175k with benefits is not enough. Pay him 250k!! Lifetime medical !!! City take home car with free gas !!!!!! How about a key to a marble covered bathroom and gold plated toliet seat !!!!
December 19, 2017 at 8:19 PM
RB said...
Disgusting!
December 19, 2017 at 8:59 PM
Anonymous said...
HARTFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION, AS CORRUPT AS COULD BE !!!
December 19, 2017 at 9:59 PM
We are rich said...
He is the subject of dismissal? Perfect for us!!!! So STFU and give him. 350k. Plus a moving a allowance of 50k, agree Mercedes to drive and free gas. And a 200k signing bonus!,,,,,,,,,
December 19, 2017 at 11:51 PM
Anonymous said...
The Superintendent is the worst "educational leader" Hartford has ever seen.. She is a total façade. Its truly a $260K+ JOKE for tax payers and she creates more damage daily.
December 20, 2017 at 1:15 AM
Anonymous said...
This is the same Board of Education that is spending more than $100 millions to renovate Weaver High School.
December 20, 2017 at 4:18 AM
Anonymous said...
Former City Council Employee Files Sexual Harassment Complaint Against Council President. No surprise here, this is Hartford. Is "TJ" on his way out the door now?
December 20, 2017 at 5:17 AM
Anonymous said...
Forget about waste of money. But isn't a deputy like a Vice President? Just sits around and waits for the chief to travel somewhere of become ill? Why can't executive staff take over responsibilities instead? They can and often do. The Supe probably feels that $175,000.00 is not the fiscal elephant in the room. Closing schools are the big savings. But she should know better to create this position in light of Hartford's fiscal problems. She just should know better. Who knows, soon we may read that she is a next-generation thought leader.
The sex scandal is more fascinating. So RJ had a lust for some snow cone? And wanted to keep her from migrating to another office? But he didn't offer her mo money? How cheap can he be? He wants some white poon tang but doesn't want to pay a premium for it. What is this world coming too? As someone quipped, "Bronin just lost the black vote" by asking RJ to step down. In Hartford, he lost the black vote? What relevance is that? He's out of here anyways. He's running for governor. He no longer needs Hartford's black vote to win election. He needs to show the public at large (which is a fake show anyway) that he isn't affraid to call a spade a spade. And here, I am not using "spade" as a pun. I am using it only to indicate that truth trumps (oh, I hate that word now) silence.
December 20, 2017 at 7:24 AM
Anonymous said...
Superintendent presents district restructuring plan for Hartford schools. I guess this superintendent is Trying to justify her own big fat salary. Only in Hartford.
December 20, 2017 at 8:31 AM
Anonymous said...
Our superintendent is getting $260k+??? For what???
December 20, 2017 at 8:35 AM
Anonymous said...
In the Hartford Courant Doctor Torres - Rodrigous said closing schools is not about money. What is it about then? How do you run schools that are 30 percent full? Will any of the Principals and administrators be laid off? Doctor Torres is like a deer in the headlights. Well she will be gone within two years.
December 20, 2017 at 9:40 AM
Anonymous said...
wow how was there NO interview process!!! is this guy a friend that Leslie's trying to help, or a friend of Lukes? does he have education experience?
December 20, 2017 at 9:53 AM
Anonymous said...
Kevin' please get us more information about the latest sex scandal. Please. No, we don't need the "juicy" details. We do need to know and understand these elected officials who "represent" us.
December 20, 2017 at 1:33 PM
Anonymous said...
Why should any one be surprised the board members get richer while our children continue to suffer at Dr Torres-Rodriguez expense she never handles personal needs of our children that is every one else's job at central office. They only gave her the job cause they figure she is Hispanic so it looks good for the district! #stepdowndrtorres-rodriguez
December 20, 2017 at 2:26 PM
Anonymous said...
Kevin, rumor has it that this same type of inside hiring for top positions is happening in other departments in the city. You should investigate it more thoroughly.
December 20, 2017 at 3:17 PM
Anonymous said...
At the top, everyone takes care of everyone else. And this will never change. Because no one wants to be the party pooper. They don't want to be the one who ruins lavish pay and benefits to all who come after. And if you heard the insider talk, you would be shocked to hear them plan better timing to increase salaries. It's all timing. They have, and when I say "they," I mean all top municipal and state wage earners, they have no respect for where the financing comes from, which is you and I. They find the tax paying complainers to be noise that will eventually end.
I'm not a Trump fan but I'd like to adopt one of his ideas. He says eliminate 2 regulations for every new regulation. I say eliminate 2 Board of Ed positions for every new one. We're already top heavy; we already spend an obscene amount on salaries for a dubious return (which I could live with if we had a superior educational system - which I don't think anyone would claim); we have a superintendent that got a raise after about 5 minutes on the job -- long before she showed us that she was worth more.
I am now, and always will be, for the kids of Hartford. How many doctors, dentists, engineers, and lawyers could we have produced if we gave our kids a GOOD or GREAT education, instead of prioritizing above-average salaries for our friends, relatives, and social acquaintances? The public has some responsibility though - other than a few people on Facebook, no one wants to actually cross the ones in power for fear of retribution.
Perhaps its time for a citizens revolt as far as our kids' education. Enough is enough.
December 20, 2017 at 10:58 PM
Anonymous said...
I totally agree with Mr. Jason DeLusso:
STEP DOWN DR. TORRES-RODRIGUEZ.
December 21, 2017 at 6:02 AM
Anonymous said...
Connecticut municipalities should be screaming ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. They are the ones getting less and less from the state, so the state can spend more and more on Hartford mistakes.
December 21, 2017 at 6:09 AM
Anonymous said...
Sorry, 6:02 am, I disagree with you and DeLusso. Torres Rodriguez should not step down, she should be fired!
December 21, 2017 at 11:21 AM
Anonymous said...
Edited: This is very true! No selective screening process. They hire their friends. Look at this two buddies from Springfield MA- https://www.hartfordschools.org/welcome-jonathan-swan/ "While speaking with his friend Kevin McCaskill in Hartford, Jonathan was was impressed by the Theory of Action and by the progressive school reform taking place in Hartford. Wooed to Hartford Public School's Office of School Design ..." Kevin is no longer at HPS, but told Swan about the 6-figure income of many administrators in Hartford.That was the enticement! Direct hire despite many qualified educators who are actually Hartford residents! Now this sleazoid who was not even investigated about an incident/complaint (RJ style) to avoid another public scandal about inappropriate questionable behavior in office is getting 180k, far from Springfield's 90k.
December 22, 2017 at 12:43 AM
Anonymous said...
260 thousand good lord that's a lot of money, she must be good at something
December 22, 2017 at 2:24 PM
Anonymous said...
The oversight is being handled by cross an Joftus firm google them and call them to explain what's going on they supposedly already know or have been made aware of this blog
December 25, 2017 at 7:54 AM
Anonymous said...
Dr. Torres-Rodriguez's Plan A is to close Batchelder School, which is on the border of Newington and West Hartford (great real estate!), then totally renovate the building and bring in Montessori magnet school to get all the suburban kids from Newington, West Hartford, and Wethersfield, plus more towns.
Plan B is to locate Montessori in another vacant building. Why not choose Plan B instead of A? Let's just move all 500 kids to other parts of the city and continue to have the kids in Hartford suffer because of educational politics and big fat salaries! Cut the top layer with so many unnecessary and fake job titles - that will save hundreds of thousands of dollars, at least. Fire the super and hire a good leader for less money, cut the 8 Assistant Superintendents too. The Board is totally at fault for approving and allowing this.
December 30, 2017 at 12:20 AM
Anonymous said...
Administrator: I hate this f*&$n job! I come in early while all the other 6-figure earners come in late and leave early! ARM: You've been saying that for years now, why do you still do it? Administrator: No one else pays this much for this work. ARM: Why do you drive a beat up car when you are making almost $200k? Administrator: Babe, you know we are already in trouble for so much corruption. I'm just flying under the radar. Administrator: I hate this f*&$n place! ARM: Why don't you just quit? Administrator: I wish they just fire me so I get paid the rest of my contract! ARM: thinking...(I'll pull a Weinstein on you later!)
December 30, 2017 at 3:47 PM
Anonymous said...
Yea, that convo sounds about right. - some awful people at the central office. What a fraud.
December 31, 2017 at 11:21 PM
Anonymous said...
My question is why are we not outraged by the Superintendent's 300k salary but outraged by this? the real work gets done by those under her not the Superintendent herself. She is another Luke, good for pictures and ribbon cutting but lacking the skills to do the job or get the work done. I say pay the workers more and cut the Superintendent salary.
January 6, 2018 at 7:41 AM
Anonymous said...
Well, not all under her (cabinet members) really do hard work. One that supervises associate sups and principals just copies stuff from the internet and and use it for training or whatever to make him look like he's working.
January 9, 2018 at 11:19 PM
In another move that boggles the mind, the Hartford Board of Education was scheduled to meet tonight. Under Agenda item 1,b was the authorization to hire a Deputy Superintendent of Schools at an annual cost of $175,000 plus benefits. Even more alarming was that the selection had already been made by the Superintendent. No advertisement soliciting resumes, no interview process, just give the job to someone from the Superintendent's social network
.
This is wrong and will only contribute to a top heavy administration and only the children will suffer. Probably a few short months from now there will be more talks of layoffs of teachers and classroom paraprofessionals as the Superintendent claims to deal with ever tightening budgets.
This is obscene and just goes to show what I have said for years about the Hartford schools, it is not a system about educating children but rather a system to provide very large salaries a select group of adults with no regard for the educations being provided.
Dr. Alberto Vazquez Matos, the heir apparent of Superintendent Torres graciousness is also currently the subject of a petition to remove him from his position in Florida, just what Hartford needs. https://www.change.org/p/hillsborough-county-school-board-whistleblower-a-petition-to-demand-the-resignation-of-susan-valdes-and-alberto-vazquez-matos
According to Pedro Zayas, spokesperson for the Hartford Schools, he told the Tampa News ""Our city is nearly bankrupt," he said. Funding has been flat for a decade "while costs rise and there’s a lot more compliance. We’ve had layoffs for the past two years." Geez, I guess under those circumstances I can understand $175,000 for the newly created position
12192017_BOERegularMeetingAgendaPacket by Kevin Brookman on Scribd
posted by KEVIN BROOKMAN at 7:38 PM on Dec 19, 2017
"MEMO TO HARTFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION: YOU DO REALIZE HARTFORD IS BROKE, RIGHT?"
31 Comments -
175k with benefits is not enough. Pay him 250k!! Lifetime medical !!! City take home car with free gas !!!!!!
How about a key to a marble covered bathroom and gold plated toliet seat !!!!
December 19, 2017 at 8:19 PM
Disgusting!
December 19, 2017 at 8:59 PM
HARTFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION, AS CORRUPT AS COULD BE !!!
December 19, 2017 at 9:59 PM
He is the subject of dismissal? Perfect for us!!!! So STFU and give him. 350k. Plus a moving a allowance of 50k, agree Mercedes to drive and free gas. And a 200k signing bonus!,,,,,,,,,
December 19, 2017 at 11:51 PM
The Superintendent is the worst "educational leader" Hartford has ever seen.. She is a total façade. Its truly a $260K+ JOKE for tax payers and she creates more damage daily.
December 20, 2017 at 1:15 AM
This is the same Board of Education that is spending more than $100 millions to renovate Weaver High School.
December 20, 2017 at 4:18 AM
Former City Council Employee Files Sexual Harassment Complaint Against Council President.
No surprise here, this is Hartford.
Is "TJ" on his way out the door now?
December 20, 2017 at 5:17 AM
Forget about waste of money. But isn't a deputy like a Vice President? Just sits around and waits for the chief to travel somewhere of become ill? Why can't executive staff take over responsibilities instead? They can and often do. The Supe probably feels that $175,000.00 is not the fiscal elephant in the room. Closing schools are the big savings. But she should know better to create this position in light of Hartford's fiscal problems. She just should know better. Who knows, soon we may read that she is a next-generation thought leader.
The sex scandal is more fascinating. So RJ had a lust for some snow cone? And wanted to keep her from migrating to another office? But he didn't offer her mo money? How cheap can he be? He wants some white poon tang but doesn't want to pay a premium for it. What is this world coming too? As someone quipped, "Bronin just lost the black vote" by asking RJ to step down. In Hartford, he lost the black vote? What relevance is that? He's out of here anyways. He's running for governor. He no longer needs Hartford's black vote to win election. He needs to show the public at large (which is a fake show anyway) that he isn't affraid to call a spade a spade. And here, I am not using "spade" as a pun. I am using it only to indicate that truth trumps (oh, I hate that word now) silence.
December 20, 2017 at 7:24 AM
Superintendent presents district restructuring plan for Hartford schools. I guess this superintendent is Trying to justify her own big fat salary.
Only in Hartford.
December 20, 2017 at 8:31 AM
Our superintendent is getting $260k+??? For what???
December 20, 2017 at 8:35 AM
In the Hartford Courant Doctor Torres - Rodrigous said closing schools is not about money. What is it about then? How do you run schools that are 30 percent full? Will any of the Principals and administrators be laid off? Doctor Torres is like a deer in the headlights. Well she will be gone within two years.
December 20, 2017 at 9:40 AM
wow how was there NO interview process!!! is this guy a friend that Leslie's trying to help, or a friend of Lukes? does he have education experience?
December 20, 2017 at 9:53 AM
Kevin' please get us more information about the latest sex scandal. Please. No, we don't need the "juicy" details. We do need to know and understand these elected officials who "represent" us.
December 20, 2017 at 1:33 PM
Why should any one be surprised the board members get richer while our children continue to suffer at Dr Torres-Rodriguez expense she never handles personal needs of our children that is every one else's job at central office. They only gave her the job cause they figure she is Hispanic so it looks good for the district! #stepdowndrtorres-rodriguez
December 20, 2017 at 2:26 PM
Kevin, rumor has it that this same type of inside hiring for top positions is happening in other departments in the city. You should investigate it more thoroughly.
December 20, 2017 at 3:17 PM
At the top, everyone takes care of everyone else. And this will never change. Because no one wants to be the party pooper. They don't want to be the one who ruins lavish pay and benefits to all who come after. And if you heard the insider talk, you would be shocked to hear them plan better timing to increase salaries. It's all timing. They have, and when I say "they," I mean all top municipal and state wage earners, they have no respect for where the financing comes from, which is you and I. They find the tax paying complainers to be noise that will eventually end.
December 20, 2017 at 4:18 PM
It will never end because the public doesnt care
December 20, 2017 at 6:07 PM
Where is the state oversight?
December 20, 2017 at 7:00 PM
Someone, sometime has to say “enough!”
December 20, 2017 at 9:59 PM
I'm not a Trump fan but I'd like to adopt one of his ideas. He says eliminate 2 regulations for every new regulation. I say eliminate 2 Board of Ed positions for every new one. We're already top heavy; we already spend an obscene amount on salaries for a dubious return (which I could live with if we had a superior educational system - which I don't think anyone would claim); we have a superintendent that got a raise after about 5 minutes on the job -- long before she showed us that she was worth more.
I am now, and always will be, for the kids of Hartford. How many doctors, dentists, engineers, and lawyers could we have produced if we gave our kids a GOOD or GREAT education, instead of prioritizing above-average salaries for our friends, relatives, and social acquaintances? The public has some responsibility though - other than a few people on Facebook, no one wants to actually cross the ones in power for fear of retribution.
Perhaps its time for a citizens revolt as far as our kids' education. Enough is enough.
December 20, 2017 at 10:58 PM
I totally agree with Mr. Jason DeLusso:
STEP DOWN DR. TORRES-RODRIGUEZ.
December 21, 2017 at 6:02 AM
Connecticut municipalities should be screaming ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. They are the ones getting less and less from the state, so the state can spend more and more on Hartford mistakes.
December 21, 2017 at 6:09 AM
Sorry, 6:02 am, I disagree with you and DeLusso. Torres Rodriguez should not step down, she should be fired!
December 21, 2017 at 11:21 AM
Edited:
This is very true! No selective screening process. They hire their friends. Look at this two buddies from Springfield MA- https://www.hartfordschools.org/welcome-jonathan-swan/
"While speaking with his friend Kevin McCaskill in Hartford, Jonathan was was impressed by the Theory of Action and by the progressive school reform taking place in Hartford. Wooed to Hartford Public School's Office of School Design ..."
Kevin is no longer at HPS, but told Swan about the 6-figure income of many administrators in Hartford.That was the enticement! Direct hire despite many qualified educators who are actually Hartford residents! Now this sleazoid who was not even investigated about an incident/complaint (RJ style) to avoid another public scandal about inappropriate questionable behavior in office is getting 180k, far from Springfield's 90k.
December 22, 2017 at 12:43 AM
260 thousand good lord that's a lot of money, she must be good at something
December 22, 2017 at 2:24 PM
The oversight is being handled by cross an Joftus firm google them and call them to explain what's going on they supposedly already know or have been made aware of this blog
December 25, 2017 at 7:54 AM
Dr. Torres-Rodriguez's Plan A is to close Batchelder School, which is on the border of Newington and West Hartford (great real estate!), then totally renovate the building and bring in Montessori magnet school to get all the suburban kids from Newington, West Hartford, and Wethersfield, plus more towns.
Plan B is to locate Montessori in another vacant building. Why not choose Plan B instead of A? Let's just move all 500 kids to other parts of the city and continue to have the kids in Hartford suffer because of educational politics and big fat salaries! Cut the top layer with so many unnecessary and fake job titles - that will save hundreds of thousands of dollars, at least. Fire the super and hire a good leader for less money, cut the 8 Assistant Superintendents too. The Board is totally at fault for approving and allowing this.
December 30, 2017 at 12:20 AM
Administrator: I hate this f*&$n job! I come in early while all the other 6-figure earners come in late and leave early!
ARM: You've been saying that for years now, why do you still do it?
Administrator: No one else pays this much for this work.
ARM: Why do you drive a beat up car when you are making almost $200k?
Administrator: Babe, you know we are already in trouble for so much corruption. I'm just flying under the radar.
Administrator: I hate this f*&$n place!
ARM: Why don't you just quit?
Administrator: I wish they just fire me so I get paid the rest of my contract!
ARM: thinking...(I'll pull a Weinstein on you later!)
December 30, 2017 at 3:47 PM
Yea, that convo sounds about right. - some awful people at the central office. What a fraud.
December 31, 2017 at 11:21 PM
My question is why are we not outraged by the Superintendent's 300k salary but outraged by this? the real work gets done by those under her not the Superintendent herself. She is another Luke, good for pictures and ribbon cutting but lacking the skills to do the job or get the work done. I say pay the workers more and cut the Superintendent salary.
January 6, 2018 at 7:41 AM
Well, not all under her (cabinet members) really do hard work. One that supervises associate sups and principals just copies stuff from the internet and and use it for training or whatever to make him look like he's working.
January 9, 2018 at 11:19 PM