Statement By the President Of the Reading Teachers Association

My name is Eric Goldstein and I serve as the President of the Reading Teachers Association. I am here this evening to represent the nearly 400 teachers who work for the Reading Public Schools. We want to let this community know that we care deeply about Reading's children and its schools.

Unfortunately, this community again for the fifth consecutive year faces a budget that must be cut. Once more there simply aren't enough funds to provide the same services next year as the children have this year. Revenue isn't keeping up with costs.

We care that programs are going to be eliminated and students will suffer because of it.

We care that the budget cuts will mean opportunities for students to grow and learn will be diminished. The middle school model is being squeezed so teachers have less time to work together and there will be no foreign language offered at Coolidge or Parker.

We care that class sizes are likely to rise in grades 3-5, opportunities like Virtual High School and elementary chorus will be eliminated and tutoring supports will be taken away.

We care that dedicated teachers will lose their jobs and students will lose more teachers. So much of our students' success is based on building positive relationships with their teachers. These cuts make it harder for those relationships to develop for every child.

We care that the schools we pour so much of ourselves into will continue to slowly slide behind other communities.

However difficult, these destructive financial circumstances have galvanized us as an association to rally around our students and each other. We stand united to protect the quality of instruction that we know our students need and deserve.

The teachers of Reading are resolved to stand up for our students, our schools and ourselves. We are asking the community to stand with us and pass the override to save our schools from these damaging budget cuts.

Eric Goldstein

Photo by Bob Holmes