A Responsibility To The Public

To the Editor:

The Board of Education’s response to The Bee’s editorial on November 14 left questions unanswered. The most important question is what does the Board of Education consider their responsibility to the public, the school children, the parents, and to the taxpaying public? It appears they visualize themselves only as a school advocate. Taxes are not only to support a single group or class of the population but all of the town’s population. All taxpayers are entitled to receive benefits from their tax monies and in fact, the whole town is entitled to receive benefits from tax money and in fact, that money must be divided among the government agencies to keep the town safe and solvent. In these stressful financial times the school systems unions must also contribute and show some consideration to the taxpaying citizens of Newtown that pay their salaries.

The Fairfield Hills campus is much loved by Newtown citizens. It would show good citizenship on the part of the school superintendent and the Board of Education to use the money needed for new school buildings to renovate one of these magnificent buildings as a school and thereby save a large and very beautiful building. The superintendent of schools’ duty is to administer the school system as economically as possible.

With respect,

Lillian Strickler

6 Tamarack Road, Newtown                                   December 2, 2003