The following letter to the editor was submitted by Andover resident Steve Walther (photo). The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Andover News. You can learn more about our policy on opinion and commentary on our Mission and Policies page.
I noticed that in a candidate statement, one of the incumbents was “proud” of the School Committees’ accomplishments. I’m not. I’m sure it is a difficult task, but it’s been one depressing mess after another, and it has to change. We all have a stake in ensuring that well-educated young adults are graduating in Andover.
I’m not proud of a School Committee that championed a >$400 million new high school proposal in the context of our Town being up to its neck in debt, such that any increase is likely to trigger a lowering of our bond rating and raising the cost of financing for all Town projects. A waste of planning time and resources that was doomed before it started.
I’m not proud of a School Committee that oversaw deferring essential maintenance on vital buildings, such as the high school. I guess maintenance isn’t needed if you assume you can get new buildings. We now face the increased costs of ‘paying later’.
I’m not proud of a School Committee that approved increases to administrative personnel while claiming layoffs are necessary. Layoffs can be necessary, but they need to be a shared burden, not used to fatten up the administrative pyramid. With reduced teaching staff and reduced student numbers, how can one justify needing more administration? Administration should be getting more efficient, not less.
I’m not proud of the unproductive and adversarial relationship between the School Committee and teachers. Endless negotiations leading to work to rule, strikes, and abysmal morale are not symptoms of efficient management. This has to change, and with our votes we can change it.
School Committee financial decisions were completely at odds with the fiscal reality of Andover. Those well-educated young adults? The School Committee was clearly more interested in a shiny new building and a beefed up administration, than they were with what happens inside the building. Don’t vote for more of these skewed priorities and fiscal negligence. It is time for the incumbents to be thanked for their service, and new people with new ideas voted in to replace them. We are fortunate to have new candidates willing to take on that challenge, please vote for Chris Shepley and Jake Tamarkin.
Steve Walther
Andover
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