Nudniks

Shelton CT School Board Dooshnozzle Won’t Give Honorary Diploma To Family Of Deceased High School Basketball Star

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Reader EmailHi. Wondering if you share stories outside for MA.The crappy town I live in, Shelton CT (Google them and you’ll get a whole host of crappy things the BOE has done over the years…they are denying the parents of a senior, who was killed in a car rollover in February, to be honored at the graduating ceremony and to present his diploma to his parents. If anything, just posting the petition for the Shelton BOE to overturn their decision would be excellent.

Thanks for email Ms. Turtle Rider. Yes, we definitely do stories outside of Massachusetts since we are always trying to spread the Gospel of Turtleboy to the masses. This is a Revolution of common sense, and it needs to be spread across America. Logically the neighboring cut through state of Connecticut should be next on the list.

Here’s the storyShelton residents are pressuring school officials to allow the family of a 17-year-old killed in a February car accident to accept a diploma on his behalf at the high school graduation June 10. Eddy Conklin died Feb. 28 after a rollover accident on Shelton’s Bridgeport Avenue. The crash remains under investigation. In the months since, his parents have been asking school officials if a diploma could be handed out in their son’s name at the school’s annual graduation. The diploma would be accepted by one of Eddy’s relatives.

The Board of Education discussed the matter behind closed doors for about an hour May 10, but didn’t vote formally on a decision. The next day, the board’s lawyer e-mailed the Conklin family’s attorney offering to have an honorary diploma presented at the school’s awards ceremony, which is scheduled for June 2. But the Conklins’ lawyer said Monday the family would rather have Eddy remembered with all the rest of his classmates present — at graduation.

“My sense is that they would like to hear his name called at the graduation,” the lawyer, William Sarris, said. “I reckon that they just want Eddy to be part of the total community at graduation.”

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It doesn’t matter where you live in this country. Because people on school boards everywhere more often than not turn out to be morons. This is just such a common sense, easy thing to do. Seriously, how hard is it to just give this kid’s family an honorary diploma at the graduation? How much of a dooshnozzle do you have to be to care this much to deny them of this? Haven’t they been through enough with the loss of their son? You can’t just throw them a bone? It doesn’t take away from anyone else, everyone would appreciate it, and I’m sure since this kid was a popular athlete that he is on everyone’s mind anyway.

Oh yea, I forgot. Rules are rules. The people who subscribe to this philosophy are some of the worst people on earth. They LIVE to enforce rules and ignore common sense. Because ultimately it’s all about them.

Boys basketball action between Shelton and Wilbur Cross in Shelton, Conn. on Saturday Jan. 30, 2016.

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Mark Holden, the Shelton, CT version of Kevin Hayes is in full damage control mode because of the bad publicity:

Mark Holden, the chairman of the Board of Education, posted a lengthy statement to Facebook Sunday defending the school district’s proposal to present Conklin’s family with an honorary diploma at the June 2 awards ceremony. The statement is posted below in its entirety.

Mark Holden, the Shelton, CT version of Kevin Hayes is in full damage control mode because of the bad publicity:

“It is a solemn and dignified event where our most prestigious awards are given,” Holden wrote. “It is well attended and open to the public, but unlike graduation seating is not restricted. There would be room for all of the friends and family who want to attend. We feel that is the most appropriate place for the awarding of an honorary diploma.”

The public comments on Holden’s statement have been universally negative. Many appreciate the school board’s efforts to explain their reasoning — but can’t see why school officials can’t simply let a member of Conklin’s family walk across a stage and receive his honorary diploma at the school’s graduation. In a phone interview Monday, Holden said about a third of the emails he’s received on the matter have expressed support for the school board’s actions. And he defended the board’s proposal to the Conklin family, saying the June 2 awards ceremony would allow more of Conklin’s family to attend, with seating limited at the graduation ceremony.

“We felt the awards ceremony was the right time,” Holden said. “It is an award, and because of the nature of the awards ceremony, we do have more space for family and friends that want to be there.”

“We’re not looking to be disrespectful or anything like that,” Holden said. “We’re just trying to do what in our opinion the majority of children would want.”

Trigger Warning: Dooshnozzle

Trigger Warning: Dooshnozzle

The majority of children would want you to go against the wishes of a grieving mother who lost her child? Huh? This guy actually thinks people are dumb enough to believe that? This is straight out of the Kevin Hayes playbook of how to lie to taxpayers and keep a straight face. Or how bout this tall tale:

Holden said about a third of the emails he’s received on the matter have expressed support for the school board’s actions.

No they haven’t. That’s just a bold faced lie. Show us the emails then Mark. Prove us wrong. Because no one believes that a bunch of people wrote you an email to express their support of your denying a grieving mother a meaningful token of appreciation at a high school graduation.

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The worst part is he’s trying to pretend that he actually cares. He’s trying to pretend that he wants to give this kid’s family an award at the award’s ceremony because it will be a better venue than the graduation. Hey Mark, no one gives a shit what you think the “right time” or “right place” is. Your opinion doesn’t matter. The fact of the matter is that it would mean a lot to the kid’s mother to get the honorary diploma at the graduation. That’s literally all that matters. Any normal human being would grant her this wish, but clearly you are not a normal human being.

And how bout this reasoning:

“It is a solemn and dignified event where our most prestigious awards are given,” Holden wrote. “It is well attended and open to the public, but unlike graduation seating is not restricted. There would be room for all of the friends and family who want to attend. We feel that is the most appropriate place for the awarding of an honorary diploma.”

Wait….what?? So the issue is that there’s not enough seating for the kid’s family at graduation? So what would happen if he were still alive? Would graduation be cancelled due to a lack of seats? This is the bag of lies he’s trying to sell? LOL. Nice try Mark.

Anyway, here’s the petitionEven if you’re not from there feel free to sign it. It sends a message that people from other communities are watching and Mark Holden should be ashamed and embarrassed of his dooshnozzelry. They’ve got over 5,000 but are looking for 7,500. Here’s hoping this shames them into doing the right thing.

 

 

 

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27 Comment(s)
  • Mary Ann Tucker
    May 20, 2016 at 11:54 pm

    I’m surprised at how negatively members of the public have been toward the Shelton Board of Ed. This is the same group that last year stood up to the Mayor and was finally able to get full day kindergarten implemented in the school system. Now they’re upholding the state statute which says that a diploma cannot be awarded to anyone who has not completed 4 credits in English. If a diploma is awarded to Eddy, the school system could be put on probabtion by the accrediting agency and that would have negative implications for all of the kids in Shelton schools.

    The BoE has been supportive about setting up a scholarship in Eddy’s name and has agreed to award an honorary diploma at the Senior Awards Ceremony. They plan to have a moment of silence at graduation. The only thing they aren’t allowing is a family member to cross the stage.

    It’s true that a lot of kids aren’t in favor of Eddy’s family receiving a diploma. What happens is they’re afraid to speak up because people online have been bullying others who speak in favor of the board. On one blog, someone called a teenage girl a bitch because she expressed her support for the board. Other sites have been censoring posts from people who agree with the board.

    Having heard through the grapevine that Eddy was high, that his friends had urged him to not drive, that he had posted pictures of himself taking drugs and drinking the night before, I think it was really unwise of his parents and their friends to push so hard for having a family member cross the stage. It’s brought out all sorts of unsavory details regarding his death. I’d reather have remembered his as a student athlete and honor student rather than a kid who has driven under the influence on several ocassions. We are fortunate that he didn’t kill anyone else. Had he done so, the people pushing wouldn’t be ribbon bombing Shelton.

  • Tom
    May 19, 2016 at 6:50 pm

    Signed……”because we need to fight back against utter stupidity in school administrations, across our country.”

    • Tom
      May 19, 2016 at 7:31 pm

      Per a Hartford TV station’s report, Eddy’s mom says the school board doesn’t want the graduation to be (in her words) “an Eddy Conklin affair.” These parents also have learned that, 20 years ago, another student of the same school died on the same road in a similar rollover accident, 100 feet from where their son’s happened….and the student was given a diploma at the actual graduation.

      By the way, Eddy was an honors student, as well as a popular athlete. Per the report, the majority of the students want to honor Eddy’s family’s request. Gee, don’t their opinions count?

  • Trusty Johnson
    May 19, 2016 at 6:18 am

    Why are grieving parents hung up on such a useless gesture? Graduating high school is not any kind of achievement. Aside from the fact that their boy did not get an opportunity to complete high school…

    I just don’t understand why this would become an issue on either end. Maybe they crave the applause that would accompany his name being called? The school district obviously has no issue with awarding a diploma to someone who did not complete the requirements. Then why not award it at the event where the grieving parents can receive the attention they crave for their list son.

    • Bill P.
      May 19, 2016 at 7:10 am

      You sound like a fucking dooshnozzle.

  • White Lives Matter
    May 18, 2016 at 11:45 pm

    I guarantee if this kid was black or a muslim or transgendered, they’d be throwing him a goddamn parade.

    The war on whites is very, very real.

  • WTF
    May 18, 2016 at 10:56 pm

    Petition signed. Difficult to even comprehend. How do you not honor the student/family and try to ease their sorrow in any small way that you can. BS on the students not wanting this. At my daughter’s graduation, the family was presented with a yearbook and a beautiful remembrance of their son, who died in elementary school. Good Lord what is wrong with people?
    TB please follow up on the outcome of this.

  • Gesunheit
    May 18, 2016 at 10:09 pm

    Ok, Turtle Riders….who wants to picket outside this graduation?????

  • Gesunheit
    May 18, 2016 at 10:08 pm

    Complete and utter asshole. There is NO reason this diploma shouldn’t be given to these poor grieving parents. Holden should be ashamed of himself for denying these parents, (and for looking like some creep who rides around in a rape van looking for children.)

  • UsualSuspect
    UsualSuspect
    May 18, 2016 at 9:06 pm

    Mr. Holden is no rocket scientist, even if he is wearing a space themed tie. Idiot!

  • juror xeven
    May 18, 2016 at 6:04 pm

    I don’t know the number of students in the graduating class, but if they refuse to accept their diploma’s if the family’s request is not granted, that would be wonderful.

  • Lights Out
    May 18, 2016 at 4:14 pm

    What is an honorary degree? Either you completed the requirements or you didn’t.
    I thought Turtleturd wasn’t about giving out trophies to everyone, only to those that completed the task and won.

    • KimberlyS
      KJDS
      May 18, 2016 at 4:39 pm

      You’re an ass.

    • NoodelyAppendage
      May 18, 2016 at 4:50 pm

      The kid is dead, Dude. Meaning no longer alive. He does not benefit in any way whatsoever and is not being personally presented with an honorary high school diploma.

      It is safe to say that had he not died he would have completed his requirements and graduated. There is nothing wrong with doing something to honor his memory as he didn’t get the opportunity to live long enough to see it himself.

      You’re trying to be snide here, but you just made it clear that you are an ignorant asshole.

  • Tudor turtle
    May 18, 2016 at 3:16 pm

    It would be nice if the graduating class would duct tape the number 34 on their caps.

  • HH
    We're Doomed
    May 18, 2016 at 2:40 pm

    “Holden said about a third of the emails he’s received on the matter have expressed support for the school board’s actions.”
    This guy is a complete idiot. Even if I believed that 1/3 of the e-mails support the decision, which I don’t, that means that 2/3 disagree with it. But, yeah, keep trying to convince people that you’re doing the right thing.

    “We’re just trying to do what in our opinion the majority of children would want.”
    Really? Really? You’re going to try the “it’s for the children” argument? WTF! Did you ask the kids? No, you’re just going to do what you want and then say it’s for the children.

    Jesus, this guy is dense.

  • Love, Me
    May 18, 2016 at 1:36 pm

    Come on, Shelton BOE. This is one of those times where it’s OK to reward the special little snowflakes. Don’t botch it up.

  • Shannon
    May 18, 2016 at 1:33 pm

    I signed the petition. I’m surprised he didn’t throw in the word ‘safety’ in his explanation. That’s how these morons usually get people to agree with them…. say it’s in the name of ‘safety.’

    • Jon
      May 18, 2016 at 2:12 pm

      Haha…good call! That is so true, these types of idiots LOVE to use the word “safety”. I love it.

  • Jon
    May 18, 2016 at 1:24 pm

    Oh my god. The BOE is a bunch of fucktards – this is Spencer/E. Brookfield all over again.

    I signed the petition and left a scathing comment, I hope all of the other Turtle Riders follow suit.

    Thank you for doing this one Turtleboy, this is an extremely important situation.

  • tbsjohn
    May 18, 2016 at 1:23 pm

    Signed

  • Chris From Georgia
    May 18, 2016 at 1:07 pm

    I also signed the petition. May this family find the closure they seek.

  • JoeMomma
    May 18, 2016 at 12:59 pm

    He will find out how wrong he was next election…….

  • WormtownorBust
    May 18, 2016 at 12:54 pm

    Ed Rooney runs the schools in Shelton?!?!

    • True Reality Speaks
      True Reality Speaks
      May 18, 2016 at 8:28 pm

      Must be related to Jeffy Neal.

  • KimberlyS
    KJDS
    May 18, 2016 at 12:41 pm

    Petition signed. I hope the parents can find some closure.

  • Bowen Hardcase
    May 18, 2016 at 12:10 pm

    What a bunch of morons. I would’ve thought this was straight outta Spencer if the article didn’t say otherwise. Seriously, how hard would it have been to simply present the family with the details of both options and then letting them choose which they preferred, maybe even both? Heaven forbid they actually help give the family some closure.

    Why is it that the people on these kinds of committees always love exercising what little power they have at every opportunity?

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