Video: Bob Englehart's Controversial Remarks

Hartford Courant Editorial Cartoonist Bob Englehart wrote on Friday that throwing money at troubled inner city schools was not the answer, citing that "losers raise losers;" i.e., broken families raise broken kids.

This caused complaints from many, including the New Haven Mayor John DeStefano and schools Superintendent Reggie Mayo.

Mr. Englehart wrote:

“I support much of what Gov. Malloy is trying to do with his education package. Unfortunately, he’s also doing what governments have done for generations to no effect. He’s throwing money at inner city schools and hoping for change. And we know where the money’s coming from. My God, we’re already running a deficit of $144.5 million and we’re in Moody’s doghouse to boot.

“Inner-city poor and minority-filled schools aren’t going to change until we can somehow change the pervasive core of the problem: dysfunctional inner-city poor minority families.


“Sure, we hear of an occasional winner come out of the ghetto. Movie stars, athletes, business people, we know their stories, but they are the very rare exception. For the most part, losers raise losers.”“

The Courant pulled the piece, with its accompanying cartoon, but the Hartford Independent reprinted it here, along with its context and reaction from Mssrs. DeStefano and Mayo.

Local News 8 provided this report:



Mr. Englehart has apologized.