(The following is an opinion piece by David Roane, a longtime Middletown resident, veteran and member of the Charter Revision Commission. His opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of other members of the Charter Revision Commission or other Middletown Eye authors or editors.)
TO: Editor Middletown Eye.
I attended and heard the comments at the City of Middletown Common Council meeting, particularly during the session on questions directed to the City Director, where the City EEO Director was called to answer specific questions pertaining to her investigation and interviewing of personnel (past and present) of the Middletown BOE and a newspaper article calling for and agreeing with the allegations by anonymous, disgruntled current and past school employees who want School Superintendent investigated. These are/were the same alleged allegations that came from four (4) unions, representing school employees, who are calling for the removable of our city’s first Black Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Michael T Conner.
The call to removed Dr. Conner from his position as Superintendent is based solely on lies, misleading statements and, hearsay that were reported in the Middletown Press newspaper by the City EEO Director.
Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management Faith Jackson said she found evidence of alleged “inappropriate” workplace treatment and conduct of “harassment, bullying, and intimidation” toward Board of Education personnel. Director Jackson, when questioned about the release to the newspaper stated that, “the City Attorney approved and OK’d the release”
Upon furthering questioning of Ms. Jackson regarding the number of people she spoke with and/or those she interviewed; Ms. Jackson admitted that she did not interview them all. The Director was questioned about one of the people she interviewed. Director Jackson admitted, she did not talk with the person, and what she reported was from a third party.
Director Jackson’s so called departmental findings about what she reported was fabricated lies! WHY?
During the Common Council meeting, the assault on the Superintendent continued by the racism faction of this city, led by members of the republican party and even individuals of the democratic party and, some racist parents, who now are changing their demand for the Board of Education to investigate. Now, calling for the matter be turned over to State of Conn. Board of Education? Is it because the B. O. E. voted to give its’ chairperson, (a POC) the responsibility over the investigation? They covered it up by using the word “administration” Yet, calling out by names of two again, Black and Brown persons. Once again, proving to me that this is nothing more than a modern day hanging of a person/person only because he is a Black man, and now, including a Black Woman and Brown Man.
The Black and Brown Community, along with our city’s nonracist white community, needs to ban together by saying “enough is enough,” and demand that the Superintendent be put back in the position for which he was hired and excels in. Let us move on and be about the business of making sure that all of our children in the City of Middletown are educated!
David Roane
