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Took the Bait

Kendal Svengalis is still pitching Armand Fusco’s books (“Self-Serving,” Jan. 18). He says Fusco’s latest book was published “through the auspices of Greater Education Council of Connecticut (GECC).” Svengalis directs eyeballs and brain cells to GECC’s website for an interview with Fusco. He says rather immodestly it’s “incisive” (he’s the incisive interviewer).

I took the bait. I learned Svengalis was a law librarian, so obviously, he knows books and laws and stuff. Fusco was Branford’s school superintendent over three decades ago, so he knows contemporary school issues. Fusco writes books with attention-grabbing titles that might scare the bejesus out of the uninitiated. Presumably, GECC regulars are already terrified. “Resources” include lectures by Christopher Rufo, who runs Florida’s “War-on-Woke.” GECC uses that weird, radical right-wing patois, with snappy terms like “groupthink … woke indoctrination … sexualized children …”

There’s a photo — presumably GECC’s council of elders. No names, but I think I spotted Svengalis and Fusco (shocking, right?). Everyone looks nice: a bunch of smiling old white folk. Being an old white guy, I could fit right in … but they probably wouldn’t take me. I’m pretty sure I’m “woke.” Also, I admittedly know nothing about making kids of color feel safe to learn and grow in Guilford’s mostly-white schools. I guess the folks in the photo do; they’re in an education council.

Last year, the Guilford Courier informed me it couldn’t publicize my self-published book about Guilford’s divisive 2021 elections. I should have set up a fancy council and published through its “auspices.” Something like a “Council On Normalcy?” Not lovin’ the acronym … but apparently, CON artists are permitted to shill most anything.

Greg Kinsella

Guilford