School reform may just be getting going in New Haven, but the district’s U.S. Congresswoman already has declared it a ringing success catapulting a failing district into a shining example for the nation. That assessment was part of the stream of praise issued as the Congresswoman, a former mayor, and a group of Latino leaders made endorsements of candidates running for for mayor in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro not only endorsed incumbent Mayor John DeStefano; she became the first public figure to declare that, less than two years into New Haven’s school reform experiment, the city has already succeeded in creating “one of the best, if not the best, urban school districts in America.”
“In one of his most remarkable accomplishments, John has completely overhauled the city’s educational system, making New Haven one of the best, if not the best, urban school districts in America. During his tenure as mayor, virtually every single public school in the city has been rebuilt and renovated. He helped to negotiate a new contract with teachers’ unions that has become a national model of cooperation and reform. And, under the mayor’s New Haven Promise program, every single New Haven graduate of public schools is now eligible to receive a free college education at in-state public universities. Education makes opportunity real for families, and no one understands that better than John DeStefano,” a campaign release quotes DeLauro as saying.
Click here to read the full statement.
Another endorsement, from former Mayor John Daniels, was for Anthony Dawson. Daniels has long been close to Jim Newton, one of Dawson’s key campaign advisers.
“Tony Dawson is the only candidate who can beat John DeStefano. The other candidates either have too much baggage or they have nothing in common with the majority of New Haven residents. Tony Dawson is one of us. He was born here. He’s raised his children here; worked to improve our community and he’s the only candidate with the law enforcement experience to stop the murders,” Daniels was quoted as saying in a release. Read the full release here.
Meanwhile, a group of prominent Latino figures — including including State Rep. Juan Candelaria, Fair Haven Alderwoman Migdalia Castro, Hill Alderman Jorge Perez, the Rev. Jose Champagne, community activist Lee Cruz — were quoted in a separate press release endorsing DeStefano.
They praised the mayor’s “courageous support of the Dream Act to benefit resident students, his compassion toward immigrants and others shown by his legendary New Haven I.D. card program, and his open and public support of former alderman Gerry Garcia in his bid to become the first Latino Secretary of State.”
Click here to read the full statement.