Middletown Federation of Teachers Candidate Endorsement is Bipartisan

To the voters of Middletown:

Oct. 12 was an evening of hope for everyone concerned with education in our city. The Board of Education Election Forum held by the Middletown Federation of Teachers and the Middletown Schools Association was well-attended.  

Teachers, parents, grandparents, concerned citizens, Council members and the mayor came to listen and support the candidates. As an organizer of the evening, I was delighted and impressed by the number of people who chose to attend, and the diversity of their backgrounds. It is clear that this is an issue about which many are passionate, and I thank you all. 

I would also like to thank all the candidates that participated in the forum. All 11 candidates were able to attend and answered questions. The one message that resonated clearly was that all the candidates are discontented with the current operations of the Board of Education, and they all wish to help create a friendlier, more productive board that is not afraid to share with citizens the details of its financial operations. The evening was very successful!

The voters of Middletown will soon have a very difficult decision to make. There are five seats to be filled from a field of 11 candidates. After much careful deliberation, the Middletown Federation of Teachers election committee has been able to narrow the 11 to six. 

We have chosen to endorse: Callie Grippo (R), Mark Loomis (write-in), Cheryl McClellen (R), Ed McKeon (D), Gene Nocera (D) and Mitchell Winn (D).  

The intent of the Board of Education Election Forum was to present an opportunity for the candidates to be heard in order to help the voters make more informed decisions. If you were unable to attend, the forum it will be broadcasted on Comcast.

Again, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the candidates for taking the time to participate in the forum, and for the many dedicated volunteers and students who helped make the evening productive, informative and successful.

The Middletown Federation of Teachers has extensively deliberated on the issue of endorsing a mayor. In light of the recent mayoral debates at Wesleyan University, Woodrow Wilson Middle School and Wesleyan Hills, the Middletown Federation of Teachers Election Committee has decided to endorse Mayor Sebastian Giuliano. 

Our current mayor has been listening to the concerns of teachers, parents and students. His actions have helped to bring the problems of the Board of Education to the attention of the voters and tax payers.

Janice Pawlak, Middletown