Greenwich is a great place to get an education, but it's sometimes the things that happen outside the classroom that provide the best lesson.
A lot should be learned from the recent cupcake conundrum at Glenville School about the role and responsibilities of parents and educators, about proportionality, about truth and authority, and about the duty of the press as a government watchdog.
"It's beyond disgraceful," one caller about the cupcake controversy told me.
She was not talking about the incident that got the Glenville principal suspended. Rather, she was referring to this newspaper's coverage of the issue and her fear that it would be seen by people outside Greenwich as another sign that this is an aristocratic town whose people are out of touch with the real world - "Let them eat cupcakes," so to speak.
Her point was that cupcakes don't merit the position of lead story in a newspaper, and in general they don't. But as a sign of dysfunction in the school system, cupcakes in fact deserve a banner headline, and I'm glad we gave them a few.....
Please Read Editor Jim Zebora's Full EditorialAlso Please see this Letter To
The Greenwich Time Editor:
To the editor:
I am responding to a letter writer claiming, "kids have enough parties at home," calling for parents to skip classroom parties ( " 'Cupcake affair' was no big deal," Greenwich Time, June 3).
This involves elementary school kids, ages 5 to 11. She says her kids are grown and would be embarrassed. My kids are thrilled when I show up at school.
The other day when my third-grade son forgot something that I had to drop off, my first-grade daughter spotted me in the hall, ran to me and gave me a big hug! I don't see why the writer thinks showing such interest in your child's' birthday is such a bad thing. I don't know the woman, but I hope for her grown kids' sake, she did at some point show such enthusiasm for her kids without feeling guilty about possibly disrupting the class for a half hour.
These are young kids who have such a short time before they'll be carrying 30 pounds of material in a book bag like my high-school son must do. It's no wonder that he can't understand that when I was in Greenwich High School, I could walk to school. But of course, I didn't have to carry my entire desk on my back!
The writer and other parents who only see the cupcakes in this matter at Glenville School are sadly all too willing to overlook the important issues. The principal knowingly and purposely deceived Mr. Frank Carbino, (the parent), and his superiors when he went so far as to change the guidelines on the school Web site. Can he be trusted to be forthcoming and honest when dealing with other issues?
As for Mr. Carbino: Celebrate birthdays with your kids to your heart's content, and don't let anyone tell you different! They'll be grown up before you know it!
Rick Novakowski
Cos Cob
Please see:
06/03/08 - Poor Dorothy Gets So Confused By Misleading Greenwich Time Headlines
Please also see:
05/31/08
Sometimes Greenwich Time Reporters
Remind One Of The BushAdministration
Before Nine Eleven. They Just Can't Connect The Dots.
05/30/08
Serious "Cup Cake" Allegations? With Ten School Days
Left In The Year
It Is A Disgrace That School Spokesperson Kim Eves
Is Withholding Vital
Information From Parents.
05/29/08
This month principals from all over the world
have been suspended and
in each and every case the parents were told
why, except in Greenwich
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