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STAMFORD, Conn. — A plan to move the adult day education program into Rippowam Middle School drew the ire of many parents and teachers, who showed up at the Stamford Public Schools' public budget hearing Thursday to share their displeasure.
Interim Superintendent Winifred Hamilton proposed moving the program from Holy Name of Jesus Church to the middle school to save money. She and other public schools officials met with parents and the school administration to outline a plan to divide the school so the Rippowam students would be separated from the adult students. But the Rippowam community was not sure whether the savings were enough given the hassle it may cause.
“If this adult education move to Rippowam occurs, my daughter won’t be going there, plain and simple,” said John Landseidel, who has a son in the school and a daughter in elementary school. He said he did not know who the adults would be and was worried it would not be safe for his children.
Michael Sapia, a sixth-grade teacher at Rippowam, wanted Hamilton and the Board of Education to consider that the school may want to expand its International Baccalaureate Program and would need the extra space in the future. “We need to be proactive,” the science teacher said.
Some at the public hearing supported the adult education program. However, they did not want it moved to Rippowam.
Rosalyn Nesin, a former administrator for the program, said many of the students benefit from having the program located near where they live and work. When the program was first moved to Holy Name of Jesus Church, more people joined and more progress was shown, she said.
“Finally we can bring education to where the people live,” Nesin said was her reaction when it first moved. She is worried that adults would not continue their education if the program were moved to Rippowam.
After hearing from several parents about the adult students possibly posing a threat to the middle school students, Susana Vidan defended the adults in the program. She used her babysitter as an example of a model citizen who is enrolled in the daytime program, trying to learn English in her free time.
“She is not a criminal; she is a hardworking mother,” Vidan said. Hamilton should talk to the students in the adult program to find out what they want, Vidan said.
The Board of Education will vote on the budget Thursday, Feb. 16. It will go to the mayor Feb. 29. After the mayor makes his recommendations, the Board of Finance and Board of Representatives can make cuts as they see fit.
Rippowam is on the city bus routes, and it's directly in the center of the city of Stamford, reachable by anyone. The only reason these parents don't want the Adult Ed in their building is bigotry, plain and simple.
If the building has room (it does), and it's going to save the BOE money (it will), we need to go forward with the plan. Or else, if they want to reserve that huge building for the possible expansion of their IB program, let's take the $126,000 away from student funding at Ripp to make up for it. How's that for a good idea? Any parents want to protest that?