Public schooling versus public education

As soon as my husband and I walked into the Jan. 21 Croydon District planning meeting, we simultaneously said, “Delphi Technique.” The Delphi Technique uses a highly structured multi-step meeting process, which can be designed to produce the illusion of public support for a preconceived plan such as raising more taxes for schools, building a new building or expanding existing schools.

These meetings typically have many rules, discourage open questions, and prohibit speaking when not seated in groups. A “facilitator” at each table covertly pushes the agenda of the meeting organizers.

So what is this agenda? Based on statements from past meetings, it seems to be building a new school. This would cost taxpayers thousands of extra dollars on their tax bills for at least a decade. A new school would abolish school choice for every grade level served by the new school. If you love school choice and lower taxes be sure to oppose a new building.

Disdain for public opinion was best expressed by a “Stand Up” committee member who voiced concern that many voters are “not informed” and that these people still vote — a rather elitist statement. Voters needn’t justify the values they hold.

Every student deserves a public education, where the dollars follow the child to an institution of their choice, not necessarily the local school. With Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, or EBT cards, users needn’t go to a government hospital or a government food store. No child should be forced in to a subpar school because teachers and their unions want to protect a failing system.

This March, Croydon will be voting for a new school board member. Be careful who you vote for, the school choice you love may be in jeopardy if you choose to seat a public school apologist who opposes tax dollars going to anything but overpriced public schools.

Cathy Peschke

Croydon
Citizens for Reasonable
and Fair Taxes

Lunch line compromise

Like most reasonable people, I’m all for feeding kids in school who otherwise would go hungry. But paying to feed all kids for free is expensive. I understand the stigma for those getting ‘free’ versus the more affluent payers. But what about every kid having a smart card, going through the cafeteria line, swiping their card, but only those whose families can afford it would actually get billed? No one need know who pays, who doesn’t. No stigma, no shame, no empty state coffers.

Terrie Curran

South Woodstock

Kind words for ‘The Niceties’

We were absolutely blown away by the current play (The Niceties) at the Shaker Bridge Theatre in Enfield.

The play features a young female black student and her white female history professor at a small elite college. As they debate the student’s essay, the drama explodes across the themes of entitlement, historical perspectives and presentation, power and its consequences. The back and forth regarding how American history is taught is riveting.

The acting is superb, and the performance stays with you for a long time, generating intense, thoughtful discussions and personal reflections.

Honestly, this first-rate presentation of serious questions/themes is not be missed.

Greg and Nadia Gorman

Lyme Center

Fantastic lives

On page 2, Dan Mackie’s Over Easy sympathy with George Santos (“George Santos and me,” Jan. 21) is a Valley News masterpiece.

Then on page 4 Robert E. Esdon’s magnificent life takes our breath away.

In our front page world where a woman without a home dies in a dumpster, Mackie and Edson bield — shelter us.

Patryc Wiggins

Guild

Laughing hard at Over Easy

Dan Mackie’s channeling of George Santos (“George Santos and me,” Jan. 21) was a hoot!

Thanks for the laughs.

Clint Swift

Plainfield

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