I’ve had the great fortune of teaching at Newton South for 23 years. Here in Newton, educators are committed to doing best for our students. However, teaching and learning have only gotten more challenging over the years — our students today have more opportunities, and more obstacles, than ever before. The greater use of technology and social media, the increasingly globalized world, the crisis of climate change, and the domestic and international conflict of the past couple of decades have all opened our children’s eyes more than ever before, while also making them more uncertain than I’ve ever seen. Our students need as much support as ever, and our educators, on whom the demands have only gotten greater each year, need more support, too.
The innovative teaching and learning that brings so many families, and educators, to Newton, are at risk if we cannot maintain funding to support our schools. Our vital and engaging programs that offer students the opportunity to work towards a more just and equitable society, to create interdisciplinary projects, and to connect to their community and the world, are at risk. Our students’ mental health, as we need to maintain programs, support, and staffing levels, is at risk. Our ability to continue to ensure excellence for our students is at risk. We have worked tirelessly to support all our students — academically, emotionally, and otherwise — and we are committed to this work. However, if our schools are not sufficiently funded, all of this work, and especially our students, will suffer.
Please join me in voting YES on the overrides on 3/14 — our students need us all to show up for them, now more than ever.
Andrew Thompson