Submitted by Sincerely, Christina Downey, chair Greenwich DTC and former BOE Vice Chair
To the Editor:
I am writing to express my disappointment in state senate candidate Joe Kelly who has disregarded the rules several times in his campaign ads.
In several of his campaign videos, Mr. Kelly has openly ignored the Board of Education bylaws (1311.2) which prohibits political activities at the schools (and which he knows having served on the BOE for four years).
However, Joe has repeatedly filmed campaign videos at school events or on school grounds featuring students. These bylaws exist to keep our schools separate from partisan campaigning and to protect students, staff, and families. They apply to every candidate, and ignoring them sends the wrong message about respect for the institutions he hopes to help govern. Having served on the BOE with Joe, I spoke with him after the first two incidents and he acknowledged that he knew it was in violation of BOE policy after his service and seemed to agree to not do it again. However, he has published numerous campaign videos in the time since that conversation in total disregard of what he knows to be the rules.
Similarly, Mr. Kelly just this week again flaunted the rules for debate participation by the League of Women Voters. The LWV makes it crystal clear that candidates are NOT permitted to film the debate NOR can they use excerpts from the LWV file for campaigning. However, Joe and his team simply ignored that and put out a video from the debate. Candidates who accept the ground rules and then disregard them shortchange the voters the forum is meant to serve, as well as their opponents.
Small matters of procedure reveal how a candidate would handle larger responsibilities.
If Mr. Kelly cannot follow the rules while asking for our votes, I wonder how seriously he would take the laws, ethics, and procedures that come with state office.
I urge voters to look closely at how each candidate conducts himself or herself, not just at what they promise.
Sincerely,
Christina Downey, chair Greenwich DTC and former BOE Vice Chair