Residents Call For Stratford School Board Member To Resign

STRATFORD, CT — Many Stratford residents demanding the resignation of a school board member didn't get to make their case during Monday's board meeting, owing to recent revisions in the public comment policy.

But the sheer size of the crowd was statement enough. So many people showed up that the meeting had to move from board offices to the Stratford High School cafeteria, where they waved signs demanding the resignation of Robert DeLorenzo, who took a plea deal after he was accused of sexually assaulting a young girl.

"I was being muzzled tonight," said Elaine Watson, a Stratford resident whose three children attended the public schools in town, and who helped organize Monday's protest.

Most of those present Monday did not speak about DeLorenzo as a result of a change to the board public comment policy requiring speakers only address agenda items, although two people did express their apprehensions.

"Many of us are very concerned about the safety of our children," said Betsie Gutcheon, asking the board what happens when she wants to discuss a topic, but it doesn't appear on the agenda and officials don't respond to an email.

In the email Gutcheon referenced, which she provided to Patch and originally sent to Mayor Laura Hoydick and Superintendent Janet Robinson, Gutcheon asked that DeLorenzo be removed from the board and officials issue a public statement.

"We will respond to you through email," board Chair Allison DelBene said, following Gutcheon's comments.

Andrea Veilleux asked the board to amend its policies to allow the body to censure members as an expression of disapproval.

"The fact that he engaged in social media to discuss such a sensitive subject demonstrates lack of judgment," Veilleux said in a prepared statement distributed to the media. "There was a minor involved. He never should have engaged in any of the discussions on Facebook. He should be censored due to his lack of propriety."

Following the public portion of the meeting, DeLorenzo said little about the comments and signs.

"Tonight is all politically motivated," he said.

Following his plea earlier in February, he was asked to resign from the board by the Stratford Democratic Town Committee, but refused. When asked Monday if he planned to step down, he said, "No comment."

DeLorenzo's term expires in 2021. There are no provisions in place for removal of an elected school board member.

Among those protesting Monday was Councilman Paul Tavaras, D-District 3, who called DeLorenzo's continued involvement with the school board "unconscionable."

"It's a hypocrisy, that's really what it is," he said.

DeLorenzo had been charged with fourth-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor but pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment and was ordered to serve a two-year suspended prison sentence and three years conditional discharge. He entered his plea under the Alford doctrine, which is not a direct admission of guilt, but rather a disagreement with the facts of the case that also acknowledges the possibility of a harsher sentence at trial.

DeLorenzo was accused of sexually assaulting the victim from the time she was in fifth grade to the time she was in seventh grade, starting when she was about 10 years old, according to the arrest warrant affidavit for the case. When asked by police in 2017 about the allegations, DeLorenzo denied them, the affidavit said.

DeLorenzo is not required to register as a sex offender, but two lifetime criminal protective orders will prevent him from ever contacting the victim or her sister.