The Minuteman article features the comments of Chapter President Julie Cinnamon, and both quote Board of Education member Brenda Kupchick explaining why she abstained from voting on the contract at the Board meeting. She told her fellow Board members she believed they should have "done better" for the district's paras, and therefore she could not vote to support the agreement.

We know, Ms. Kupchick understood the Board's negotiators had made a "last minute" last, best, offer the week before arbitration hearings were scheduled to begin, which the majority of our members accepted in light of the economic crisis facing communities across the state. But her words screamed volumes, and we know we have a friend on the Board that understands our Union's campaign to raise standards for Fairfield's paraeducators.

As we posted in a blog entry on our ratification vote two weeks ago, the Board of Education had caved in after three months of public demonstrations, speaking out at Board meetings, and extensive news media reports.

The support shown for our members has been unprecedented since we first made the public aware of the Board's failure to invest in Fairfield's paras last fall. Our members have built a foundation for a long-term campaign to raise standards for the district's paraeducators who have been undervalued for years.

To that end, we are continuing efforts to recruit candidates for the Board of Education so that we can begin making the real change our members need at the ballot box this November. Members who would like to nominate a friend, family member, or neighbor living in the Fairfield should send their names and contact info to Chapter President Julie Cinnamon, who will get them connected to their political party's Town Committee.