At convocation today, Mike Wasta referenced a letter written by Dave Hayes. Below is the letter published in the Hartford Courant last week.

Departure Overdue For Unqualified Education Chief

The announcement that state Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor will be leaving in the near future may leave education reform advocates in tears, but it is welcome and overdue news for public school teachers and administrators across the state [Aug. 19, Page 1, “Pryor Leaving At Year’s End”].

Wrongfully championed as a visionary outsider who would courageously fix perceived education flaws, he exemplified the idea that someone with limited or no actual teaching experience can guide the profession to success. Instead, his legacy will be one of taking the already problematic state Department of Education and making it absolutely dysfunctional, where indecision, dither and delay became the norm, even after his being on the job for more than three years.

Like many reformers, he has padded his resume and will move on, leaving us to pick up the pieces.

David Hayes, Torrington
The writer is president of the Bristol Federation of Teachers.