Goldson, Battling Cancer, To Resign From Ed Board

Darnell Goldson, one of two elected members of New Haven’s Board of Education, announced he will step down as he contends with ​“aggressive” lymphona.

Goldson made the announcement in an email message sent to his board colleagues Thursday 11 minutes before midnight.

He stated that he is receiving treatment at Yale New Haven’s Smilow Cancer Hospital. He said he will make his resignation official ​“within the next few months.”

Goldson is halfway through his second elected term on the board, which evolved from a fully appointed to a hybrid appointed-elected body as a result of a 2013 charter revision referendum. Goldson has often raised questions about education policy and cast dissenting votes during his tenure. He has been a figure in New Haven’s civic and political life for four decades, beginning with a stint in the New Haven office of U.S. Rep. Bruce Morrison. He represented West Rock/West Hills on the Board of Alders, joining with then-fellow Alder Justin Elicker to lead a successful effort to stop the city from selling parking meter revenue to a private company. He has always fought hard for a cause, and will now focus on a fight against cancer.

Following is the text of the letter Goldson emailed to fellow board members: 

Hello Fellow Board of Education members:

In September I was diagnosed with aggressive Diffuse large B‑cell lymphoma of lymph nodes of multiple regions (DLBCL). I am receiving treatment at Yale New Haven Hospital’s Smilow Cancer Center and have a great team. I’ll spare you the details of the disease and the treatments I am undergoing, just suffice it to say that I have my good days and my bad days. I have waited until my daughter completed her finals this semester a few weeks ago to reveal my status, just telling my family and close friends.

I have been lucky and honored to serve the citizens of the City of New Haven and this state in several capacities, including as staff for city, state and federal agencies; and as elected to local boards, including currently as a member and your colleague on the Board of Education for the past six years. I had already decided before I became ill that the last two years of my term would be my last, I think two terms (8 years) is more than enough time for any one person to serve and it would be time for new blood. Unfortunately (or for some perhaps fortunately) my health status will change my timetable. I will not be able to serve at 100%, and I believe it would be unfair to the citizens of New Haven, my family, and myself to serve knowing this. Therefore, within the next few months I will be resigning from the BOE. I will make the date and time official to the proper authorities and in the proper form soon. 

I have enjoyed my service on this board, with both the members I have served with in the past and currently. I would have loved to get to know and work with the new members who will join soon, but some things are not meant to be. Despite some differences we have had, we were always united in our shared goals to improve the learning experiences of the students in our system. 

I’ll see you all at the next meeting.