Former BOE Member Speaks From Afar
Dear Woodstocktruth,
I love your writings and sane, ethical approach. I was directed to you by Preston Shultz whom I met while I was on the BOE (he was an engaged and concerned parent who really tried to improve the school system). I do not know how much I will be able to contribute, but I believe I can provide information from my years of service on the BOE from 1993 to 2005.
I found reading about the FOI request of emails interesting. I have not been contacted by anyone, although I would fall under the request as I was on the BOE in 04-05. And my email, which the school has, has not changed. I can, however, clearly state that I had no email contact with Joe Breen as I was always on the other side against the 9th grade proposal and the attacks on the Academy. I only had public debate and dialog with him; all rather unpleasant.
It should also be made clear that as his wife is a well paid BOE employee (and I have been told very good at her job), he has had a vested interest in his public and political behavior in relation to the public school system. This obvious fact never seems to be stated (probably because she is always characterized as being so nice), but in several public meetings they certainly acted in concert, and not in any sweet manner. Of course my view of this behavior is skewed as I was the object of her vitriol.
Yours truly,
Jay Livernois
(Woodstocker in exile)
I love your writings and sane, ethical approach. I was directed to you by Preston Shultz whom I met while I was on the BOE (he was an engaged and concerned parent who really tried to improve the school system). I do not know how much I will be able to contribute, but I believe I can provide information from my years of service on the BOE from 1993 to 2005.
I found reading about the FOI request of emails interesting. I have not been contacted by anyone, although I would fall under the request as I was on the BOE in 04-05. And my email, which the school has, has not changed. I can, however, clearly state that I had no email contact with Joe Breen as I was always on the other side against the 9th grade proposal and the attacks on the Academy. I only had public debate and dialog with him; all rather unpleasant.
It should also be made clear that as his wife is a well paid BOE employee (and I have been told very good at her job), he has had a vested interest in his public and political behavior in relation to the public school system. This obvious fact never seems to be stated (probably because she is always characterized as being so nice), but in several public meetings they certainly acted in concert, and not in any sweet manner. Of course my view of this behavior is skewed as I was the object of her vitriol.
Yours truly,
Jay Livernois
(Woodstocker in exile)
Jay,
Thank you for the kind comments. Isn't it ironic that these folks are part of the same crowd that berates people for speaking up at BOE meetings and having the audacity to seek the truth, while demanding respect for the BOE no matter what they do?
Could their memories be that short or convenient? I hope you will continue to stop in and comment. Admin.
Dear Admin,
Further to my initial post, I read all the writings on this blog and was impressed by a non-relativistic philosophy and the good work you have done in exposing the complicity and manipulation of a so-called "objective" source of information, Woodstockctcafe, by Joe Breen with at least the tacit complicity of his friends. I was further saddened to see to what degree Becki Leavitt was a willing "sock puppet" of Mr. Breen at a time when she gave lip service to opposing the holding of the 9th grade, which you might know I led the fight on the BOE to oppose in 2005 and won by a vote (this when Joe Breen was going to use this tactic to just get the repeal of Prop 46, not really do it, or so he said to former Academy Trustee President John Rauh at that time).
Also I think it is historically ironic to remember that Becki was also the co-manager of Ernie Wetzel's two successful campaigns for 1st Selectman and that we would have won again when I ran with Ernie if Breen and Loftus had not betrayed the Democratic Party and supported Delpha Very against us (and Preston Shultz would have been on the BOE). What a difference that would have made in the town and in the education of Woodstock's students.
You correctly criticize the waste of money on lawyers by the BOE since 2003, not to mention all the time and waste directly effecting education that has occurred due to the attacks on the Academy. I am writing these things not to be maudlin about the past, but because of my fascination of how history is composed and what happens to it; even in relation to such a small pond as Woodstock. And I believe that in everyday reality those who do not know history are doomed to make it up (with apologies to Winston).
Yours,
Jay Livernois
(continuing the tradition of exile, while not suffering, in France :-) )