to do’ for the sake of our children, not majority party. We need to be hope-givers, not hope-takers!
As the re-elected incumbent and career educator, I firmly believe healthy teaching and learning can happen when teachers are treated and listened to as professionals—this is currently not the case in Stamford Public Schools (SPS). Teachers cannot be held hostage to central office cabinet or elected officials who have limited understanding of what it takes to move children—our future leaders—forward academically.
Our Stamford students will learn and achieve if we create world-class learning programs that are supervised with instructional precision, utmost care and intrinsic hope. Reactionary and managerial leadership do not work. Responsible action requires due diligence on the part of each BOE member publicly, not using back-door caucus methods or last-minute Kumbaya sessions.
Our students and taxpayers, who are paying for an approximate $0.5 million superintendent salary, deserve better.
It is time for new leadership!
Dr. Rebecca Hamman, newly re-elected, serves as a member of the Stamford Board of Education. Her comments are her own, and do not represent the official views of the Board of Education or its committees.
