Connecticut Educators Endorse Rodgerson for State Representative

Following the release of Keith's education platform, this week has brought more exciting news, as the American Federation of Teachers Connecticut (AFT) have given their endorsement to Keith for the November 4th General Assembly election.

Melodie Peters, CT President of the AFT, said that Rodgerson received AFT's endorsement due to "(his) commitment to working families." Continuing, she added that "this election is very important to the people of Connecticut. We need strong leadership that will help turn this State around and your election is a critical part of this."

Rodgerson thanked the AFT for their endorsement, saying "I am humbled by their trust in me. These are challenging times in education. Once I get to Hartford, I will work very hard in making sure that our educational priorities continue to move forward."

The AFT endorsement follows the release of Rodgerson's education platform last week. Highlights of the platform include supporting increases to public school Educational Cost Sharing (ECS) funding, universal Pre-K, and the expansion of the UConn system, items that current Rep. Lavielle stood against in the 2014 General Assembly session. Other parts of the platform include strengthening STEM in the high schools, trade programs, private partnerships, and connections to institutions of higher learning.  

AFT Connecticut represents more than 29,000 workers in the public and private sectors. Their membership includes teachers, school related personnel including paraprofessionals, state employees, healthcare workers, and higher education faculty and staff.

Lavielle Denied Gun Safety Endorsement

In case you missed it, here's another reason we should elect Keith Rodgerson to the General Assembly in November.

CT Voters for Gun Safety, a statewide independent organization that supports strong Connecticut gun laws, has decided not to endorse State Representative Gail Lavielle for the November 4th General Assembly election.

“The gun safety coalition made a deliberate decision not to endorse Ms. Lavielle - and for good reason. You cannot spend years supporting gun interests and expect it to go unnoticed. Ms. Lavielle’s advocacy on behalf of the nation’s largest assault weapons seller and engagement with the Stand your Ground lobby and Koch-funded entities like ALEC has clearly had an impact on their decision, not to mention her pro-gun rating by the NRA two years ago. It’s time for a change,” said Wilton Democratic Town Chair Thomas Dec.

Ms. Lavielle’s defends the right to own high capacity magazines and called the landmark Sandy Hook guns laws “not a solution,”  She had earlier criticized the 2011 community push against high capacity magazines which earned her a “pro gun” rating by the NRA in 2012.          

Her opponent, neighborhood developer Keith Rodgerson of Wilton, applauded the decision to withhold an endorsement.  “As a lifelong Connecticut resident, father of a young child, and professional who has worked in neighborhoods marked by gun violence, I worry everyday about the impact that assault weapons continue to have on our society.  I will be a champion in the state legislature for responsible gun control.”

 

CT Voters for Gun Safety was joined in making its endorsements by a coalition of state groups including the CT Chapters of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, The Enough Campaign, The Greenwich Council Against Gun Violence, March For Change, Newtown Action Alliance, The Northwest Corner Committee for Gun Violence Prevention, and Women on Watch.

Endorsement decisions included consideration of prior voting records; responses to a candidate questionnaire; statements made to the press; comments at public hearings; comments and responses to ideas presented at private meetings; and actions and comments in prior and current positions held.

Keith's Education Platform

Last week, Keith Rodgerson, candidate for State Representative in Wilton, Norwalk and Westport, released his education platform. Here's what he had to say in the press release:

“I am the product of the Redding educational system and I value the education I received. I returned with my family from New Haven to Fairfield County so that my 4-year-old child could have the same opportunity. Unfortunately, I share the worry of many other parents in this region that these opportunities are at risk.  I pledge to bring my energy and commitment to the community to leverage additional state funds for education and building maintenance/construction in Wilton, Norwalk and Westport.  As a parent I cannot allow my child’s education to become a political football in Hartford.”            

“I support the increases to public school Educational Cost Sharing (ECS) funding, universal Pre-K, and the expansion of the UConn system that my opponent stood against in 2014,” stated Rodgerson. “Additionally, we need to strengthen STEM in the high schools, trade programs, private partnerships, and connections to institutions of higher learning.”    

Rodgerson noted that equal access to this education is key.  “Our legislators must support legislation that prohibits LGBT discrimination in public schools and school activities.  Rep. Gail Lavielle has voted against such measures.  Our legislators must never legitimize bigotry and bullying.  I will use this office to share my vision for acceptance and diversity in our society.” 

Rodgerson supports the elimination of all participation fees for students. “Extracurricular athletics and clubs are part of a well-rounded education and all children should be allowed the opportunity to participate no matter what their financial circumstances.” Rodgerson criticized his opponent’s unwillingness to give waivers to families regarding athletic fees as a Wilton Board of Finance member. “Residents need legislators who unequivocally support a child’s right to learn, grow, and be a part of the community regardless of their family’s financial or social status.”

Rodgerson highlighted the importance of transparency and the need to curtail lobbyist influence. “Some of our representatives in Connecticut have chosen to vote on education reform legislation behind closed doors on our behalf with industry groups like ALEC that funded Common Core. I support open government and a parent-teacher focused learning system.” Rodgerson noted the growing influence of industry and special interest lobbyists on New England education: “We need to continue to scale back the rollout of Common Core and let teachers teach and students learn. ‘Teaching to the test’ instead of teaching to the student is not an option. The path to addressing the nation’s widest education gap is not through mandating burdensome reporting and curricular changes. Teachers and parents need empowerment in structuring children’s education, not ALEC.”     

Rodgerson also cited activism by organizations such as the Family Institute of Connecticut in this election cycle. “It is critical to our children’s well-being that our legislators draw distance from socially regressive forces advocating for bigotry and intolerance.  They are supporting the GOP candidate for governor and seek to undermine time-tested and critical family-life programs.”  

Rodgerson also cited the need for anti-smoking education and prevention: “We cannot underestimate the lasting effect of smoking industry disinformation upon successive generations of Connecticuters. We must continue to be vigilant with our children in anti-smoking education and prevention.”  According to the CDC, 6.7% of middle schoolers currently use tobacco products, and if smoking persists at the current rate among youth in this country, 5.6 million of today’s Americans younger than 18 years of age are projected to die prematurely from a smoking-related illness.  

Rodgerson, a former employee in Easton public schools and noted economic development finance professional, also cited the need to modernize building regulations and to change funding ratios for school construction and rehabilitation. “Towns and cities have a need for greater flexibility regarding the compactness of sites and design. We need to mitigate the tax base impact of new school construction and expansion. Current ratios for school construction are leading to unsustainable local property tax increases. They create a preference for rehabilitation where new construction may be more economically and environmentally sustainable over the long term.”  Rodgerson voiced his full support for the Miller Driscoll Renovation project and hopes his opponent will do the same.  “All of Connecticut’s children deserve modern, functional, and safe educational facilities.”

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