School Board Candidates Talk Redistricting At Stratford Forum

STRATFORD, CT — Four candidates for Stratford school board discussed in a debate Thursday whether the shift to neighborhood schools more than a year ago created racial disparities, with one candidate saying town schools had effectively "re-segregated."

The candidates also agreed that the district needs to do more to help historically marginalized groups within the student body and that school finances need to be comprehensively audited.

The event was held at the Baldwin Center and was organized by the League of Women Voters of the Bridgeport Area, the Greater Bridgeport NAACP and Educators for Excellence Connecticut. Candidates Alan Llewelyn, Amy Wiltsie, Janice Cupee and Michael Suntag were in attendance. Candidate Andrea Corcoran, a Republican, was not present due to a death in the family.

Board of Education terms in Stratford are required to be non-consecutive, so Chair Eric Lazaro, Vice Chair Susan Lance and Secretary Maria Buturla cannot seek reelection Nov. 5.

The candidates appeared to be open to redistricting after the recent return to a neighborhood school system.

"We cannot have overcrowded schools and classrooms," said Wiltsie, a Republican and district parent involved in multiple parent-teacher associations with a background in nonprofit service management and social work. "... Everything needs to be equitable in this town."

Llewelyn noted the district as of Oct. 1 included several elementary schools where more than 80 percent of the population is made up of students of color, in comparison to the middle and high schools' populations, which average about 65 percent students of color.

"There is going to need to be some semblance of redistricting," said Llewelyn, a Republican and former Town Council and Zoning Commission member with children in the district.

Cupee said the school district community is feeling the stress of the redistricting decision, and the board needs to act fast.

"Something needs to be done and it needs to be done now," said Cupee, a Democrat and district parent with a background in marketing.

Suntag said the neighborhood school plan was rushed and created unintended consequences. He emphasized the need for long-term planning.

"We've actually re-segregated some of our schools," said Suntag, a Democrat and former teacher and education administrator.

Candidates were also asked how the district could be more supportive of students from historically marginalized backgrounds. Wiltsie suggested better educating teachers about trauma and offering more enrichment experiences for students. Cupee suggested teaching African history more extensively to show that there are accomplished people in all cultures.

In response to a question about how the district could increase the number of teachers, and particularly men, who are of color, Cupee said the school system is not welcoming to minority educators.

"We need to evaluate our culture within the schools," said Cupee.

Suntag noted that 64 percent of students in Stratford schools are children of color and 7 percent of teachers in the district are racial minorities. Citing Stratford's high cost of living, he suggested a subsidy for teachers who live where they work.

Wiltsie discussed endowments that assist students who want to become teachers, saying the number of students interested in the field of education has dwindled.

All the candidates at Thursday's forum said they would support a complete audit of the board's spending and expenses. Llewelyn said the audit would provide a public blueprint for the school district's future, while Suntag noted that 50 percent of the district's funds come from its taxpayers.

"We want that money to get where it's most needed and that's down to the classroom," said Suntag.

When asked how Stratford schools should handle advanced learning as the district's current program is phased out, Wiltsie spoke in favor of block scheduling. Llewelyn suggested creating unleveled environments where students could work at their own pace.

Most of the candidates spoke favorably about expanding pre-kindergarten, although Wiltsie said the district should rely on existing resources if it can't afford the expansion.