DUMMERSTON — Democracy in Vermont is dead.
From the early days of one-room schoolhouses to the present, town residents and taxpayers have been directly involved in their students' education. Act 46 takes this role away from us.
The Dummerston community has built and paid for its school building and grounds. All decisions pertaining to our school are made annually by Dummerston residents by discussion and Australian ballot.
Implementation of Act 46 completely removes the people from direct decision-making about their children's education. Furthermore, our schools will lose their identity as community centers.
Act 46 is being enacted without any information provided to the public, nor does the public have the opportunity to give input or feedback.
Dummerston's Act 46 committee representative made it a point to tell the town's residents there would be no discussion of Act 46 at our Annual Town Meeting.
Parents, taxpayers, or any other Dummerston resident has not been afforded information regarding an unprecedented change in ownership in education of Vermont's young people.
Please contact and ask your Act 46 town representative (chair Alice Laughlin) and WSESU Act 46 committee chair (Superintendent Ron Stahley) to ask why this information has not been provided to the general public at an organized town meeting.
Do we want to take the public out of public education?