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Sticking Up for Positive Change

On Tuesday, Sept. 12, Democratic voters of North Haven will have a choice of three out of five candidates for Board of Education. Of those, only three have chosen to run together and support one another on the Board: Thais Moore, Lori Mansur, and my wife, Amanda Gabriele.

It may seem unusual for the minority position on the Board of Education to be such a hotly contested spot, particularly at this moment when the BoE has become a focal point in a far-right campaign to decimate teacher autonomy and roll back classroom inclusivity. While it remains unclear what the plan is from the other two candidates to protect students and teachers, the team of Lori, Amanda, and Thais have had a proven track record of working collaboratively to make a material impact on the lives of our students.

Just six years ago, when Amanda took office, There were no North Haven Nighthawks, 1:1 Chromebooks, aftercare services, daily late buses, in-school mental health services, or DEIB/SEL programming. There was a different Superintendent and a different Board Chair. North Haven had never had a Pride celebration. A “pandemic” was mostly something people experienced through movies. As board members, Amanda and Thais have weathered these changes through exhaustive work and responsiveness, partnering with the communities most affected and having difficult conversations with partners who may be reticent to explore alternative perspectives.

This is tough work, which has come at no small personal cost to my family. However, when you choose to dedicate yourself to truly sticking up for positive change, sometimes it takes that level of dedication to push through. Amanda, Thais, and Lori have my trust to work hard to ensure our schools are welcoming, well-resourced environments to accomplish great things.

Please vote for Thais, Lori, and Amanda on Sept. 12.

Timothy Gabriele

North Haven