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Short-Sighted Decision

As a parent and taxpayer who moved to Madison for the schools, I was disappointed that the Board of Education (BOE) recommended school Option 3. This plan doesn’t guarantee equity for the children at Jeffrey or Island Avenue. This plan costs more money over more time, and is the most expensive of the options presented.

All we are committing to now is a referendum to rebuild Ryerson. While the BOE recommends a second referendum in two to three years, we cannot assume that that will happen. There will likely be a different make-up of the boards of Education, Finance, and Selectman, all of which will need to approve the plan to renovate Jeffrey before it goes to yet another referendum. Bonding, grant applications, state reimbursement rates, Madison’s financial health, and the will of the voters to approve another referendum are all great unknowns. What about the kids at Island Avenue if a second referendum doesn’t pass and Jeffrey School is not renovated? Will their school still close, forcing them to another older facility sorely in need of renovations?

As taxpayers who benefit from the quality of our schools, we should commit now to high quality, 21st-century school facilities that adequately support all of our 21st-century learners. I am glad that Ryerson will likely be rebuilt, and I hope that the rest of the kids in town have a chance for updated learning environments, but I am disappointed in the short-sighted decision of the BOE.

I encourage the boards of Finance and Selectmen to consider our children and our community and recommend Option 2 as the more equitable and fiscally responsible option. It guarantees parity for all our kids, and it costs both the town and the taxpayers less money over less time.

Emily Rosenthal

Madison