Guilford Election 2021: Arnold Skretta For Board Of Education

GUILFORD, CT —The state Municipal Election is Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Patch contacted candidates to answer questions about their campaigns.

Democrat Arnold Skretta, 42, is running for Guilford Board of Education.

Occupation: Attorney

Family: I am the husband of Allison Franks, and proud father of sharp twin daughters named Giorgiana and Catherine, who are 5 years old.

Experience: Guilford Board of Assessment Appeals (Elected). I'm also a hearing officer with the state of Connecticut.

Family in government: My wife Allison works for a government contractor at the National Institutes of Health (Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) performing clinical research implementation. They led the tireless battle against Covid-19 since 2020 through today.

The single biggest issue in town is ______, and I plan to do this about it:

At this moment, the Board of Education race is the biggest issue facing Guilford. A strong school system is the bedrock of our community and is largely responsible for Guilford’s incredible desirability and, make no mistake, strong property values. All of that is now under attack by a slate of extreme right-wing candidates who are part of an outside (national) movement based on misinformation and divisive tactics, which sadly includes overt racism. This Board of Ed election is really a referendum on what kind of community we want Guilford to be.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

· Never before in Guilford has anyone run on a mixed fusion slate of candidates from different political parties as we are now doing for the Board of Ed. We understand the significance of this race and have united across party lines and disciplines to stop our opponents – a group of insurgent right-wing candidates who sadly represent the new Trump party.

· I value a curriculum that includes supplemental equity and social justice initiatives. I support a curriculum that includes a broad array of perspectives/lenses, so that our kids can develop a more complete picture of our town and country (and its often complicated history and social dynamic). My opponents do not.

· I trust the expertise of our teachers and administrators. My opponents do not.

· I want the Board of Ed to encourage the potential of every student, to no one’s disadvantage; my opponents give lip-services to this desire as they regurgitate conservative talking points provided by outside groups. Their short-sighted approach would stymie those students whose narratives are not included without a more expansive curriculum.

· I do not respect yelling and soapbox pontificating at Board meetings, but my opponents do. I respect the free and respectful exchange of ideas, where all can speak and be heard. My opponents do not.

· The fusion slate of Democrats (Row A) and Independents (Row C) can seat all 5 of our candidates. My opponents, however, are running too many candidates for the number of people they can actually seat. This speaks volumes to my opponents’ desire not to serve a town board, but to disrupt, split votes, and cause chaos.

Accomplishments:

I served as Deputy Chief Operating Officer of the Democratic National Committee during President Obama’s successful re-election, where we managed a billion-dollar campaign to provide resources for grassroots organizing, cutting-edge technology initiatives, and innovative voter contact. I have represented individuals, businesses and organizations before regulators and in court, having positive outcomes time after time through periods that are often incredibly stressful for my clients. As a solo practitioner I am also a small business owner; I know what it takes to balance the books, live within your means, and have the success (or failure) of a business entirely in your own hands. My skills and background would directly translate to immediate aptitude on the Board of Ed.

Other issues:

Guilford student test scores are in the top 10% in the state, while the school system spends approximately $3, 000 per pupil less than our school district peers in the same group. I will employ a smart cost-benefit analysis to help continue our school system’s excellent performance.

Guilford Public Schools (and the town as a whole) has been very successful at managing and adapting to the Covid-19 pandemic. I will work collaboratively with teachers and the administration to ensure we meet and exceed science-based safety protocols to help keep our kids and teachers safe, in the classroom, with in-person learning.

I will support the already strong teacher professional development and an expansive curriculum that incorporates equality and inclusion for all students, regardless of their background.

Technology is the way of the future, and I will help ensure that Guilford schools are at the cutting edge. That way our students will be prepared to excel in college and/or the workforce where technology is an integral and inescapable part of everyday life.

The current Guilford Board of Ed is characterized by the respectful and cooperative apolitical relationship among board members. I will continue this spirit of putting the kids and our town first, and above hyperbolic political rhetoric.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I come from a family of educators, grew up in Branford, and have lived all over the country.

I see my future role on the Board of Ed as serving two primary constituencies, which are not mutually exclusive – our kids, and our town. The best way to do this is to support the talented administration and teachers already in place - trusting their expertise, ensuring proper funding of a wide variety of programs, services and initiatives, and helping make sure the trains (or busses!) run on time. I ran for the Board of Ed because I want to safeguard our school system for our kids and future generations of kids, and to be further involved in the Town of Guilford, which I love dearly.

My motivations are simple and pure. The toxicity of today’s political climate cannot eclipse the vital role of our schools – to provide instruction and rich learning experiences for our kids, and while bolstering the Town of Guilford as a whole.