By Laura Bailey
In an emotionally charged meeting, the Bristol Board of Education voted 5-4 to pass the Student Activity Funds Revision, a decision that drew a large crowd of students, parents and educators to the gathering.
In addition, an antisemitic post by an endorsed Republican candidate for the Board of Education elicited calls for her removal from the ballot in November from the board’s chair and condemnation of the candidate’s actions during public participation.
The new policy eliminates attendance fees for Bristol students and Bristol residents to school events, including plays and musicals. The purpose of the policy is to remove the financial barriers preventing community members from attending sport games and performing arts events. Policy Committee Chair Shelby Pons said that funding would be available for arts programs.
“The funding is available, and that should have been made clear,” said Pons. “I am confident that this amendment will positively impact a group of students and families who have been marginalized for too long.”
The community members present expressed their concerns that the removal of attendance fees will lead to the loss of school theater programs in the current academic year. Many argued that the fees were essential to fund theater because the theatrical productions at Bristol Eastern, Bristol Central and Chippens Hill schools are not currently funded by the Board of Education.
The Wednesday night meeting was marked by passionate testimonies from 14 community members who took the floor during the public participation segment to voice their apprehensions.
“We collect money through ticket sales from those who want to see our show,” said Bristol Central student Carson Gagne. “Having these funds removed will not help, but it will only make it worse. We need the money to have the ability to perform our shows that we’ve been rehearsing for.”
Mark Kovitch, a parent of two children who have participated in Bristol Public Schools’ theater productions, expressed his concerns about the lack of specificity regarding the source of funding for the theater program in the budget.
“To put through a policy that may be funded, or could be funded, or supposedly is going to be funded is concerning,” Kovitch said. “I do numbers for a living, and to have a budget that’s already passed by the board by the town, and have something that’s zero, is something that is almost literally impossible.”
Left:: BoE Commissioners Shelby Pons and Dante Tagariello. Right: Mark Kovitch | Laura Bailey
The large crowd of parents, students and educators at the Board of Education meeting. | Laura Bailey
Before the vote took place, the Board of Education commissioners expressed their opinions and posed questions. Commissioner Jill Fitzsimons-Bula sought clarification from Bristol Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Catherine Carbone regarding the availability of definitive funding and its source. Carbone said that she would be very public in her deliberate speech around how she would solve the problem.
“We will draw it out of the student activity account regardless of which programs; whether it’s BE’s program, or BC’s program or Chippens, and use those funds first and then look for either something that we need to adjust in a line and pay for out of the general fund or use any other grant dollars that may align to this type of activity or club,” said Carbone.
The vote passed 5-4, with commissioners Jen Dube, Dante Tagariello, Maria Simmons, Jill Fitzsimons-Bula and Shelby Pons in favor to remove attendance fees and commissioners Kristin Giantonio, Lori Osenkowski, Eric Carlson and Russell Anderson voting against the policy revision.
Left: Carson Gagne Right: John Sklenka. | Laura Bailey
Left: Michael Erosenko. Right: Kelsie Archambault. | Laura Bailey
Another important topic discussed at the meeting was the recent discovery of an antisemitic Facebook post by Board of Education candidate Jennifer Van Gorder. The image featured a yellow Star of David and equated the experience of Jews during the Holocaust to getting a vaccination to fight Covid-19. Van Gorder, who was endorsed by the Republican Town Committee, is set to assume an unopposed seat on the Board of Education for a two-year term beginning in November.
Chair Dube, who has served on the Board of Education for 10 years, publicly condemned Van Gorder for posting an antisemitic image on social media.
“I have publicly denounced Jennifer Van Gorder for her malicious post, and I condemn her mockery of an apology,” Dube said.
“If she truly has any desire to do what is best for the students and the staff of Bristol Public Schools, she should remove herself from the ballot. She has lost any respect or credibility, and she will be a stain on a highly functioning bipartisan board.”
Bristol residents Michael Erosenko and Brittany Barney used the public participation segment to speak out against Van Gorder’s actions.
“Anyone who does not publicly condemn Jennifer Van Gorder is complicit in her abuse of language and rhetoric to the students and staff of our district,” Erosenko said.
“Miss Jennifer Van Gorder was appointed to the board and will be seated on this board in November without the voice of the people to even be heard,” said Barney.
The next Board of Education meeting is Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. in the Board of Education Auditorium.
Laura Bailey can be reached at lbailey@bristoledition.org
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