Capital Prep Middletown Townhall | #RolandMartinUnfiltered

Capital Prep's Bridgeport campus is the number one public high school in Connecticut for college preparation, consistently sending 100% of its graduates to four-year colleges. Notably, it achieves this while being the lowest-funded high school in the state, receiving less than half the per-student funding of other districts like Bridgeport and Middletown. This success is attributed to replicating models from wealthy private schools, setting high expectations (college is assumed), and having dedicated 'illuminators' (teachers) who work longer hours, focusing on student outcomes over employee benefits.

For 21 years, we've sent 100% of our graduates on to four-year colleges every single year. We're also the lowest funded high school in the entire state. We get less than half of what they get and we smoke them. We looked at what the wealthy largely white private schools did. We literally replicated it down to its core. Not one child in that school was asked if they were going to college. It was assumed upon entry that they were going to college.

Data reveals a severe academic apartheid in Middletown. Black and Latino students consistently underperform their white peers. The average achievement gap in ELA is 32 points for Black students and 28 points for Hispanic students, and in Math, it's 30 points and 27 points, respectively. This translates to significantly limited college options: white students average 621 college options based on SAT scores, while Black students have only 78 and Hispanic students 94, often in out-of-state institutions.

If you took the African-American children in Middletown and they were their own district, they'd be one of the lowest performing districts in the entire state of Connecticut. On average in ELA that's 32 points difference in terms of percent proficient percentage and in math it's 30%. White students have 621 college options, Hispanic college options 94, Black college options 78.

Despite Capital Prep Middletown being ranked number one among six applicants and having widespread community support (over 500 people attended a town hall), State Senator Matt Leser, allegedly influenced by teachers' unions, removed $4.5 million allocated for the school from the state budget. This action is seen as illegal and punitive, directly undermining the will of the people and denying children access to a high-quality education.

We were out of six applicants, we were number one. State senator, who is deeply connected to the teachers union and the teachers union president, who's also a state senator, decided that they were going to take the money out of the budget for the school. That's an illegal act and that's why we're suing the state.

The lawsuit against the state is based on General Statute 10-66E of Connecticut's charter school law. This statute dictates that if multiple charter schools are approved and awaiting funding, the State Board of Education 'shall determine' which school is funded first, typically based on merit (highest score on the application). By allowing state legislators to remove funding for the top-ranked school, the State Board of Education is perceived to have broken the law.

The charter school law in Connecticut says that the state the general assembly may appropriate funds to the state board of education for the purposes of granting charter schools pursuant to section 10-66E. If in a fiscal year more than one charter school has been approved and is awaiting funding, then the state board of education shall determine which school is funded first. We won. We got the highest score.

Speakers emphasize that the fight for educational equity requires sustained and aggressive community mobilization. Faith leaders commit to using their pulpits to inform congregants and pressure politicians. The strategy involves demanding clear stances from all candidates on the Capital Prep issue, leveraging voting power to remove unsupportive officials, and engaging young adults and children in advocacy to force accountability.

We need to properly organize and mobilize our community to make it clear to those elected officials... that if you don't do right by us, then we will do what's necessary to take you out at the ballot box. If a person is unwilling to support this school, they cannot come to your church.