In the wake of the recent events going on with the City of Ansonia and the Board of Education, there seems to be even more misinformation being spread, most notably from the Board of Apportionment and Taxation, along with the help of some Aldermen.
The newest target of scrutiny from BOAT seems to be the lack of a “full budget” from the Board of Education. They boast about how “the City budget is over 1000 pages,” and that “the Board of Education is lacking transparency.” But is it really?
I implore anyone reading this article to find any school district that creates a full budget like BOAT is requesting. It simply does not exist. This is not a requirement that the school district has to fulfill by any means.
Furthermore, comparing the city’s budget to the school district’s budget is a laughable comparison. When you’re talking about an entire city that has to be accounted for, of course the budget will be bigger than one single department’s budget, that is common sense. By attempting to act like the city is more transparent with their budget because it is larger than the school districts is classic manipulation of facts. This is nothing more than an attempt to discredit the school district and Board of Education.
I am beside myself as to why the city has so much animosity toward the Board of Education. The city should be promoting education, instead the administration seems to be constantly attacking it. I was defending education three years ago, and it seems that nothing has changed, despite many great teachers moving on to better funded districts, programs being cut, and educational resources dwindling. Where does it end?
I ask all of you to contact your respective Aldermen, and tell them your concerns. They were elected to represent you, not to vote unanimously and uncontested. It is evident there is much public outcry over this situation, so why aren’t our voices being heard? Instead, they’re being silenced by misinformation and ambiguous claims in an attempt to discredit the very department that’s sole purpose is to educate and shape young minds.
As I said in my last article, please look at all the facts laid out, and do your own research. This entire situation is black and white. It is against the law to take money from the Board of Education, the Board of Education’s budget is more than amply defined, and BOAT will keep making unverified and hogwash claims and demands in order to discredit the schools. It is time we put this to an end and give the schools the funding they deserve. It is legally, morally, and ethically the right thing to do.
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