Parents were silent on the Scarborough school budget. They neither made themselves heard at meetings nor at the polls.

The governor has proposed a budget that will cause our school district to sustain the biggest reduction in state monies of any district in the state. Members of our Town Council make sympathetic statements but are not willing to “go to the mat” for education in Scarborough.

If the School Board must present a budget of 3 percent to send back to the voters on June 11, that will mean another $390,000 reduction. Can you imagine what that is going to look like? Will the parents remain silent?

This deep a reduction means reductions in staff. If I have my way, not one position will be reduced before we reduce funding for sports and activities. Will the parents remain silent?

I am extremely proud of our schools. We have done exceptional things with waning resources for years. Our sports teams have been highly successful, not only because of our students and coaches, but because of the financial and moral support of our parents and our community – the parents have not been silent.

I want our students’ academic achievements to exceed those of our teams – parents cannot continue to be silent. I suggest that we all take a close look at the school budget, think of our students, and get out and vote. Will our parents continue to be silent?

Jacquelyn A. Perry
School Board member
Scarborough