By R.J. Johnson
To the editor,
It is said that people tend to vote for those who screw them the most. In the case of the Town of Stratford, I believe this saying holds true.
We pay taxes. Lots of taxes. We intend our money to benefit our town and our children. But look at the reality of how our hard earned dollars have been spent:
Not so long ago, a previous mayor used our tax money to try and prevent Stratford residents from having their civil right to a referendum. This mayor is gone, but has left behind a cabal of like-minded politicians.
It is also said that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. And here we are again, – elected officials using our tax money earmarked for education for what appears to be a vendetta, a witch hunt or, sad to say, a professional lynching of the superintendent of our school system.
In Russia and other dictatorships, fighting for the people is punished. I’m afraid this is the case here.
Dr. Osunde, a professional, dedicated educator and administrator, called the administration on its misuse of education funding. He was sent to Siberia, so to speak. Not only disrupting the whole educational system, but averting funds, megabucks, yours and my tax money, to pay the BOE legal fees.
The BOE majority, mostly perennial Republicans rotating from one position of power to the next, should be replaced with professionals loyal only to our children and their education. As a parent, home owner and taxpayer, I call on Stratford parents and taxpayers to demand the resignation of Michael Henrick and his yea-sayers. Our children and the future of our town, not to mention our property values, hang in the balance. We need a responsive and responsible board to bring back our superintendent of schools and restore our school system.
RJ Johnson
Stratford
Great letter. It’s so sad that so many people vote against their own real interests. Preserving and paying for a high quality educational system creates a healthy future for all of us. Children in highly rated, well funded school districts have high rates of employment and are more likely to go on to higher education, accessing professional positions and, often, coming back to give back to the public educational system that gave them a good start,