SINISI: Don’t Shoot the Messenger

Submitted by Dan Sinisi, Greenwich RTC Member, Glenville, Concerned Parent

(Note: this letter is not authored by Dan Sinisi of Cos Cob who runs Michael Sinisi & Son Landscaping Inc)

Once again Democrats in Greenwich are circling the wagons to defend a broken school system. They are disgusted, they say. But not at the words that were stated by the Cos Cob Assistant Principal. Instead of condemning the words and sentiments this individual, they deflect from his conversation and condemn the messenger, Project Veritas, as a far-right activist organization.

Wow.

Perhaps they have a hard time understanding English. Isn’t what this man said in the least bit disturbing?

Let’s break it down.

A Greenwich Public School Administrator, and individual who has the capacity to hire teachers who shape our children through their learning, is discriminating against hiring anyone who may have a differing opinion from the progressive democratic agenda.

If you don’t have a problem with that, let’s take it one further.

This individual, who is an Assistant Principal for a school in a community that has been predominantly Italian and Catholic, refuses to even interview those with this religious backgrounds because they will be too conservative. Indeed, his exact quotes were, “But if they’re Catholic – conservative…You don’t hire them, [because] [i]f someone is raised hardcore Catholic, its’ like, they’re brainwashed…you can never change their mindset.”

If that’s not enough to convince you that something is wrong, let’s hear what he also said.

“For one position, I think we had 30 applicants. So out of all those applicants, I don’t think I interviewed anybody over the [age] of 30…the older you get, the more set in your ways – the more conservative you get.”

Perhaps you are okay with this mindset. Fortunately, the Federal Government, State of Connecticut and the stated hiring principles of the Greenwich School system disagree with you. Connecticut law specifically bars discriminatory employment practices. Anyone who does has violated the law. Get ready to pay for this Assistant Principal’s practices Greenwich.

What is even more disturbing is the tactics that this administrator admitted are being used to disseminate “progressive” political ideas in the Greenwich Public Schools. Not overtly, but it’s being done nonetheless.

In his words, teachers are …”teaching them [children] how to think. That’s it. It doesn’t matter what they think about. If they think about it in a logical progressive way, that becomes their habit.” He further states, “…Believe it or not, the open minded, more progressive teachers are actually more savvy about delivering a Democratic message without really ever having to mention politics.”

Who knows how long this has been occurring in the Greenwich School system. But it is certainly a failure of the current Board of Education (BOE) and the current School Administration, under Superintendent Toni Jones. The leadership, or lack of leadership, by BOE Chair Kathleen Stowe and Toni Jones is perhaps the most damning of all. Instead of condemning the messenger, perhaps it’s time to take politics out of our schools and start thinking about our children, who, despite spending the most per pupil in Connecticut are lagging in achievement.

The type of hiring practices and teaching methods espoused by the Assistant Principal at Cos Cob have no business at our school. We need an independent evaluation of the teaching methods used in our schools. Our BOE needs to rethink the “CEO” method of school administration and take a more hands on approach to assure that our children are actually learning, without political ideology. It is clear that responsible leadership is lacking in our public schools. That needs to be addressed immediately.

So, let’s stop deflecting the conversation and let’s deal with the problem head on. This should be our wake up call.

Our children are depending on us.

Dan Sinisi,
Greenwich RTC Member, Concerned Parent