After Grilling, Ed Board Nominee Advances

More transparency, rebuilt public trust and a budget that makes sense: The latest nominee to the New Haven Board of Education told alders he wants to pursue those goals should he be confirmed.

The nominee, Matthew Wilcox, 50, listed those goals Monday night during questioning by members of the Board of Alders Aldermanic Affairs Committee at City Hall, while across town the Board of Ed was grappling with how to solve the school budget deficit.

Mayor Toni Harp has nominated Wilcox to serve in the seat that will be vacated by Board of Ed Vice President Jamell Cotto, whose reappointment to a full term was rejected by the Board of Alders.

Wilcox cleared his first hurdle Monday night. After his questioning, the committee’s members voted unanimously to confirm his appointment, sending his nomination to the full board for one last vote.

They did so after asking him questions about how his background has prepared him to serve on the board, how he would translate his skills to the benefit of the community, and what his commitment is to address the high black and brown student suspension rate.

Wilcox, a 21-year city resident who lives in Westville, was ready. He’s been attending the Board of Ed’s often marathon meetings since last year. He has read four years worth of board meeting minutes over the last month.

He also is the father of three children who each have come through New Haven public schools, including one of the alternative schools. His two sons have graduated; he has a daughter at the Sound School. His wife, JoAnne, is a volunteer coordinator for Riverside Education Academy.

“I have a deep belief that all children can learn,” he said, ​“and have a right to a high-quality public education.”

Wilcox is currently the director of Quinnipiac University’s Netter Library. Prior to that, he worked in libraries at Yale University for 15 years. He told alders that he believes that his background will benefit the board because he’s good at finding outside evidence, helping people evaluate it while weighing it with the evidence of personal lived experience. He aims to be a board member who ​“can calmly get the work done.”

Asked by Fair Haven Alder Kenneth Reveiz to name three specific attributes he could bring to the board, Wilcox mentioned transparency, building trust with stakeholders and crafting a budget that protects what needs to happen in the classroom.

Reveiz drilled deeper, asking what Wilcox meant by transparency. After spending so much time in the Board of Ed’s minutes, Wilcox said, he has concluded that the minutes should better reflect what actually happened at the meetings and be posted in a timely fashion. He also suggested an update to the school system’s website to make it more navigable.

Yale Alder Hacibey Catalbasoglu asked how he would cut the education budget to tackle the deficit.

Wilcox said he didn’t have a laundry list of cuts he would make; he said he needs more information.

Catalbasoglu pressed, expressing some disappointment that Wilcox didn’t have more specifics. He noted that Wilcox attended a budget meeting where people went line by line through the budget. 

Wilcox responded that the information at the meeting still wasn’t specific enough. He noted that a line item for services contracts could represent just one contract or 200 contracts.

“There’s no one answer” to dealing with the budget, Wilcox said. The approach has to be ​“multifaceted.”

After about 24 minutes of grilling Wilcox, members of the public got to speak their piece. Wilcox received ringing endorsements from the New Haven Public School Advocates and Riverside leader Larry Conaway.

Lauren Anderson read a letter on behalf of the Advocates that thanked Mayor Harp for listening to the concerns of the community and appointing someone with relevant education and experience. The advocates said that they are ​“hopeful and confident” that Wilcox’s experience as an educator and librarian coupled with his experience as a parent and his ​“reputation as an engaged community member, skilled listener, and ethical decision maker will benefit the board as they continue their work.”

Conaway echoed those sentiments, noting that he’d come in ​“unsolicited” support of Wilcox’s appointment.

“He possesses great integrity compassion, honesty, and awareness of his responsibility to future generations of children,” Conaway said of Wilcox. ​“I am confident in his ability to formulate informed decisions, understand the totality of circumstances and undertake appropriate actions to best serve New Haven’s youth.”