To The Editor:

I stand with the students of Newtown because their success is our success. Our kids deserve every opportunity, and Newtown Public Schools deliver. According to the CT Department of Education, our district’s 2023 four-year graduation rate was 97.8%, far exceeding the Connecticut average of 88.4%.

Chronic absenteeism was only 10.3%, a mere fraction of the state average of 17%. 82% of Newtown students continued to postsecondary education, compared to 68.4% statewide. Performance by our students in math and science is also well above most Connecticut districts, including for high-needs students. These are more than numbers. They are proof that our students work hard, our teachers believe in them, and parents support them.

Yet despite this performance, elected Republicans have voted against the school budget that keeps this momentum alive. That is a betrayal of common sense and of the priorities that parents rightfully demand. We need leaders, from the First Selectman on down, who will fight every day for students, not ideology. We must elect those who understand that our future depends on strong schools. I promise to fight relentlessly for fully funded, well-vetted school budgets. Newtown’s future depends on it. In the next election, vote for passionate Democratic candidates.

Bruce Walczak

Newtown