Hamden Democratic Primary: Jennifer M. Jason Sweeten For BOE

HAMDEN, CT — Registered Democrats in Hamden will head to the polls on Tuesday, Sept. 14, for a primary election that features a three-way race for mayor and positions on the Legislative Council and Board of Education up for grabs.

Patch asked the candidates to answer questions about their campaigns ahead of the primary.

Jennifer M. Jason Sweeten, 44, is challenging for a spot on the Hamden Board of Education.

Occupation: Attorney

Family: I am a Hamden native. My mother still resides in my childhood home off Newhall Street in southern Hamden. My husband is also a Hamden native. We have a 5 year old daughter Kenzie who recently started Kindergarten at Bear Path Elementary and a dog named Gordie.

Experience: None. I'm new to politics.

Family in government: No, but my husband Ken Sweeten has been a member of Hamden's Parks & Recreation Commission since 2020.

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

Hamden, as wonderful as it is, has many ripe for improvement so it is hard to break it down to one primary issue. I'd say most residents feel that Taxes are at the forefront of their concerns which boils down to the budget. If elected to the Board of Education, and I would like to have a complete and transparent audit of our current education budget to ensure that funds are being allocated equally throughout each of our school districts and that additional resources and services or a reallocation of services are being provided to balance any inequities. I think the strategy is to make sure that we stay current on state and government programs and grants that can provide supplemental support but also proactively work on consolidating or reducing unnecessary line items or administrative salaries.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

Over the course of my respective careers as an Attorney and Social Worker I have learned how to balance the conflicting interests of others in order to obtain a reasonable and desirable result.

Accomplishments:

I’m currently employed as Senior Counsel with Franchise World Headquarters LLC in their North America Real Estate department. I’m licensed to practice law within the State of Connecticut, the United States District Court-District of Connecticut, and before the United States Supreme Court. I obtained my Bachelor’s Degree in Law Enforcement Administration from the University of New Haven before obtaining a Juris Doctor from Quinnipiac University School of Law, where I received a concentration with honors in Family and Juvenile Law. Prior to becoming an attorney, my passion for community service and social justice led to my work as a Family Coordinator at Beth-El Center in Milford, Conn., which included educational, recreational, and counseling programs for homeless families. I continued on to Youth Continuum, Inc. as a Case Manager for adjudicated children ages 10-16 and then worked for Boys & Girls Village, Inc. At Boys & Girls Village, and I worked in their Therapeutic Foster Care and Adoption program developing behavioral and therapeutic treatment plans for children placed under the care of the Department of Children & Families while also training and licensing foster parents.

Other issues:

Special Education Services: Children with specialized needs or disabilities have steadily increased over the years but access and funding for resources and services has not. I think we need to provide specific professional development and support to our teachers and their support staff; increase/improve resources and equipment; increase communication with students, parents, and community members; and work to remove the cap on the Excess Cost Grant. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Hamden is uniquely diverse (racially, culturally, and economically). We should acknowledge these differences and work to embrace them both academically and as a community. The strategy to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion is to hire and retain educators from diverse backgrounds, invest in programs that promote cultural competency and accommodation of learning styles. We also need to make sure that we implement policies and guidance that support positive relationships between school personnel, students, and and their families.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

Although I have causes or issues that are important to me, I understand that the needs of the community are what matter. Therefore, I would want Hamden to know that I am always ready to listen, to do the research, keep an open mind, and work hard to make sure our children, families, and and teachers get what they need to be successful.