Letter: Candidates Boschetto, Bouchard Favor Cutting School Services

Wayland voters should be aware that Board of Selectman candidate Tony Boschetto and School Committee candidate Donna Bouchard appear to have their eyes set on reducing school services.

In an email to the Finance Committee, they list eight "areas where we believe immediate adjustments are warranted." Third on the list: "level funding for school budget."

Each year, teacher compensation goes up. Special education costs go up. Transportation and utility costs go up. And so on. As these elements of the school budget increase, others must be cut to maintain "level funding."

The cuts that Mr. Boschetto and Ms. Bouchard advocate threaten such elements of our program as class sizes, the one-to-one learning initiative, and other “HEART” elements (see Superintendent’s 2012-2013 System-Wide Goals at http://www.wayland.k12.ma.us/administration/superintendent/district_reports/).

While I’m all for fiscal responsibility, I draw the line at a push that will weaken the strong education that Wayland offers. When you head to the polls on Tuesday April 2, please cast your votes for candidates who will keep Wayland strong. If you value quality education, Mr. Boschetto and Ms. Bouchard are not the candidates you’re looking for.

Jeff Dieffenbach
Pleasant Street
Former member, Wayland School Committee (2000-2010) and Wayland Finance Committee (1995-2000)

Check out coverage of Wayland's 2013 Town Election, including all the Letters to the Editor, on our topic page, Wayland Town Election 2013.