Board votes for no school on Election Day 2014

0
70

From left, Naugatuck Mayor Robert Mezzo, Burgess Alex Olbrys, Tax Collector Jim Goggin and Deputy Mayor Tamath Rossi campaign at the entrance to City Hill Middle School in Naugatuck on Election Day. –FILE PHOTO
From left, Naugatuck Mayor Robert Mezzo, Burgess Alex Olbrys, Tax Collector Jim Goggin and Deputy Mayor Tamath Rossi campaign at the entrance to City Hill Middle School in Naugatuck on Election Day. –FILE PHOTO

NAUGATUCK — The Board of Education voted Nov. 14 to close school on Election Day next year.

The board voted unanimously to make Nov. 4, 2014 a staff development day.

Interim Superintendent of Schools James Connelly said police officers were stationed at each of the six school polling locations in the borough this year, assisted by ROTC cadets.

He said he suggested the change because people are concerned about segregating voters from students.

“I think the whole culture and the whole concern has really changed after Sandy Hook. We want to keep our schools as safe as we can,” Connelly said.

At several of the schools, voters and students crossed paths during the day as students walked from class to class, he said. He said some students and parents that should’ve buzzed in the front entrance instead let themselves in at the polling entrance.

He also said there were issues with limited parking and building administrators spent much of their day policing the area.

While schools shouldn’t be a fortress, Connelly said they should restrict the public’s access to children.

“We can’t provide the total isolation of students from the general public when we use the polling places,” Connelly said.