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Author: gsamuel

BATTLE TO THE BALLOT A CT Independent Candidate’s Reflections ?>

BATTLE TO THE BALLOT A CT Independent Candidate’s Reflections

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See Something Say Something Do Something Do y’all remember the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) slogan “If You See Something, Say Something”? Well, this fifty-eight year old Black mom/grandma/taxpayer/voter has seen entirely too many vulnerable children left behind. Now, I am trying other solutions and doing something different. Decisions In May, I made a significant decision in my life: I entered the political arena and jumped in the race for State senate. I was motivated by a strong compulsion…

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District 13: Vote For the Other Guy Or Gal! ?>

District 13: Vote For the Other Guy Or Gal!

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I am Gwen Samuel, a mother, grandmother, taxpayer, and voter from Connecticut. Facing unprecedented utility hikes, I believe it is time to demand a return on our tax investments in all areas of state government, including our public education system. No longer can I wait for our public schools to put children first—our future workforce.  As a result, I have entered the Senate race for District 13, representing Meriden, Cheshire, Middletown, and Middlefield, as of late May. The journey to…

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Dear District 13: Putting Our Oxygen Mask On First ?>

Dear District 13: Putting Our Oxygen Mask On First

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My name is Gwen Samuel, and I am reaching out to you as an everyday mom, grandma, taxpayer, and informed voter. Like many families, I too experience the hardship of inflation and rising costs. I make payment arrangements like many of you to keep a roof over my head and the lights and heat on.  I also have experienced a significant loss of two young adult children in my life. Nevertheless, I am committed to helping improve the quality of…

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Dear Dr. Cardona: Way Too Many Mom and Pop Voices Missing From Your “Unprecedented” Parent and Family Council Planning  ?>

Dear Dr. Cardona: Way Too Many Mom and Pop Voices Missing From Your “Unprecedented” Parent and Family Council Planning 

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When the Biden Administration announced this week that it was creating an “unprecedented” advisory council to elevate the role of parents and families in schools, I became full of mixed emotions. Why? Because our parent group and similar groups across the nation have been engaged in that work for years— some for decades – with minimal parent right protections from the U.S. Department of Education. God knows I try so hard to stay optimistic, but when I dug into the…

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Dear Dr. Cardona: An Open Letter From A Connecticut Mom ?>

Dear Dr. Cardona: An Open Letter From A Connecticut Mom

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Dear Dr. Cardona, Congratulations on your nomination to become the next U.S. Secretary of Education. It doesn’t seem so long ago that we were sitting in your office here in Meriden discussing a bullying issue regarding my child. You were so attentive, and while I might not have been happy with all the decisions made, I always appreciated that you took the time to actually listen and recommend some appropriate supports — in a timely manner. Your willingness to listen…

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Twin Systems of Injustice: Public Education and Judicial ?>

Twin Systems of Injustice: Public Education and Judicial

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What do public sector Unions say about protect and serve in America? As a Black mom, taxpayer and voter, when I think of the phrase “protect and serve,” I think of law enforcement and the role of government to protect and serve the public – to include children – regardless of race or income level. So it should go without saying, when we the People, we the voter, we the taxpayers, give police officers permission to use force on our…

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ARE CONNECTICUT TAXPAYERS AND PUBLIC-SCHOOL CHILDREN PART OF RAY DALIO’S RADICAL TRANSPARENCY PRINCIPLES SOCIAL EXPERIMENT? ?>

ARE CONNECTICUT TAXPAYERS AND PUBLIC-SCHOOL CHILDREN PART OF RAY DALIO’S RADICAL TRANSPARENCY PRINCIPLES SOCIAL EXPERIMENT?

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So, you may be wondering, where is this Connecticut mom going with this blog title? Well, let me tell you a little story about “you just can’t make this up”. It all begins with a roll-call vote on HB 7424 about our state’s budget in both the House on June 3 and the Senate on June 4, 2019 of the Connecticut General Assembly where the Majority legislators voted YES to a new state law  Public Act 19-117, Section 183  (page…

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The Silent Tears of Black Moms as Reality Sets In – Our Black Children Have Become the New Cotton in Public Education ?>

The Silent Tears of Black Moms as Reality Sets In – Our Black Children Have Become the New Cotton in Public Education

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I am in a self-reflective mood this evening in need of God’s wisdom and guidance. Why? I’m in deep thought about parent rights, particularly Black parents and the erosion of their Constitutional rights and of Black children and the total dismissal of their educational rights and social emotional well-being.  We, as Black parents are crying entirely too many tears of desperation in our daily struggle for educational justice. In addition, a dear friend of mine just passed away a few…

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Why Connecticut Parents are Challenging Racial Quotas in Our Kids’ Schools ?>

Why Connecticut Parents are Challenging Racial Quotas in Our Kids’ Schools

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It’s been 65 years since the Supreme Court ruled in the historic Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. That landmark ruling, the outcome of 13 courageous black parents’ challenge to an unjust public education system, was a milestone in the civil rights struggle. But if you thought the battle to end discrimination against black and Hispanic kids in public schools was won, guess again: Communities are still being fractured by…

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