BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Educators in Bridgeport held a rally Tuesday night in hopes of sparking change.
“We don’t have desks, we don’t have chairs and we don’t have computers,” Kristen Clark, a fourth-grade teacher said. “Yet, we’re expected to have the children access all of this information online because they want to track how much it’s being used by everybody.”
Former students who went through the Bridgeport school system say nothing has changed.
“I know that our funding hasn’t changed; I know that respect for our students and teachers hasn’t changed. In fact, it’s gotten worse,” Amaryls Medina, an advocate for the district, said.
Medina is the daughter of Willie Medina, who spoke to teachers at the rally.
He said every child is being heard because of the teachers and their advocacy.
Some teachers and counselors at the rally say the problems in the school district have always been ongoing and, with the ESSR money ending at the end of the month, they worry the kids will suffer.
“It’s criminal that they are not funding the schools properly,” Jason Poppa a guidance counselor with Bridgeport Public Schools, said. “We have lots of services that the suburbs, use but the schools aren’t funded adequately, and that’s a massive problem especially when you look at the racial and class composition.”
Bridgeport Superintendent Dr. Carmela Levy-Davi said she wanted to attend the rally but didn’t after being advised by city police out of concern for her safety.
She said, “In the coming weeks, we will be organizing a series of meetings and focus groups to engage with teachers, staff, students, and parents. These sessions will provide an opportunity for open dialogue.”
The next board of education meeting is on Sept. 23, and educators are hopeful that more parents will show up.
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