Guilford Republican Primary Danielle Scarpellino Seeks Nomination

GUILFORD, CT — Guilford holds its Republican primary Tuesday, Sept. 14 for the Board of Education candidates. Registered Republicans may vote at regular polling places from 6 a.m. until 8 pm.

Patch contacted primary candidates to answer questions about their campaigns.

Danielle Scarpellino, 51, is seeking the Republican Party nomination for Board of Education.

Occupation: Guilford Business Owner

Family: Mother of three school aged children.

Experience: None

Family in government: No

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

The single most pressing issue Guilford Public schools face today is the implementation of the new Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Pedagogy (CR/SP). This CR/SP, which was designed with the use of Critical Race Theory and by Gloria Ladson-Billings, a Critical Race Theory expert, will dismantle our current academic-based curriculum by replacing it with a social justice education-based curriculum. This framework will displace “right” answers from our curriculum and replace them with students’ “lived experiences”. This largely theoretical pedagogy is based on very little quantitative data, and is being implemented in the name of “Equity and Social Justice”. I intend to protect Guilford Public school’s academic-based curriculum from the threat of CR/SP by collaboratively building and adding a diverse and inclusive framework that will not compromise Guilford’s academic excellence.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

What sets me apart from my opponents is the fact that I’m not afraid to analyze our school administrators and their policies and the methods they use to carry out these policies. I will not be a rubber stamp. An atmosphere of complacency and comfort will never dictate my decisions. This approach will most definitely entail more time and effort from the entire Board of Education but it is my belief that our children and the community at large deserve nothing less from its elected officials.

Accomplishments:

My experience as a volunteer mentor through Mentoring USA, a New York City-based mentoring program that assigned vetted adult professionals to inner-city children in an effort to support and encourage these at-risk children, combined with my experience as the assistant to the COO of Kenneth Cole Productions - an administrative position that included international and domestic contract negotiations and timeline negotiations, as well as building my own successful small business in Guilford, and I am confident that I have the skill set that is required to be a member of Guilford‘s Board of Education.

Other issues:

As a member of the Board of Education, I intend to, - Promote Educational Excellence using high-quality, rigorous, content-filled curriculum accessible to all students. Preserve academic levels, foreign languages, and AP courses. - Exercise Fiscal Responsibility by examining salaries, pensions, benefits, and facilities maintenance and ending the purchase of materials that teach hate, hopelessness, and division. - Demand Transparency and Accountability for all facets of GPS: Budget, Administration, and Instruction. Open doors will encourage and amplify parental engagement, leading to a more rewarding educational experience for our children. - Cultivate Student Skills & Inspire Our Children to build a society where truly we are judged by the content of our character, not the color of our skin. Raise a generation that will further America's journey toward liberty, equality, and and opportunity for all.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I would like the community to know that I am a champion of truth and an ardent advocate for the needs of our children and their families. I will always be willing to disrupt any misuse of power that might interfere with best interest of our children. Our children and their families come first.