The Office of the Child Advocate’s report on the Connecticut Juvenile Training School reveals conditions requiring decisive action to keep youth safe. It is encouraging that the Department of Children and Families recently released its own report on CJTS acknowledging problems with the facility. Both reports leave me convinced that many of the youth at CJTS simply do not belong there.
CT Viewpoints
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Connecticut government’s ‘take it or leave it’ approach to providers
Everyone is familiar with the definition of a monopoly. But who has heard of a monopsony? A monopsony is where there is a single purchaser of a service from a pool of many sellers. The State of Connecticut’s purchase of service contracting system, particularly its purchase of human service related programs, is a monopsony. It means the state (the sole purchaser) can set limits on how much it will pay nonprofits (the sellers) for a service. In a monopsony environment, the state basically runs a “take it or leave it” business model. It matters little to the state how much providing that service actually costs.
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Court reform must follow death of little Aaden Moreno
Though we want to think it is so, the recent death of 7-month-old Aaden Moreno at the hands of his father was not a rare event, but an all-too-common outcome of a child custody case. The child’s mother had sought a protective order based on the father’s history of abuse and threats against the mother and child. There is now a substantial body of scientific research that would make family court judges’ jobs easier, but our children will not be protected until we rely on domestic violence experts instead of general practitioners and integrate this important research into the standard court practices. The Safe Child Act is an evidence-based approach requiring that the health and safety of children must be the first priority in all custody and visitation decisions.
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Gov. Malloy’s wise veto of the education commissioner bill
If you aim to limit the amount of innovation that can happen in the public education arena, one surefire method would be to keep it an insider’s game. On Monday the legislature is required to convene a veto session to consider whether to override any of Gov. Dannel Malloy’s vetoes. At this time, it is […]
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Lawmakers should override Malloy veto of ed commissioner qualifications
The Connecticut legislature was right to enact legislation which would require an education commissioner to have a minimum of five years of classroom experience and three years of school administration. In fact, the vast majority of states require some level of experience or background in order to be qualified to lead the appropriate state agency. The legislature should stand firm when it convenes on Monday for its veto session to ensure that Connecticut joins these ranks.
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CT Family Court reform might save some other baby’s life
We will never know with certainty what could have been done to prevent the killing of 7-month-old Aaden Moreno by his father earlier this month. But maybe, if we focus on making needed reforms to the Family Court system, we will be able to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.
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Connecticut’s new budget: Something painful for everyone
When the budget implementer bill was presented to the House chamber during the special session on June 29, we had mere hours to read it over and realize that despite some changes made for the better, this budget didn’t do nearly enough to steer Connecticut in the right direction. Much discussion has been focused on corporations and the unconscionable unitary tax placed upon them, but make no mistake; this budget does not discriminate in regards to its negative impact upon both businesses and residents.
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Giving young offenders a second chance means system-wide reform
Early in my time as superintendent in New London, staff at one of our schools found a young teen nearly unconscious from a substance overdose, an empty bottle next to him. He had tried to commit suicide. Technically he should have been suspended and then expelled for a series of violations of district policies. But […]
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Here’s a heads up on concussions, Connecticut
Youth sports in Connecticut got a little safer after the last legislative session thanks to the legislature’s vote on an important concussion education bill. The new legislation requires Connecticut youth athletic operators to annually make available a concussion information sheet to each youth athlete (ages 7-19) and parent/guardian. This will affect all youth who engage in sports outside of school.
Posted inCT Viewpoints, Talking Transportation
Of Connecticut’s stuck legislation, bridges, commuter trains and parking garage
Remember Gov. Dannel Malloy’s stealth proposal for a “Transit Corridor Development Authority,” described by some as “eminent domain on steroids?” Well, the initial idea to allow the state to acquire any land within a half-mile of train stations was modified, then killed in the legislature. And that’s not the only thing that got stuck recently.
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Connecticut lawmakers help, but must do better for working people
Connecticut lawmakers took some critical steps to help low-wage workers and their families in the last legislative session, but they must do more to build an economy that truly works for everyone. People who work hard should be able to support and protect their families. But in our low-wage, race to the bottom economy, that is increasingly becoming a pipe dream. Lawmakers need to do better next year.
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Supreme Court housing decision will ensure equal opportunities
Amidst all last week’s news about decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court, it’s important that one less-noticed decision not get lost: the Court’s landmark ruling regarding housing discrimination. In a crucial ruling, the Supreme Court upheld a requirement in federal law that protects against housing discrimination against racial or other protected groups. The decision will benefit low-income people and people of color in Connecticut and across the country.
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Connecticut a leader in microbead phase-out, cleaner environment
During its special session June 29, the Connecticut legislature passed a number of items as budget implementers. Two of these are of particular importance to our environment and the health of our citizens – a strong law banning plastic microbeads used in cosmetics and personal care products, and enhanced notification prior to a pesticide application on school grounds, along with restrictions on the use of pesticides on municipal playgrounds.
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Origins of our independence similar to today’s conditions
We are a long way from starting another revolution to take power away from today’s 1 percent and the government they have largely bought, and return it to the vast majority of working people. But when folks start reading up on their own revolutionary history, the Koch brothers should follow the example of Connecticut’s Tories and move to Canada.
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History education in Connecticut in abysmal shape
For the past 30 years progressive education policies emanating from Hartford have ultimately dictated what is taught in local schools. Apparently, to distance themselves from the damage incurred from these scorched earth policies, some local residents want to believe that Connecticut is a “locally controlled state” educationally. The implication is that the amount of history taught in local districts is just […]