CT Senate GOP Statement on Hartford H.S. Student Graduating w/o Being Able to Read or Write

Sen. Eric Berthel, Ranking Senator on the Education Committee, Sen. Lisa Seminara, Ranking Senator on the Committee on Children, and Sen. Stephen Harding issued the following statement regarding a CT Mirror investigation which details how a student at Hartford High School graduated without being able to read or write.

“Aleysha Ortiz’s story is a scathing indictment of Connecticut’s education system. As policymakers, we must examine every part of this story and how the system failed Aleysha in so many ways. As Aleysha describes so poignantly, ‘I was pushed through. I was moved from class to class not being taught anything.’ Republicans will spotlight Aleysha’s story going forward as Exhibit A for multiple future and necessary education policy reforms.”

“Blunt and uncomfortable questions must now be asked until they are answered in detail. Who is responsible for this atrocious failure? Will they be held accountable? How many more students have suffered from these failures as Aleysha has?

“And let’s talk about money. Tens of thousands of dollars a year are spent per student in the Hartford Public Schools. The vast majority of that money is subsidized by taxpayers from across Connecticut. Yet as more and more taxpayer money gets thrown at education, outcomes don’t change? Aleysha Ortiz’s unimaginable story is Hartford’s – and Connecticut’s – reality. Her story must be a blaring alarm bell for anyone who cares about the education of Connecticut’s children. The failures must end.”