Save Our Public Schools Applaud Sudbury School Committee's Vote Against Question 2

SUDBURY, MA—Juan Cofield, co-chair of the Campaign to Save Our Public Schools, the ballot committee organized to oppose Question 2 on the November ballot, released the following statement regarding Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee’s vote against Question 2:

“This year alone, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional public schools are already losing over $14,000 to charters with Sudbury public schools losing an additional $38,000, even after state reimbursements. Outside corporate interests are trying to deceive voters about the devastating impacts this question will have on our public schools, but our school committees know the truth – that this year alone, 231 cities and towns will lose over $450 million to charter schools, depriving our public schools of the vital funding they need to ensure all students have access to a quality public education.

“We are thrilled that Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee has joined over 170 other school committees across the state in standing up against this irresponsible ballot question that will strip our public schools of hundreds of millions of dollars and funnel it to privately-run charter schools with no local oversight or accountability.”

Juan Cofield is also president of the New England Area Conference of the NAACP.

The Massachusetts Authorization of Additional Charter Schools and Charter School Expansion Initiative, also known as Question 2, is on the Nov. 8, 2016, ballot in Massachusetts as an indirect initiated state statute.

A "yes" vote supports this proposal 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. A "no" vote opposes this proposal to authorize up to 12 new charter schools or enrollment expansions in existing charter schools.