At the most recent Brookfield Board of Education (BOE) meeting on February 19, board members were accused of violating bylaws implemented just last month with a public statement that was later posted on a local Facebook page.

Board members Joy Greenstein, Erin Scalera and Sarah Devine made a public statement on January 28, denouncing their colleagues and criticizing Chairwoman Wendy Youngblood’s leadership for actions taken at their January 15 meeting. Greenstein, Scalera and Devine believe the other members did not engage in enough deliberation before approving Superintendent John Barile’s proposed budget for the next scholastic year. That statement was later shared on the Facebook page, “Brookfield CT Where Everyone Matters.”

The new bylaw limiting who can release statements went into effect on Jan 15, the same day as the meeting.

“Press releases relative to Board of Education action shall be released only by the Board Chairperson or the delegated agent of the Board,” the new bylaws state.  

“During a regular meeting on January 15, with 16 full days until the Charter-imposed deadline of February 1 for the BOE to present its proposal to the First Selectman, the majority of the Brookfield Board of Education (BOE) shirked their responsibilities as elected officials. Four BOE members proposed a FY 2025-26 budget of nearly $55 Million to the First Selectman’s office. No changes were made to the budget proposed to the BOE members by the Superintendent. The BOE spent less than an hour of deliberation and discussion in public on the $55 Million budget,” Greenstein, Scalera and Devine wrote in the statement. 

The budget passed 4-3 in that Jan 15 meeting, with Greenstein, Scalera and Devine voting against it. None could be reached for questions.

Aaron Zimmer voiced his disagreement with, and disapproval of, Greenstein, Scalera and Devine’s letter during the Public Comments section of the Brookfield BOE meeting on Feb. 19. 

Zimmer has a five-year-old child who will enter the Brookfield Public School District later this year.  Last year, he ran as a Democrat to represent Brookfield, Bethel and Newtown in the Connecticut House of Representatives but lost the election to Republican Marty Foncello. 

“This creates this narrative that the budget was rubber stamped, when the evidence just doesn’t suggest that,” Zimmer said. 

Weeks before the BOE voted on the budget, board members had the opportunity to review the proposed budget and submit questions and comments. Devine and Stephanie Sikora were the only members of the board who did not make any questions or comments. Then, on Dec. 18, there was also a public roundtable meeting about the budget. 

Sikora did not answer questions from Inside Investigator. 

In their letter, Greenstein, Scalera and Devine also argue the BOE should have spent the last few weeks in January debating the budget in special sessions.

Zimmer believed the entire letter was unnecessarily divisive.

“This all feels like partisan power struggle, which doesn’t resonate well with the folks out there who aren’t listening right now and who aren’t in the Facebook groups,” Zimmer said at the meeting. “I’m telling you I am with our teachers who have been clear that you should improve your tone, be less divisive and get more things done. I’m with them. Please, just knock all of this off.” 

Youngblood believes that, despite their conflicts, members of the BOE are still committed to working together and solving problems. 

“The Board composition reflects the political and ideological profile of the town. It’s true we don’t agree on every issue, but that’s the ground for healthy, robust discourse. I don’t see the lack of harmony on every issue as a bad thing, per se… Sometimes the discussion has gotten heated, but we are learning as we go,” Youngblood said in an email. She went on to say, “We had a meeting this week where every vote was unanimous. That’s a good sign that we’re talking and listening to each other with the good of the district in mind. I wish the focus were more on what we are accomplishing and less on the few—but loud—voices determined to highlight division.”

Presently, the proposed school district budget is being reviewed by Brookfield First Selectman Stephen Dunn.

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article indicated that the statement was posted to Facebook by the authors. This has been corrected to reflect that it was posted by someone else.

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