On Friday afternoon, the Greenwich Board of Education chair, Republican Karen Kowalski, wrote an email to the Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones and fellow board members announcing her resignation. She also alerted the town clerk.![]()
Back on March 5, Ms Kowalski and her husband sold their house at 17 Barton Lane and purchased a home in Redding on March 7 (the purchase is available online in the town of Redding land records). At the Greenwich Assessor's office, Kowalski's address after conveyance was listed as 55 Long Meadow Road in Riverside, a property owned by Peter Sherr.
On March 21, Ms Kowalski declined to respond on the record to a question about her residency plans, except to cite board policy about requirements to serve: be at least 18, be a US citizen and have residency.
After declining to answer an additional question about the Greenwich school district a rental home was in, she directed future questions to her husband, attorney Ben Bianco.
On the Board of Education, members have four year terms and elections are staggered every two years so the entire board doesn't turn over.
Ms Kowalski was elected to in 2019, when she was the highest overall vote-getter. She was re-elected last November, for a term expiring in 2027.
In her email to the superintendent and Board members on Friday, Kowalski wrote, "As I have already discussed with several of you, my family has made the decision to move out of Greenwich."
"While I have been asked by certain members of the Greenwich community to stay on the Board for as long as possible, I do not believe it is in the best interest of Greenwich Public Schools children for an impending non-resident to maintain a position on the BOE," she continued.
She added that given the school year had ended, her resignation was effective immediately.
"I encourage all current members of the Board to cooperate on seating my replacement as soon as possible. I know my caucus has several possible replacements in mind."
With Kowalski's resignation, the current members of the Board are 3 Republicans and 4 Democrats.
"To the town of Greenwich, at large: It has been an honor to serve the Greenwich community, and particularly the public school children of Greenwich, for the past five years," Kowalski wrote before wishing residents and volunteers good luck and signing off.
Parental rights and curriculum transparency
Kowalski has been criticized repeatedly by local Democrats during her tenure on the BOE. When she vied to become chair and they warned that she was a "culture war firebrand."
A letter from Jonathan Perloe described Ms Kowalski as “more interested in fighting culture wars than promoting educational excellence in the Greenwich Public Schools.”
Jim Finn went further, taking Kowalski to task for appearing on cable TV “to deride ‘the radical ideas flooding into schools’ and talked about wokeism, parents rights, book banning and the national MAGA school board agenda…”
This was a reference to Kowalski's spring 2023 appearance on Carl Higbie's Newsmax show (6:57 mark) where she lamented Greenwich Schools administration pushing a "progressive, nonscientific ideology" in the district's curriculum.
Some of the local Republicans' push for parental rights and curriculum transparency stemmed back investigations into Cos Cob School assistant principal Jeremy Boland following an August 2022 Project Veritas hidden camera video that showed him in an edited series of conversations bragging to a woman about how he discriminated in his hiring against teachers over 30 and Catholics.
Republican Leora Levy, who was a candidate for US Senate at the time, held a press conference outside Cos Cob School, attended by then CEO of Project Veritas, James O'Keefe, who criticized local media while parents held up signs that said "Educate, Don't Indoctrinate. Since then, Mr. Boland resigned, both a town and district investigation revealed no evidence of systemic discrimination, and Mr. O'Keefe was removed as CEO by the board of Project Veritas for what it said was financial malfeasance with donor money.
The movement for parental rights and curriculum transparency seemed to peak in Sept 2022 when a large group rallied outside Central Middle School before a BOE meeting, with signs featuring slogans like, "Education, Not Activism." At one point that evening this group came face to face with a smaller group holding signs that said, "Let the teachers do their jobs," and "Keep the GOP Out of Our Schools."
That controversy simmered down after the November 2022 elections which resulted in Democrats winning all three House seats, and the one Republican member of the Greenwich delegation, Senator Fazio, holding onto his seat by jut 89 votes after a recount.
Kowalski Becomes BOE Chair after Republican Controlled Board of Selectmen Vote
Kowalski's chairmanship of the BOE was controversial for starters because she was not elected by her board, but rather she selected by the Republican controlled Board of Selectmen in January 2024.
That happened after the BOE failed to reach a consensus on a chair following two tie votes along party lines. One vote was on a nomination for Democrat Karen Hirsh. One vote was on the nomination of Ms Kowalski. The board needed a new chair after the previous chair, Joe Kelly, did not run for re-election.
There are 4 Republicans and 4 Democrats on the board, and for a nominee to be elected chair requires at least five out of eight votes.
In the event the board fails to reach consensus, a state statute kicks the decision over to the three-member Board of Selectmen.
First Selectman Fred Camillo and Selectwoman Lauren Rabin voted for Ms Kowalski. The lone Democrat on the Board of Selectmen, Janet Stone McGuigan, nominated and voted for Ms Hirsh.
Democrats also took Kowalski to task for repeatedly voting against funding for a new Central Middle School, and voting against the annual Board of Education budget in January.
They also criticized Ms Kowalski last month for voting against renewing the superintendent's contract for a year. The motion to renew passed nevertheless in a vote of 6-2, with Ms Vizzo-Walsh voting with Ms Kowalski against renewal.
[caption id="attachment_218389" align="alignnone" width="1636"]![]()
At podium during GHS class of 2024 graduation, Karen Hirsh and Karen Kowalski. Photo: Leslie Yager[/caption]
Moving On
In a show of collegiality, at the Greenwich High School graduation in June, Ms Kowalski shared the podium with Karen Hirsh. Both women had daughters in the class of 2024.
Ms Hirsh joked that memes about "two Karens" might be what some people would remember after graduation.
"Remember, every great movement, every significant breakthrough, every act of kindness, starts with a single person who decides to take action," Kowalski advised the class of 2024. "As you leave here, we encourage you to be that one person."
[caption id="attachment_218401" align="alignnone" width="1638"]![]()
BOE members at GHS graduation 2024 left to right Karen Kowalski, Karen Hirsh, Laura Kostin, Sophie Koven, Wendy Vizzo Walsh, Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony, and Kathleen Stowe. June 2024 Photo: Leslie Yager[/caption]
Back on March 5, Ms Kowalski and her husband sold their house at 17 Barton Lane and purchased a home in Redding on March 7 (the purchase is available online in the town of Redding land records). At the Greenwich Assessor's office, Kowalski's address after conveyance was listed as 55 Long Meadow Road in Riverside, a property owned by Peter Sherr.
On March 21, Ms Kowalski declined to respond on the record to a question about her residency plans, except to cite board policy about requirements to serve: be at least 18, be a US citizen and have residency.
After declining to answer an additional question about the Greenwich school district a rental home was in, she directed future questions to her husband, attorney Ben Bianco.
On the Board of Education, members have four year terms and elections are staggered every two years so the entire board doesn't turn over.
Ms Kowalski was elected to in 2019, when she was the highest overall vote-getter. She was re-elected last November, for a term expiring in 2027.
In her email to the superintendent and Board members on Friday, Kowalski wrote, "As I have already discussed with several of you, my family has made the decision to move out of Greenwich."
"While I have been asked by certain members of the Greenwich community to stay on the Board for as long as possible, I do not believe it is in the best interest of Greenwich Public Schools children for an impending non-resident to maintain a position on the BOE," she continued.
She added that given the school year had ended, her resignation was effective immediately.
"I encourage all current members of the Board to cooperate on seating my replacement as soon as possible. I know my caucus has several possible replacements in mind."
With Kowalski's resignation, the current members of the Board are 3 Republicans and 4 Democrats.
"To the town of Greenwich, at large: It has been an honor to serve the Greenwich community, and particularly the public school children of Greenwich, for the past five years," Kowalski wrote before wishing residents and volunteers good luck and signing off.
Parental rights and curriculum transparency
Kowalski has been criticized repeatedly by local Democrats during her tenure on the BOE. When she vied to become chair and they warned that she was a "culture war firebrand."
A letter from Jonathan Perloe described Ms Kowalski as “more interested in fighting culture wars than promoting educational excellence in the Greenwich Public Schools.”
Jim Finn went further, taking Kowalski to task for appearing on cable TV “to deride ‘the radical ideas flooding into schools’ and talked about wokeism, parents rights, book banning and the national MAGA school board agenda…”
This was a reference to Kowalski's spring 2023 appearance on Carl Higbie's Newsmax show (6:57 mark) where she lamented Greenwich Schools administration pushing a "progressive, nonscientific ideology" in the district's curriculum.
Some of the local Republicans' push for parental rights and curriculum transparency stemmed back investigations into Cos Cob School assistant principal Jeremy Boland following an August 2022 Project Veritas hidden camera video that showed him in an edited series of conversations bragging to a woman about how he discriminated in his hiring against teachers over 30 and Catholics.
Republican Leora Levy, who was a candidate for US Senate at the time, held a press conference outside Cos Cob School, attended by then CEO of Project Veritas, James O'Keefe, who criticized local media while parents held up signs that said "Educate, Don't Indoctrinate. Since then, Mr. Boland resigned, both a town and district investigation revealed no evidence of systemic discrimination, and Mr. O'Keefe was removed as CEO by the board of Project Veritas for what it said was financial malfeasance with donor money.
The movement for parental rights and curriculum transparency seemed to peak in Sept 2022 when a large group rallied outside Central Middle School before a BOE meeting, with signs featuring slogans like, "Education, Not Activism." At one point that evening this group came face to face with a smaller group holding signs that said, "Let the teachers do their jobs," and "Keep the GOP Out of Our Schools."
That controversy simmered down after the November 2022 elections which resulted in Democrats winning all three House seats, and the one Republican member of the Greenwich delegation, Senator Fazio, holding onto his seat by jut 89 votes after a recount.
Kowalski Becomes BOE Chair after Republican Controlled Board of Selectmen Vote
Kowalski's chairmanship of the BOE was controversial for starters because she was not elected by her board, but rather she selected by the Republican controlled Board of Selectmen in January 2024.
That happened after the BOE failed to reach a consensus on a chair following two tie votes along party lines. One vote was on a nomination for Democrat Karen Hirsh. One vote was on the nomination of Ms Kowalski. The board needed a new chair after the previous chair, Joe Kelly, did not run for re-election.
There are 4 Republicans and 4 Democrats on the board, and for a nominee to be elected chair requires at least five out of eight votes.
In the event the board fails to reach consensus, a state statute kicks the decision over to the three-member Board of Selectmen.
First Selectman Fred Camillo and Selectwoman Lauren Rabin voted for Ms Kowalski. The lone Democrat on the Board of Selectmen, Janet Stone McGuigan, nominated and voted for Ms Hirsh.
Democrats also took Kowalski to task for repeatedly voting against funding for a new Central Middle School, and voting against the annual Board of Education budget in January.
They also criticized Ms Kowalski last month for voting against renewing the superintendent's contract for a year. The motion to renew passed nevertheless in a vote of 6-2, with Ms Vizzo-Walsh voting with Ms Kowalski against renewal.
[caption id="attachment_218389" align="alignnone" width="1636"]
At podium during GHS class of 2024 graduation, Karen Hirsh and Karen Kowalski. Photo: Leslie Yager[/caption]
Moving On
In a show of collegiality, at the Greenwich High School graduation in June, Ms Kowalski shared the podium with Karen Hirsh. Both women had daughters in the class of 2024.
Ms Hirsh joked that memes about "two Karens" might be what some people would remember after graduation.
"Remember, every great movement, every significant breakthrough, every act of kindness, starts with a single person who decides to take action," Kowalski advised the class of 2024. "As you leave here, we encourage you to be that one person."
[caption id="attachment_218401" align="alignnone" width="1638"]
BOE members at GHS graduation 2024 left to right Karen Kowalski, Karen Hirsh, Laura Kostin, Sophie Koven, Wendy Vizzo Walsh, Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony, and Kathleen Stowe. June 2024 Photo: Leslie Yager[/caption]