To the Editor:
I am a parent with two children in our public schools. I strongly urge the Board of Finance to support the proposed 4.24% increase to the education budget. It is my understanding that 77% of the proposed budget increase covers contractual obligations, leaving a paltry 23% for the business of running and maintaining our supposedly high quality public schools.
One thing that troubles me greatly is the loss of one media specialist at HKMS due to last year’s unfortunately short-sighted budget. The economy was booming and we cut to the bone. How horrible that seems in retrospect!
Why am I so horrified? My son is a HKMS sixth grader who often came home from school this year with news that the library was there, but not open to students. He literally couldn’t take a book out because there was no qualified media specialist to supervise him. How far the mighty Easton schools have fallen. Children can’t take out books! How is this even permitted?
Tragically, 31% of the time the school was open prior to COVID19 closings: No child could enter the library! Pardon my outrage, but do you blame me? We have a beautiful library. But, it’s not for looking at — it is for USING.
I am told that the media specialist will be replaced if the proposed budget is passed. I ask you: How can we afford NOT to pass this?
In my humble opinion, we’ve been gutting and neglecting our schools for far too long, something that undermines our community and makes it less enticing to new families.
I urge the Board of Finance to pass this budget so our children can have the basics restored — like access to their library. I also urge those who care about the fate of our schools to reach out to the Board of Finance as well.
Perhaps next year, we can actually invest in our schools again.
Alisha Gorder
Easton
