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After working in New Orleans following hurricane Katrina, Paul Vallas, former school district chief in Chicago and Philadelphia, takes up the role of Bridgeport school district superintendent.
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Paul Vallas’ three-year contract extension is granted by a 5-3 BOE vote. Carmen Lopez, in attendance at the Board of Education Meeting, immediately makes her intentions to sue public that night.
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Former judge and plaintiff in the Vallas case Carmen Lopez refers to the tactics of the Bridgeport Board of Education and newly elected Chairman Rev. Kenneth Moales Jr. as akin to those of "Hitler Youth."
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A lawsuit against Vallas is brought by retired Superior Court Judge Carmen Lopez whose husband Superior Court Judge Dale Radcliffe works in the same courthouse as the judge in the case, Barbara Bellis.
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The State Board of education gave its OK to a specially designed leadership training course at UConn.
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Defendants in the case file a motion to dismiss. Bellis is the civil presiding judge in Bridgeport court who assigns cases to Radcliffe. Bellis’ time as a judge overlapped with Lopez, who retired from the bench in 2008.
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Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis orders Bridgeport Superintendent of Schools Paul Vallas removed from office. Bellis rules that Vallas, did not complete a school leadership program as required by law. Photo by Connecticut Post
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A rally for Paul Vallas is held, Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch calling Vallas "valiant" and describing him as a knight on a white horse.
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U.S. Education Department Secretary Arne Duncdan weighs in on Paul Vallas with the Huffington Post, calling it "fascinating." “Student loan interest rates — that doesn’t get fixed,” Duncan told the Huffington Post. “The crisis in terms of quality and perhaps alarmingly inferior education in Philly — that doesn’t get fixed. But the one thing that does happen yesterday is that a superintendent is told he can’t hold his job. That’s fascinating to me.”
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Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, though calling the Vallas case a local issue, expresses support for the superintendent: "Do I think that someone who was superintendent of Chicago, Philadelphia and New Orleans is qualified to be a superintendent in the state of Connecticut, the answer is yes.”
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Judge Barbara Bellis terminates a stay that allowed Paul Vallas to remain in his position while the appeal process proceeds.
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State Board of Education Chairman Allan B. Taylor says during a board meeting that "The trial court stepped into the role that is confided in this board and the commissioner by statute."
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The State Supreme Court agrees to hear the Vallas appeal.
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Lawyers for Paul Vallas file a motion intended to keep the superintendent in office while the appeal proceeds. "There was no evidence of any actual, identifiable harm to anyone that would arise if the stay remains in place pending appeal," wrote attorney Steve Ecker.
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Appeal scheduled to be filed with the Superior Court, by order of the State Supreme Court.
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The Bridgeport Board of Education votes to continue paying legal fees associated with Vallas' appeal.
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The State Supreme Court has reinstated a stay of execution, allowing Vallas to remain on the job while his appeal process continues.
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In its first brief to the Supreme Court, Vallas' defense team argues that judge Barbara Bellis had no authority to second-guess the state Board of Education.
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The second brief from defendants is due to the Supreme Court
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Reply briefs from plaintiffs are due to the Supreme Court.
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Oral arguments before the state Supreme Court are set to begin, at 10 a.m.
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Paul Vallas announces that he's leaving Bridgeport to become Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn's running mate
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The state Supreme Court has ruled in Vallas' favor, overturning judge Barbara Bellis' earlier decision. Vallas' defense team argued that administrative processes had been ignored, an argument the court agreed with.
