Is Franklin Elementary in the School Closing Cross-Hairs?

More than 20 people spoke and dozens more were in the audience at Monday night’s Public Forum preceding the Stratford Town Council meeting – many sporting “Franklin School” shirts and written statements, as the majority of speakers opposed closing any elementary schools.

Chris Scheck of Jackson Avenue noted that “my father went to Franklin … my grandparents went to Franklin … and you have a bunch of kids here who love their school. Give them what they want. 

“I understand the town has little money,” Scheck continued. “But the town is going nowhere.” He was critical of the town “nailing the elderly” for not paying taxes, adding, “if you don’t take care of these kids now, what will happen is that you will lose these kids and you will lose this town. You have no choice but to take care of the schools,” he concluded to clapping and cheers from the audience. 

Linda Palermo of Vought Place said she opposes “the closing of any school in town, particularly my alma mater, Franklin School … I was a student there in the 1940s – and I’m dating myself … but it’s a great school and it’s in an excellent location that saves transportation costs.” 

Todd Whaley of Abram Street said he was also “opposed to the proposed closing of Franklin school …  we should keep them all open … making our children pay for our deficiencies is shameful. 

“What we should be doing is looking for other ways to save a buck like identifying waste and eliminating it and mismanagement and eliminating it,” Whaley said, adding, “taxes will always be high but all we’ll have to show for it will be overcrowded schools.” He also questioned the consultants that have prepared school analysis data, questioning, “Who are these consultants? And why should we listen to them?”

Franklin School student Kara Pepper, 10, of Edgewood Street gained great applause in presenting her written remarks to the full Council. She told the Council that they might ask why a 10-year-old would be attending a council meeting in the first place, and then answered her own question by citing the merits of keeping Franklin School open. Pepper earned a compliment from Council Chair Thomas J. Malloy, who noted, “You have the best handwriting of all.” 

Tony Greene of Soundview was next, and identified himself as a member of executive board at Franklin School. Deferring to Pepper, he noted, “She’s certainly a tough act to follow,” but Greene noted that the Council “needs to find the money to keep all the schools open, especially Franklin.” 

Four members of the David family on Broadbridge also spoke in favor of keeping Franklin School open. Rikita David noted that the school has “a warm, welcoming atmosphere and caring teachers.” She cited her educational experience at Franklin for her continued success at Stratford High School. 

Margarita David cited Franklin School’s Title 1 status. “It is a tragedy to close any school; and a travesty to close a Title 1 school. To lose the special programs and to bus students across town will create major devastation,” she predicted. 

Richard David echoed those sentiments. “Our children are our future. But constantly switching them around is not conducive to academic success,” and he cited the Franklin School building as being “well constructed and structurally sound.” Despite among the hardest winters on record this year, “Franklin School has prevailed.” 

Last but not least in the family, Marika David said, “I beseech the Council to keep the 2.6% [school budget increase] to keep all schools open … my foundational years at Franklin” helped prepare her for success at the University of Connecticut, and “I am in shock and horror at the prospect that Franklin may be closed.”

Other speakers favoring keeping Franklin School open included Ryan Farrell, MaryAnn Jackson, Nima Grinvalsky and Crystal Marek.

Sarah Seaburg spoke on behalf of Wilcoxson School, saying, “every year when budget time comes along we continue to cut staff, drop programs and close schools to meet budgetary constraints.” Noting that she has told people in the past that Stratford schools are “top-notch,” Seaburg said, “I’m not sure I can tell them that next year … we need to keep the 2.6% and stay top-notch for years to come.” 

Kim Cody, a lifelong resident and school teacher here, and Crisi Marks, who said she also grew up in Stratford and taught for eight years, both pleaded for continued full funding of the educational program in Stratford and spoke against closing any schools.