Reginias Davis left last night’s school board forum with about four pages of notes scribbled on loose leaf, the initials of the candidates marked in caps next to the paragraphs.
The Stratford resident was lucky enough to have had her question about school bullying answered by all five of the contenders -- only about a third of the questions, submitted via index cards, were addressed due to time constraints.
But after the forum held at the Wooster Middle School auditorium ended Wednesday night, Davis said she still wasn’t sure who she would vote for on Nov. 8. Moreover, Davis said she wasn’t satisfied with her question’s answers from the three Democrats and the two Republicans running for the Board of Education (BOE).
“I wanted to see more compassion,” she said after the forum -- attended by about 40 residents -- wrapped up an hour after it started. Davis, a former teacher’s assistant at a Bridgeport high school, said she came to the forum wanting to hear the personal feelings candidates have about issues rather than what they felt are the general responsibilities of the school board.
“I feel candidates need to have a reality check,” said Davis, adding that perhaps the candidates and current members of the BOE should spend some time in the hallways themselves to learn about bullying in Stratford schools. “They have to push it.”
Davis said she had to pull her son out of a Stratford kindergarten five years ago because he was being bullied so intensely on a day-to-day basis that he started to “pick up the negative behaviors himself.” He now goes to school in Trumbull.
Although the candidates who Davis will eventually vote for are still to be decided, she said she agreed with those who said teaching kids about bullying should start at a young age.
Here’s what the candidates had to say about the issue, followed by a brief bio of the individual:
Immacula Cann (Democrat): The effect of bullying is “devastating. When children aren’t in a safe environment, it affects their ability to learn. Parents need to get involved and it should start at an early age.”
A resident of Stratford for the last 19 years, Cann has four children who went through the Stratford school system and two grandchildren currently in the system. Cann is a registered nurse and holds a masters in education.
Andrea Veilleux (Republican): The key is to "educate the parents." Veilleux was part of a seminar that invited members of the public to learn about the dangers of student bullying. She said workshops for parents with the PTA could spread awareness.
Veilleux has two children currently attending Stratford schools. She has served as the co-president of the Stratford PTA and is an active community volunteer and speaker at town meetings.
Eric Lazaro (Democrat): "One of the Board of Education's responsibilities is to create these policies." Lazaro said it is also the school board's job to make sure the superintendent and staff are following the rules.
Lazaro was the vice chairman of the Stratford BOE from 2003-2005. The 15-year Stratford resident was recently promoted to sergeant within the Stratford Police Department and has three children enrolled in Stratford schools.
Robert Chaloux (Republican): Bullying is "a nationwide problem. Our society nowadays lacks empathy." Chaloux said there's cases of bullying in every school district in town. He said the road to ultimately ending it lies in research into what works and what doesn't, both in Stratford and abroad.
Chaloux has a background in finance and risk management and thus says he brings a "business approach" to the school system. He serves on the BOE financial planning committee and used to be the co-owner of a day school.
Jancee Pust-Marcone (Democrat): "Our bullying policy is well-written but the eyes and ears should" extend beyond the teachers. Pust-Marcone said parents need to play an integral role in curbing school bullying and students should be taught that it is OK to stand up and call out someone who bullies another.
Pust-Marcone is a 20-plus year Stratford resident and holds a masters in nursing. For the last 15 years, she has managed two intensive care units at a local hospital, each with a yearly budget of $2.5 million, respectively.
Three of the five candidates above will be added to the BOE after election day on Nov. 8. Awaiting them on the school board are three Republicans and one Democrat, whose terms extend beyond this election year.
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