New school board member Greg Beck continues to be under fire for a Facebook post he made prior to the anniversary of the Sandy Hook mass shooting tragedy. The post that stated he would his act of kindness would be 26 days of distributing “ammunition” to his gun enthusiast friends has been deemed offensive by not only members of the public, but by the majority of the school board.
At a school board meeting Wednesday night, five school board members voiced opposition to Beck’s continued tenure on the board, several mentioning it is a distraction from important that must be done. Member Harry Shaker was absent.
Six members of the public also spoke against his remaining on the board; this two weeks after some 15 or more people spoke against Beck at his first board meeting.
Board of Finance member Robin Appleby was his sole supporter at Wednesday night’s school board meeting.
Though the school board has no authority to remove Beck from office, five of six members present at the meeting Wednesday night gave statements advising him to step down. Member Harry Shaker was not present.
Beck apologized again for remarks he has admitted were inappropriate, but said he has no intentions of resigning his seat. Messages left for Beck on Thursday have not yet been returned.
Here is a prepared statement read by board secretary Susan Queenan, a Democrat:
Mr Beck,
Let me begin by saying, I think your comment that was posted on the Newtown Patch Face book page was deplorable.
While I serve on the BOE with you, I have not had the opportunity to fully introduce myself to you. I am a 14 year Brookfield resident. I have two children in the school system and I was a PTO Mommy that you seem to have such disdain for. I became involved with the PTO when my oldest daughter started Center School and for the record, the PTO in this town are Moms and Dad’s who spend hours volunteering their time helping the school. These are the people that make sure the Custodians are acknowledged with a special Thank You for cleaning up the schools all year. These are the people that bake, yes, they bake, loaves of bread for the bus drivers each holiday season to make sure each bus driver receives a token of gratitude. These are the people who organize the Veteran’s Day assemblies. These are the people who volunteer their time to run multiple fundraising programs for the sole purpose of giving back to the school – it is the fundraising programs that pay for Author visits, new playground equipment, teacher grants and assemblies – to name a few.
So, it was my time as a PTO Mommy and seeing the needs of the schools, the teacher’s and the students that motivated me to run for a seat on the BOE. I was also frustrated with some of the changes the school district was making in regards to the Humanities program. I felt that instead of complaining, try to be a part of the solution and so I campaigned and won a seat on the Board of Education.
I heard you say at the last meeting that you would not resign because you were the best candidate for the BOE. I would be interested in knowing what really motivated you to run for the Board of Education. Is it your passion to help the sports teams? Are you concerned about the Arts and Music program? Do you think that our bullying policies are not sufficient? Are you interested in being a part of implementing the Common Core? Are you frustrated with the demands of the administration and teachers on the new evaluation process and how it impacts our district? Do you think that perhaps we should provide more special education services at the elementary school years so we can try to help the students who are on the cusp of learning difficulties, sooner, so the remainder of their time in the Brookfield schools is easier? Are you concerned that budget cuts could result in removing those extra curricular programs that may not be as highly attended as others? Did you have a bad experience when you were in high school a few years ago that you think you could change to make better for future students? Or, did you run on A Brookfield Party so that you could make sure that those PTO Mommies can have their budgets cut and go back to baking?
While I question your motivation, I have a far more serious concern. My concern based on your post, is that you had the “thought”. Regardless of my views or yours on the first and second amendment, it was the thought that is the problem.
I can not understand how the “thought” of buying ammunition for your gun enthusiasts friends to commemorate the 26 days of kindness could even come to your mind. Then, the thought to write it, then the thought to post it on a social networking site. I have thought a lot about what could motivate you to write that post. However, I always come back to the same question – who would ever have that thought in the first place?
I am not your parent or a friend but I hope you have someone who truly cares about you that will help you realize that now is not the right time to serve on the Board of Education. Many people have used the word “empathy” in regards to your response since you posted your comment. Dr. Kukk asked two weeks ago if you knew what the word empathy meant. I was shocked that you did not express any response as speaker after speaker asked you to resign. I realized later that in fact, perhaps you don’t know what empathy means since in response to heart-breaking public comment, you lacked compassion, sympathy and insight and instead have shown a lack of remorse and indifference.
I stood a few feet away from you at the end of the last meeting when the press asked if you were going to resign. You said, “Unfortunately, I am not going to resign”. Unfortunate indeed. Unfortunate for our students, our school district, our Board of Education and unfortunate for you. Please Mr. Beck – ask yourself, is this really the best way to serve your town? Is this what you think the Brookfield school system and district deserves – as Mr. Sweet stated, a circus at every board meeting? Mr. Beck – we, as a Board of Ed, are dealing with the implementation of some major changes to our system. We have serious business to do for our students and staff. Please – let us get back to doing what we need to do. Be a part of our town but find a venue that doesn’t distract from the education of 2787 students.
I say to my fellow Brookfield citizens, this situation has become the Board of Education’s problem. However, this started back in August when Mr. Beck was vetted and nominated to run on A Brookfield Party’s ticket and then was voted in during the elections in November. If you, as a citizen, did not vote or voted for Mr. Beck, I urge you to become more involved in town elections and educated as to who is running for offices in the next election.
While you posted such a horrific comment as a newly elected Board of Education member and our town and surrounding towns questioned why the Board of Ed has not removed you from your post, it is with regret, that we have been told that there is no legal recourse to remove you from the board except for you to resign on your own accord. Let it be known that this Board of Ed member finds your comments reprehensible.
Please, Mr. Beck, resign from the Board of Ed.
The News-times will have more on this story.