GOP School Officials Decry Controversial WeHa BoE Appointee

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A simple vote to fill a two-month school board vacancy was far from simple, as the new board member's activist history appeared to rile some on the board.

Ultimately, the West Hartford Board of Education voted 4-0 with two abstentions Sept. 5 to appoint Democrat LaToya Fernandez to fill out the remaining time in Jason O. Chang's term.

The four seated Democrats on the school board said "yes" to Fernandez, while the two abstentions were from board Republicans Ethan Goldman and Gayle Harris.

Chang announced last May he was resigning from the school board to spend more time with family and to engage in other education-related endeavors.

Chang's term was to expire this November, so Fernandez's appointment is only for a couple months

Fernandez, however, is on West Hartford's Democratic slate for school board, so she could earn her own term in the November elections.

Controversial stands

While the two Republicans on the board didn't decry Fernandez's ability to sit on a board setting school policy, both admitted two key issues linked to her activism troubled them.

Fernandez's name was attached to a letter from her past working for the city of San Jose, Calif., that letter — signed by multiple people — was critical of Israeli policy toward Palestinians.

In addition, Fernandez has been an open advocate for the "defund the police" movement, which is tied to the 2020 George Floyd murder at the hands of a Minneapolis, Minn., cop.

In Connecticut, Fernandez has served with the Center for Children's Advocacy in Hartford and is, currently, the City of Norwalk's first diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) officer, working in the mayor's office.

The two Republicans seated at last Tuesday's school board meeting said they didn't support Fernandez's candidacy, but opted to abstain rather than vote "no" out of respect for the process allowing political parties to fill their vacancies.

"There are individuals with different viewpoints, I get it. But given the multiple differences of what are critical issues for me, that does not mean that I should vote in support of those positions," Goldman said. "I feel bad doing it. But I'm going to abstain."

Harris agreed, using harsher words for Fernandez, saying her position criticizing Israel's policy is "antisemitic."

"That was one issue that I found very difficult to stomach, particularly in a district where 30 percent of students are Jewish," Harris said.

Harris also was critical of Fernandez's "defund the police" opinions, which Harris said is particularly troublesome given what police go through, citing last year's murder of two Bristol police officers.

"Obviously people can have differing opinions on that and I respect differing opinions, but it is hard to understand those types of attitudes toward police as we've seen ... police gunned down in neighboring communities," Harris said.

Fernandez defended

Prior to board deliberations, West Hartford Board of Education Chairperson Lorna Thomas-Farquharson read aloud a statement from Fernandez about her political viewpoints.

In the statement, Fernandez said the letter signed in California was not against Israel, but, she said, a letter urging for peace from both sides.

"The intention of the letter was to align the cultures," Thomas-Farquharson said, reading Fernandez's statement.

According to Fernandez, her opinions are in the name of basic human rights for all and not an attack against any one group of people.

Democratic school board vice chairperson Ari Steinberg said she had similar concerns as her GOP colleagues, but she was reassured after meeting with Fernandez.

"I think its hard to assume someone's 'who they are' and 'what they stand for' based on one document," Steinberg said.

"But I will say, after speaking with her and looking at her rationale and who she is as a person, while I don't support that letter, I don't think that's who she is as a person. I just don't think that will influence her opinions on the board in any kind of antisemitic way."

Democratic school board member Clare Neseralla, who was elected board secretary to fulfill Chang's prior role, agreed.

She said Fernandez's history of working with underprivileged children and operating in positions encouraging diversity and inclusion will benefit the school board.

"I don't profess to have the same political views of you or you or you," Neseralla said. "I can have my own political views of things, but I'm here to serve the students of West Hartford."

Following the vote, Fernandez was sworn in by West Hartford Town Clerk Leon Davidoff and she was seated on the board for the rest of the meeting.

Thomas-Farquharson said the deliberations regarding just a two-month appointment show the school board members take their roles seriously.

"I think it again demonstrates that we don't take steps like this lightly," she said. "It is important to recognize that there are many pieces that contribute to a person and what they stand for and what they represent."

From Nov. 6, 2022: 'Norwalk Appoints City's First Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Officer'