As a member of the Yarmouth School Committee, I have supported the past two budgets and a $50 million school renovation. But I could not in good conscience support the 2021-22 budget. We cannot ask our community to pay for an 8.7% increase until we provide them the educational program they are already paying for.
Our children need in-person education five days a week. The current hybrid model meets that need only two days a week.
As a result, families – especially those with young children – have spent thousands of dollars finding other arrangements. Parents with resources, flexible schedules or willing relatives have navigated this challenge … somewhat. But there are many parents who have not.
Multiple studies have shown the profoundly negative impact school closures have had on our children’s mental health and academic progress. Parents feel helpless to alter this situation. In the absence of full in-person learning, the School Committee’s response shouldn’t be adding four new administrative positions. We must make the same hard choices that families are making – including those that don’t have children in school – to navigate the pandemic.
Instead, our response should be to return to in-person learning this spring. The governor has now prioritized teacher vaccinations, as our committee advocated for in February. COVID transmission rates are dropping. Massachusetts ordered a full return for all K-5 children by April 5, joining the growing ranks of local schools that have already done so.
Budgets are a hard process of separating wants from needs, whether running a family or a school district. The 2021-22 budget assumes all Yarmouth students are in school five days a week. Once that happens, this budget might make sense. But we haven’t done that yet. And it’s unfair to expect families to pay more until we do.
Newell Augur
Yarmouth School Committee
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