This is a public petition from Black and Brown United in Action, Unidad Latina en Accion, Hamden Action Now, fellow organizations, parents, caregivers and members of the community to the New Haven Board of Alders to review the premise and validity of the investigation of New Haven Board of Education member, Darnell Goldson and to recommend to the Board of Public health to review the conduct of the New Haven Director of Public Health, Maritza Bond. While Mr. Goldson, an elected public official is being thoroughly investigated for his conduct and rapport with fellow board members, Ms. Bond was neither investigated or charged for “state's COVID-19 rules include $500 for organizing an event over capacity limits, $250 for attending events over capacity limits, $100 for failure to wear a face mask or covering when in public, and up to $500 for violations of the state's travel advisory” (State of Connecticut, November 24th 2020) after willfully and publicly admitting to attending a crowded birthday party event in Trumbull last December.

Last November, Ms. Bond was publicly acknowledged as one of the City of New Haven’s staff who had to be quarantined for a separate exposure to coronavirus after being in contact with a family member who tested positive for COVID-19. As outlined by the Center for Disease Control outlined community exposure as “Someone who was within six feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from two days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, two days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated” (Center for Disease Control, December 3rd, 2020). As seen from various videos of the birthday party, Ms. Bond could have exposed herself again to coronavirus by attending the party, which was not a dinner setting as she described in her press interview with Fox61 regarding her attendance on January 22nd, 2021. In that press interview, the Mayor of New Haven, Justin Elicker, declared that he believes Ms. Bond’s testimony that she attended the dinner party and left within 15-20 minutes; however, he did not indicate whether the incident was investigated by the City of New Haven or whether Ms. Bond quarantined herself for 14 days consequent to the house party. Instead, Mr. Elicker has been contributing his time and efforts into an unwarranted investigation into Mr. Goldson who was accused of misconduct on questionable grounds.

As specified in the Bylaws of the New Haven Board of Education, “Vacancies on the Board of Education caused by resignation, death, or disqualification of a member shall be filled as outlined in the City of New Haven Charter” (Bylaw No. 9221).

As stated in the City of New Haven Charter, effective Nov 3rd, 2013, “The Mayor shall have the power to: To appoint members of Boards and Commissions, subject to the provisions of Article VII, except as otherwise provided by this Charter” (Article 3, Sec.2) and “Except as otherwise provided by the General Statutes or this Charter all members of Boards and Commissions shall be appointed by the Mayor subject to approval by the Board of Alders. Moreover the Mayor shall fill, by appointment, any vacancy in any Board or Commission in which the Mayor is given the power to appoint the incumbent of such office, subject to approval by the Board of Alders; however, if the Mayor fails to propose a candidate for a vacancy on a Board or Commission within sixty (60) Days following the effective date of that vacancy, then the Board of Alders may fill the vacancy within sixty (60) Days thereafter by a majority vote of the members of the Board of Alders, present. If the Board of Alders fails to fill the vacancy, then the remaining members of the Board or Commission in which the vacancy exists may fill the vacancy by appointment” (Article 7, Sec. 1) and “Effective on January 1, 2016, the Board of Education shall include two (2) members one each to be elected from two (2) education districts, as set forth in § 3 of Article II and § 3.A (2) of Article VII of this Charter” (Article 5, Sec. 3).


As stated in the City of New Haven Charter, effective Nov 3rd, 2013, “"Board" or "Commission" means, for the purposes of this Charter and except as otherwise provided by Law, all Boards, agencies, Commissions, authorities or like entities of the City, whether elected or appointed” (Article 1, Sec. 4), "Elected Official" means an individual who holds an "Elected Municipal Office" (as defined in the General Statutes 17 but shall not include a justice of the peace) in the City. The Elected Officials are set forth in § 6.A of Article II of this Charter” (Article 1, Sec. 4), "Public Official" means a person who holds an elected or appointed municipal office in the City; including but not limited to Elected Officials of the City, all members of Boards and Commission of the City which may be referred to in this Charter or established by Ordinance and all persons appointed in accordance with the provisions of this Charter including but not limited to § 3.A of Chapter VI of this Charter. "Appointed Public Officials" shall include all Public Officials of the City to the exclusion of Elected Officials. When the term "officer" is used, it shall be synonymous with the term "Official" (Article 1, Sec. 4).

As stated in the City of New Haven Charter, effective Nov 3rd, 2013, “On or before January 1, 2015 the City shall be divided into two (2) education districts from each of which one (1) member of the Board of Education shall be elected on the first (1 st) Tuesday after the first (1st) Monday of November 2015 and thereafter as set forth in § 3.A(3)(b) of Article VII of this Charter. The boundaries of each education district shall be established and revised from time to time subject to the provisions of Law applicable to redistricting and § 4 of this Article; and to the extent practicable, the said districts shall be comprised of an equal number of wards” (Article 2, Sec. 3) and “Policy declared. There is hereby established a code of ethics for all Public Officials and employees whether elected or appointed, paid or unpaid. The purpose of this code is to establish suitable ethical standards of conduct for all such Public Officials and employees by prohibiting acts or actions incompatible with the best interests of the City and by directing disclosure of private financial or other interests in matters affecting the City by such Public Officials and employees. The provisions and purpose of this article and such rules, regulations and standards as shall be established are hereby declared to be in the best interests of the City of New Haven” (Article 2, Sec. 14).

Additionally, the City of New Haven Charter, effective Nov 3rd, 2013 states that “The Director of Public Health. The Director of Public Health shall be appointed by the Board of Public Health, for a term of years as set forth in § 3.A(2) of this Article. Notwithstanding any provisions of this Charter to the contrary, the director may not be removed from office during the term of office except for cause, which cause shall not be political” (Article 6, Sec. 3). This petition is not political, rather this investigation is being requested on the grounds questionable conduct after attending a crowded house party and the Mayor’s lack of due diligence in securing the interests of the public and city personnel by ensuring all measures were taken to ensure that Ms. Bond had not exposed herself, or another member of staff or the public to coronavirus.

During the January 21st, 2021 New Haven Board of Education meeting, Mr. Goldson’s conducted was ranked against EEOC standards which we do not find fitting given that as stated in the City of New Haven Charter, effective Nov 3rd, 2013 “Compensation of Board and Commission Members. All Members of Boards and Commissions shall serve without pay, except as otherwise expressly provided” (Article 7, Sec. 1).

Furthermore, several of the New Haven Board of Education members, including the Mayor of New Haven, Justin Elicker and the Superintendent of New Haven Public Schools, Iline Tracey ignored prior misconduct of other board members and also disregarded Mr. Goldson’s petition to review the procedure of awarding contracts as he found it to be inequitable and bias toward certain groups and was being investigated despite acting in accordance with his role as member of the board. As stated in the City of New Haven Charter, effective Nov 3rd, 2013, “General Duties and Powers of the Board of Education. The Board of Education shall:
(a)Have the entire charge, control and management of all the public schools in the City, and of the expenditure of all moneys appropriated for the support and maintenance of the same unless otherwise provided herein.
(b)Have charge and control of the construction, repair and maintenance of all school buildings, grounds and equipment, and shall possess all other powers and be subject to all other duties of boards of education, school committees, and school visitors in this State, so far as the same are consistent with the provisions of this Charter.
(c) Annually choose a President and Vice President from among its own members, make its own bylaws, keep a journal of its proceedings of which a suitable number shall be printed for public distribution, define the duties of its officers and committees, and prescribe such rules and regulations for the proper operation of the public schools of the City as are not inconsistent with the General Statutes
(d) Annually, on or before the fifteenth (15th) day of January, prepare and submit to the Mayor a report of the Department of Education for the preceding fiscal year of which a reasonable number shall be printed for public distribution
(e) Have the authority to determine all school boundaries of the City of New Haven is hereby expressly granted to this board
(f) Identify and adopt nationally-recognized best practices for engaging the public in the education system” (Article 7, Sec. 3).

We are asking the Board of Alders to act in good faith for the wellbeing and security of the community by challenging the unwarranted investigation into Mr. Goldson and recommending that the City of New Haven Board of Public Health conduct a thorough and documented investigation of Ms. Bond’s attendance to a COVID-19 super spreader event to include measures taken after two incidents of exposure as well as taking the steps to inform personnel, get tested and 14 days quarantine.

Signed and endorsed by:

Black & Brown United in Action
Citywide Parent Team
Hamden Action Now
Unidad Latina En Acción