[Local-Maine-Schools] School Consolidation

[Cindy Brotzman]

There are many facets of the governor's school consolidation plan  
with which I disagree or find to to be insufficiently researched. My  
objections were summarized very well by the School Board of Union  
98's letter, "A Position in Support of Our Schools: Union 98," sent  
by Brian Hubbell and other school board members in their letter of  
March 21, 2007.

However, the single proposition I find to be most obviously and  
undeniably detrimental to students is this one:

	"Under regional and state control, individual towns would no longer  
be permitted to provide their own schools directly with any  
additional funding."

Can this possibly be true? Why would anyone who has in mind the best  
education for our children forbid funding that does not cost the  
state of Maine one dime? Why would it be against the law for a  
community to vote to support the education of its own children?  Does  
this provision also forbid individual donations? Would individuals  
not be allowed to buy computers for a school? Or contribute to field  
trips? I do not understand why improving education without state  
funds would be declared illegal by the state.

In my classroom, I work to bring out the best in each student. I  
don't say, "No, you may not put in any extra time or effort because  
you might do better than the other students." How is this proposition  
different than not allowing any student to rise above the average one?

What is really going on with this proposed consolidation?

Very sincerely,

Cynthia Sakovics Brotzman
Teacher, Conners Emerson School
Bar Harbor, Maine

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.svaha.com/pipermail/local-maine-schools/attachments/20070329/635482a9/attachment.html