BOE to Secretly Interview & Unilaterally Fill Vacant Seat

In a significant departure from past precedent where the input from the applicable town party organization would be sought, the Board of Education (BOE) has decided to unilaterally select the replacement for Tara Wurm’s vacant seat through a closed door interview process with no community input and no time for community review. 

Candidates will privately interview with the BOE at 5:30pm on 9/26 during Executive Session and the BOE will then vote on the replacement that very evening at 7:30pm during their regularly scheduled meeting. This leaves absolutely no time for community member feedback or even review of the candidates before the vote. Why is a democratically elected official's seat being filled through a secretive, undemocratic process?

Why has BOE Chairperson Duke Dineen, who is not seeking reelection in November, making such big decisions in the shadows away from the public? Why are other Board members, including Vice Chair Jill McCammon, supporting this rushed, clandestine effort to fill this seat through November 2024? Shouldn’t this be a thoughtful and deliberate process with all stakeholders uniting to work together?

In the May Communications Survey, many community members cited frustrations with the BOE over lack of transparency. Rather than listening to their constituents, it seems the Board has doubled down on secrecy with this move.

Call to Action! 

Darien Parents deserve a transparent Board of Education and an open process for filling the vacant seat. Email the BOE to voice your concerns before it’s too late.

Email the Board Members below (from your email, not the form at the bottom of this page):
ddineen@darienps.org, jmccammon@darienps.org, sparent@darienps.org, klublin@darienps.org, dmaroney@darienps.org, dbrown@darienps.org, jsini@darienps.org, jbest@darienps.org

Subject: Darien Deserves BOE Transparency

Dear Board of Education Members:

I am concerned about the Board of Education's plan to fill the vacant seat through secretive and undemocratic means. This should be a transparent process, with ample time for all stakeholders to assess the candidates and provide input, and not one calculated behind closed doors by only eight members of the community.

Darien deserves better from our elected officials. Please do the right thing and approach this vacancy in a more inclusive manner with openness and engagement from all of us -- parents, teachers, and students.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

[Insert Name]

[Insert Street Address]