Letter To Editor: It's Time To Invest In Braintree Public Schools

BRAINTREE, MA — The following letter to the editor was submitted by Russell Road resident Pam Wildeman.

It’s Time to Invest in Braintree Public Schools.

While there are many differing opinions on what school should look like in the coming months, the COVID-19 pandemic has united our town in our support and desire for strong public schooling, and our belief that Braintree can provide this education given the resources. I believe that a good education is a fundamental human right and should be one of society’s most important priorities. I am deeply involved in my children’s education and my children have loved and thrived in Braintree Public Schools. I want all our children to have the same access to facilities like those at East Middle School. I have been a firm supporter of the proposed debt exclusion since it’s proposal, and am even more committed now.

I have been to Braintree’s budget meetings and witnessed how carefully they allocate every single dollar. Unlike many corporate budgets I have seen, there is no fluff in our town budget. Every dollar is necessary and accounted for, and I have been dismayed that we frequently cannot afford some of the proposed expenditures in the level-plus budgets. I cannot imagine the ability to take on the expense of funding the much-needed repairs and improvements to both South Middle School and Braintree High School within the current budget structure without significant cuts to vital services, or new fees imposed on residents. Upcoming years’ budgets are going to be even more constrained given the impact on both income and expenses caused by the pandemic. We need the funding and support of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) now more than ever.

So much of the early conversation around the debt exclusion focused on why this step first, and should we prioritize differently. At this point, it doesn’t matter – to walk away from the MSBA and their current offer to pay for $31M of the cost of the South Middle School project (nearly 40%) would be devastating to the future of Braintree Public Schools. It would put us in a position where current needs are de-prioritized to support improvements, a trade-off I don’t think we want to make. It would jeopardize any chance we have of getting any additional funding for the High School from the MSBA. I also believe the alternatives (splitting up schools, overcrowding East, etc.) would be significantly worse for the current school structure we currently have and love.

We have an organization willing to put millions of dollars into our schools, and I think we, as a Braintree community, need to match that support. I hope you’ll join me in voting YES on Saturday, September 26th.

More on the Braintree Debt Exclusion:

• Date Set For Braintree Debt Exclusion Election
• Braintree May Lose Millions For New School Without Debt Exclusion
• How Much Will The Braintree Debt Exclusion Cost You In Taxes?
• Opinion: Vote Yes For Braintree Debt Exclusion
• Braintree Debt Exclusion To Cost $63 Million Over 30 Years: Mayor
• Mayor Calls For Debt Exclusion To Pay For New South Middle School