Letter to the Editor: VOTE YES FOR OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE
- Theresa Cramer
- Apr 6
- 2 min read
How much is a child’s future worth? What if the child is your son, daughter or grandchild? The citizens of Stafford will decide these questions on April 8th when they vote on the budget referendum.
The school budgets since 2022-2023 have resulted in the loss of thirty positions. The Board of Education has already cut this year’s budget by $1.7 million dollars, and it contains six additional staff reductions.
Since the pandemic, public schools throughout the U.S. have encountered unprecedented problems and costs. This disruption of the school schedule has resulted in nearly 40% of students falling below expected proficiency levels in English and th. There has also been an increased demand for special education servicers, the persistence of student absenteeism, and increasing difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff. Inflation has made all these problems worse since every item that schools must purchase have become more expensive. Finally, individual school systems have little or no control over transportation costs, wages and benefits (set through negotiations with unions), special education programs outside the district, and the price of electricity and fuel.
Our children need help now. Academic and social success today requires that schools have adequate resources. The return to the performance levels of 2019 will require additional tutors, mentors, special education teachers, curriculum experts, small sizes, and an up-to- date technology system.
Schools must involve the entire family in their child's education. Schools play a critical role in every community. An expenditure on education is an investment in the present and the future. Vote YES on April 8th!
Dave Walsh
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