It was talent show night tonight at Westport’s Bedford Middle School. Cayne Mandell served as emcee. Matthew Mandell for WestportNow.com

By Jacqueline Rabe Thomas

www.ctmirror.org

Teachers overwhelmingly oppose having its workforce carry guns on campus, according to a poll of 400 teachers released today by the state’s largest teachers’ union.

“We are just very, very heartened by the fact that teachers do not want their schools turned into fortresses. They want to have the ability to teach free of any potential violence in their building,” said Mark Waxenberg, executive director of the Connecticut Education Association.

Of the teachers surveyed from from different schools across the state, 85 percent oppose allowing teachers to carry guns in schools, 3 percent support having the option available to teachers and the rest did not respond. Of those teachers surveyed, nearly 1 in 5 have a gun in their home. And 77 percent of those that have guns are against arming teachers.

Current state law allows teachers and security staff to have guns at school if “school officials” have granted them permission. Connecticut is one of 18 states that allows certain people to carry weapons on campus, according to a investigation done by NBC News U.S. News World Report.

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By Jacqueline Rabe Thomas

www.ctmirror.org

When it comes to security systems at its schools, New Haven officials say cost has never been a factor for their cash-strapped district. It’s not just that they prioritize security: The state pays almost the entire bill to install things like cameras, buzzer systems and locks for every classroom.

Security infrastructure is a cost the state picks up, to varying degrees, in districts across Connecticut. Today, the State’s Bond Commission was expected to approve $280 million to pay for local school construction projects—some of which will go to ensure students are safe.

“The state clearly recognizes the need to support security,” said Will Clark, New Haven’s chief operating officer. The state covers somewhere between 70 to 100 percent of the costs of the city’s construction costs.

As the Bond Commission meets, citizens from across the country are expected at the state Capitol complex to testify about school security in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. On Dec. 14, a gunman shot his way into the suburban Newtown school and killed 20 children and six educators.

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By James Lomuscio

Health insurance projections and a five-year capital forecast for school building upgrades took center stage tonight as Westport’s Board of Education welcomed to its budget meeting the Board of Finance and members of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM).

School Superintendent Elliott Landon’s proposed $105 million budget for 2013-14 represents a 4.9 percent increase over the current year.  Elaine Whitney, school board chairwoman, noted the board would finalize the budget at its Feb. 4 meeting before presenting it to the finance board.

Finance board member Brian Stern suggested that both boards meet again prior to the school board’s formal presentation to the Board of Finance.

“There are many pieces that are going to come together over the next two weeks,” he said.

By Jacqueline Rabe Thomas

www.ctmirror.org

As the deadline approaches for districts to begin evaluating every teacher and principal using new state standards, municipal leaders are asking state lawmakers to delay implementation.

But Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor said they have no intention of slowing down a statewide rollout for the upcoming school year.

Told that municipal leaders were expressing concerns about the timeline and costs for implementation of the evaluation system at their annual Council of Small Town’s conference this week, Malloy was not willing to budge.

“Really? Really? They are going to argue about whether we should evaluate the effectiveness of people? Really?… That’s an argument I’m more than happy to have,” Malloy told reporters after the event.

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Westport public schools will open two hours late today because of the weather, school officials announced.

The Stepping Stones pre-school will not have morning classes.

After hunkering down all day Friday to review School Superintendent Elliott Landon’s proposed $105 million budget for next year, Westport’s Board of Education tonight examined line items from textbooks to non-instructional supplies from copy paper to furniture.

Nancy Harris, business manger, makes a point tonight while Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon listens. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The board also looked at projected revenues from adult and continuing education and pre-school tuitions to offset the budget.

According to Landon, the proposed 2013-14 budget represents a 4.94 percent increase over the current year, an increase he said is unavoidable due to mandates and contractual agreements for a budget, 82 percent of which is salaries.

Landon said he expects the school board, after after a couple of more meetings, to finalize the budget before February.

By James Lomuscio

One month to the day that the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings shocked the nation and the world, several Westport parents tonight offered suggestions and voiced concerns to the Board of Education which has requested a $50,000 school security audit.

Parent Robert Cantor suggested teachers be armed with “long distance Mace.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

A couple of parents suggested that school security is lax, with parent Neil Phillips saying he can walk into a school building to pick up his child without having to sign in.

Another parent suggested the board should post plainclothes police officers in schools, the cost he said would be but a minor blip in a town with what he described as low commercial property taxes.

Parent Robert Cantor also offered one of the more dramatic suggestions: arming teachers with “long distance Mace.”