Schools
Opinion: Vote Yes For Braintree Debt Exclusion
A Braintree resident in a letter to the editor is urging people to vote yes on the debt exclusion to pay for a new South Middle School.
BRAINTREE, MA — The following letter to the editor in support of the debt exclusion for Braintree schools comes from Ken Belcher, of the Vote Yes for Braintree Schools Committee.
As a retired healthcare CEO and my wife Leslie as a retired high school teacher and Administrator, we acutely recognize the value of education and the importance of maintaining the infrastructure in which the education is delivered. Leslie at one time in her career taught at BHS and our daughter has taught elementary education at Hollis for over a decade.
We have watched the dedicated Braintree teachers continue to provide excellent education over the years while the infrastructure of our school bricks and mortar continues to crumble and the maintenance is unable to be regularly performed due to lack of sufficient funding. Frankly it is not only harmful to our students, teachers and support staff, but ultimately, if not addressed, will hurt the quality of education provided, likely our bond rating and our property values.
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Leslie and I have lived in Braintree for over 65 years. We are home owners and have raised our children in Braintree, both of whom are proud graduates of BHS as are Leslie and I. We know many people in town. They are our friends and we cherish them.
Despite all of the goodness in our town, we need to come to grips with the thinking that never having a proposition 2 1/2 challenge is solid operating strategy. This thinking has contributed, in part, to the deterioration of the infrastructure of our schools. Just as each of us hopes to do our best to maintain our homes to keep them safe and presentable to preserve their value, we need to do the same for our public schools.
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It is time we intellectually, strategically and compassionately invest in our children and their education. It is simply the right and proper thing to do.
Leslie and I have volunteered to assist in bringing this campaign to a successful vote. We encourage others to join us.
Ken Belcher
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