OPINION: Larry Craybas Letter to Gov. Malloy: ‘You Took Cowardly Action by Cutting Education Funding’

Craybas: “It is time for state unions to share in the pain you are asking local municipalities to once again shoulder.”

 

Report by Paula Antolini
April 16, 2016 8:10AM EDT

 

Photo above:  Bethel Advocate file photo of Bethel Board of Education Chairman Lawrence Craybas congratulating student at 2015 Bethel High School graduation ceremony, Western Connecticut State University.

 

OPINION / LETTER TO THE EDITOR

OPINION: Larry Craybas Letter to Gov. Malloy: ‘You Took Cowardly Action by Cutting Education Funding’

Letter to CT Governor Dannel Malloy from Lawrence Craybas, Bethel Board of Education Chairman:

“Dear Governor Malloy,

“Approximately five years ago, when you brought former Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor to Connecticut to correct what you believed to be deficiencies in how our children were being educated, you said, very clearly you wanted to be known as the Education Governor. You wanted a better educational experience to be one of the cornerstones in your legacy when you left office.

“Two days ago you disappointed those of us involved in education with your draconian cuts to the “funding for a better education” you championed such a short time ago. Back then, there was to be the financial support you personally believed was necessary to reverse student achievement results throughout the state. You acknowledged then that towns and cities could not accomplish your vision alone through increased property tax revenues. You pledged to bring the financial wherewithal of the state to aid the strategies in the mission you charged Commissioner Pryor and the SED to accomplish.

“Two days ago you, Sir, took cowardly action by cutting education funding while leaving the powerful state employee unions, teacher unions and transportation fund virtually unscathed. Union leadership must be brought to the table and be made to provide real and meaningful wage and benefit concessions as their part in solving the disastrous financial problem facing Connecticut over the biennium.

“When you recommend that one of your solutions must fall on the backs of our school children you are nowhere near the Educational Leader you professed you wanted to be. Our children “only go our way once.” Your intention to cut educational funding says clearly you are willing to ignore 2-3 generations of kids by providing “less than the best education envisioned in your mission.”

“It is time for state unions to share in the pain you are asking local municipalities to once again shoulder. We cannot keep quality education whole through greater property taxes. If it is easy to promise better education funding after you solve the financial problems confronting Connecticut, I would respectfully suggest it would also be appropriate to sequester transportation funds until a later date too. Meaningful union givebacks and a portion of the protected transportation funds would make the job easier in searching for real solutions to the biennium financial problems facing Connecticut … and, in turn, it would allow you to keep education on the improvement track we have been diligently pursuing per your encouragement and direction.”

Respectfully,

Larry Craybas

Chairman, Bethel Board of Education

 

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