Newton School Committee Votes to Oppose Question 2

NEWTON, MA – The Newton School Committee came out against Question 2 Wednesday night, formally voting in opposition to raising the cap on charter schools in Massachusetts.

The highly polarizing ballot question is up for a vote Nov. 8. If approved, it would allow the state to authorize up to 12 new charter schools or enrollment expansions in existing charter schools by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education per year.

Question 2 has been opposed by dozens of public school committees around the state. The school committees of Newton and Boston, which met Wednesday night, are the latest to formally vote on a similar measure.

According to the Newton TAB, the school committee voted 5-3 against, with one abstention.

Public opinion appears to be on the school committee's side, with a new statewide poll reaffirming past surveys' opposition among likely voters surveyed. However, as advertising campaigns ramp up in the next month until the election, proponents hope opinions will swing their way.

Read More: Poll Finds Charter Expansion Opposition Has Grown

Alison Bauter (Patch Staff) contributed to this report.

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