LTE: Hamden schools can do much better

Hermes steps forward; Highsmith's budget boondoggle, and a familiar path to power

Before we begin, a bit about me: I have been a part of the Hamden Public Schools system for well over a decade now, the last number working a job within Hamden High School. Individually, I have spoken with over 40 current and former Hamden High colleagues (teachers and staff members) who have expressed frustration over a lack of leadership from school and district administration, an absence of rule and policy enforcement, no firm academic or behavioral expectations for students, and multiple assaults on teachers and security guards, among other issues.

I realize I can no longer stand by and watch Hamden Public Schools continue in a downward spiral. I must reveal the rampant dysfunction throughout Hamden's school district, starting from the Superintendent's office downwards. Where do we begin?

Nothing to see here…

In Hamden, common sense is absent. In October 2022, Assistant Superintendent Linda Tran Morbidelli's now ex-husband, Dino, filed for divorce. The reason? He suspected an affair between Linda and Hamden Public Schools Superintendent Gary Highsmith. These were not baseless allegations, as according to a central office source, Linda had been getting increasingly flirtatious with Gary and gaining new job powers like clockwork. Something fishy was obviously going on between the two district administrators.

Instead of placing both employees on leave and subjecting them to an internal investigation (as would happen in any other district), Hamden Board of Education Chair Melissa Kaplan and Hamden Public Schools' HR staff did nothing. Such intentional inaction in the face of clear misconduct is woefully disappointing and inappropriate.

The impropriety of district leadership doesn't stop there. The Hamden BOE's proposed budget for the 2024-25 school year -written and spearheaded by Superintendent Highsmith with aid from his lover- totaled $100,645,738, a 6.62% increase from last year's $94,394,925 budget allocation from town hall.

Contrasting Gary's exorbitant budget fantasies, Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett only allotted $95,336,773 to the BOE in her recent town budget proposal, leaving a $5,308,965 shortfall for Gary. So, what did Gary do in the face of such adversity? As a source tells me, instead of accepting reality and immediately beginning cuts to his proposed budget, Gary started nagging Hamden legislative council members for more money, as they have the power to allocate additional funding to the BOE before approving the mayor's budget proposal.

Gary got an extra $2.3 million or so from his pestering, but that is not nearly enough to suppress the $5,308,965 shortfall. Asked by a BOE member after a meeting when the needed cuts to the proposed budget would be made, Gary answered he'd get to them "when we get there." As the source explains, the issue is that we are "there" now, and have been for months. While teachers and staff anxiously await news on whether they will get cut, our superintendent dreams of a blissful world where all his money demands are approved. Shame.

April 2023: ‘Reality check’ for superintendent Gary Highsmith

Gaslighting preferred

Last year, a Hamden BOE member mentioned Hamden High's poor academic and administrative performance during a BOE meeting (Hamden High has a college readiness score of 23.6 out of 100, according to US News rankings).

Instead of sitting down with the BOE member and discussing ways to improve admin performance and academics at Hamden High, such as raising the school's 912 average SAT score (63 points below the statewide average), Superintendent Highsmith and his lover Linda wrote lengthy, multi-paged rebuttal emails to the BOE member, throwing personal attacks and playing the race card to try to vilify the BOE member.

Quotes from the emails included, "While I am not claiming that the statements were made because I am a woman of color, but as a woman of color, I cannot help but wonder why it was acceptable to make such a statement", "I left last night's meeting feeling both disrespected and disappointed", "I would wonder if you would agree with such a characterization if I were not a Black Superintendent", "you exhibit...only disrespect". Through their rants, Gary and Linda have proven that their focus is protecting their reputations, not carrying out their administrative duties. They have demonstrated a high level of pettiness and a blatant disregard for the integrity and standing of Hamden High. How disappointing.

The truth can set Hamden free

I am a sailor on a sinking ship that is Hamden Public Schools, hoping to reveal the incompetence that runs rampant throughout the district, like morons in the High School skipping class and scuffling in the hallways every day. As I publish more articles over the coming weeks, I look forward to sharing the reality of Hamden Public Schools with you, as knowledge is power, and information is liberating. May we in Hamden Public Schools see the beauty of brighter days. Yours respectfully,

Hermes