On August 4, 2014, The New Haven register published an article about Reginald Mayo, the retired superintendent of city schools, acting as a mentor to Booker T. Academy Executive Director John Taylor. The article cited ConnCAN:
The Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now, or ConnCAN, a charter school advocacy group, said in light of Booker’s new plan, it is urging the state board – which also will hear testimony from the public – to allow Booker to open. It originally had envisioned a school with 225 students in Pre-K through second grade on opening day.
“New Haven’s kids should not be denied the opportunity to attend this school because FUSE apparently proved to be a less-than-honest partner. The hundreds of children and parents who have already applied to attend Booker T. Washington Academy (BTWA) should not be negatively impacted by the egregious and possibly illegal activities at FUSE,” Jennifer Alexander, chief executive officer at ConnCAN, said in a statement.
Alexander said Morrison and Varick “have proven to be tireless advocates for children. Nothing has changed. Pastor Morrison, as well as Booker T. Washington’s newly hired executive director, John Taylor, are dedicated to a future in which no child is unfairly denied the preparation they need for college and a good career.”