Let’s Protect What We Have

To the Editor:

As an education advocate, I’ve participated with great interest in our town’s budget process. Like many, I was sorely disappointed to see our already lean education budget dwindle even further after both the Board of Finance and the Legislative Council voted in favor of even further reductions. Though I do not believe that this education budget is one that moves our schools forward or keeps our children competitive in an ever increasingly competitive world, I do believe that it is a sign of the economic times we are living.

I believe that we need to go out and vote Yes for this year’s budget or surely, no one will end up with anything they want, most especially Newtown’s students and teachers. We’ve already been promised by both the Board of Finance and Legislative Council that if the budget is defeated, further reductions will be made. I don’t see how our children and teachers could survive even more teachers being let go, class sizes increasing, summer school cut out, after school activities and music programs being cut or reduced in scope. Let’s protect what we have left and not risk even more drastic cuts and changes to our town and its schools.

Lisa Wallace

43 Mile Hill South, Newtown                                         April 22, 2009