Diminishing The Community

To the Editor:

Well, here we are with another perplexing budget situation. We all are aware of the astounding growth of Newtown in recent years and how it seems every vacant lot now has a new and spacious home. There are a variety of reasons people move to Newtown. A primary reason, if not the primary reason, is quality reputation of the school system. The Newtown school system already operates at a very low per pupil spending rate when compared to other Connecticut school districts.

The schools are the soul of our community. They serve the academically gifted and the academically challenged, and all levels in-between. All students with special skills and special needs in addition to those students who wish to move directly from high school to a career are served as diligently as the college-bound student. The talents of musicians, thespians, and athletes are all enhanced and developed in conjunction with the school district. Just consider all those students who participate on athletic teams, perform in the band or orchestra, or are part of theatrical productions, and you realize the enormity of the involvement. The yearly budget reductions have already left pay-for-play athletics and pay-to-participate clubs in their wake. These are real dollar issues for parents. Gifted and talented programs have disappeared. The number of extracurricular offerings has been reduced. The student-teacher classroom ratio continues to increase. The maintenance of buildings and grounds suffer.

The community expects superior service from the school system. The school system is the key player in the academic and social growth of all students as they proceed from kindergarten to twelfth grade. The schools accept all regardless of ability, social standing, religion, etc. There is no tuition. There is no denial of educational services to any student. The expectations of the community for superior service by the school district are in conflict with the denial of appropriate educational funding.

The budget vote is arguably the only opportunity for citizens to directly vote on expenditures. After all, we do not vote directly on either the federal or state budgets. We do not vote directly on funding ongoing military conflicts. We elect officials to represent our interests and to act on behalf of the greater good of all citizens. Perhaps that’s a concept that may be worth examining at our local level!

The budget has been defeated twice…by an ashamedly poor voter turnout total. The cuts will come and the services will be reduced. Teaching positions will be affected, educational programs and services will be eliminated or reduced, class sizes will increase. Parents will still expect superior services for their children. Don’t we all want the best for our children? But we will survive…we always do. What will be the cost, not the cost in money, but the cost in services and cost in the very fabric of our community? It wears thin and diminishes our community little by little, year by year.

Richard English

3 Curry Drive, Newtown                                                      May 9, 2007