Ellington board defends bipartisan food-letter, faces teacher criticism over earlier paid-sick-leave messaging

Members of the Ellington Board of Education spent a large portion of their Jan. 13 meeting addressing public concern over a letter the board circulated about Connecticut’s expanded paid sick-leave law and moving forward with a separate, bipartisan letter on school food. The board voted to endorse a letter asking Connecticut’s U.S. senators and representative to press federal agencies — including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services — to investigate possible harmful chemicals and ultra-processed foods in meals served through the National School Lunch Program, and authorized the superintendent to advocate as needed.

The vote followed more than an hour of public comment from teachers, paraprofessionals and administrators who said the board’s earlier communications about paid sick leave had a demeaning tone toward school staff. Crystal Banville, a parent and public school teacher who said she works in a neighboring…