Letter To The Editor – Wrong Place For Budget Talks

To the Editor:
For years I have stood by, idly, and reserved my opinion, in hopes that cooler heads would prevail. Unfortunately this has not occurred, and I must comment, as a responsible parent, on a student assembly held on, March 24, 2011. I am absolutely appalled that my daughter was removed from class and herded into an assembly in regards to the issues relative to this year’s school budget. The utilization of our children as pawns in this process is inconceivable. We trust our children to school administrators and educators each day to ensure that they are prepared with an education for their futures. What happened today during this assembly was an utter disappointment. Asking children, who know nothing of the budgetary process to contact their local representatives is disturbing. Responding to this issue is my responsibility as a parent and also as a citizen of legal voting age. You have stooped to an all time low by involving these students in a process they know little about and utilizing scare tactics, re-enforced by dire circumstances of projected occurrences, should state aid be cut. Shame on you and the School Superintendent, who legally represents our District. I would like you to explain to me how this assembly better prepared my daughter for college or furthered any participating student’s education. How do I as a parent counter the level of anxiety you created? School is tough enough for those students who strive for excellence. What you have done here is disturbing and unquestionably self-serving. What percentage of pay is the School Superintendent willing to forgo in response to the proposed budget cuts? Are teachers willing to forgo negotiated raises and take zero percent until New York is deficit free? Before you ask my child to advocate on your behalf, fix your own budget disparities, and when you are willing to shield the children from the pain through your own sacrifice I will listen! Please let this serve as an official complaint against any and all Berlin Central School representatives who were involved in the March 24, 2011 assembly regarding divulging the school budget to the students. I call and ask for the immediate resignation/termination of the School Superintendent.
Regrettably,
Edward Bly,
South Long Pond Road, Grafton