Why I’m Voting Yes - Katie Tyler

This is the letter I shared with the town select board about why I believe a budget override is the way to go -

Dear Select Board,

I am writing to urge you to put a budget override to vote to preserve the quality of Easton schools. I have two children. Addison, 8, is in a 2nd grade looping class. Camden, 11, is in the 5th grade. My husband, Brian, teaches first grade looping.

When I tell you my husband works hard, he puts every ounce of his being into his students. He is often exhausted and often works outside of school, but it’s what he feels called to do and he is brilliant at it. It still sometimes isn’t enough. He still sometimes comes home and wishes he could have given each student a little more of himself. This is with class sizes hovering around 20.

If class sizes grow, it’s well documented that education suffers. Education is the pathway to productive citizenship. It is the most valuable asset our town has to offer. It’s what draws new families and home buyers to our town.

Easton has a disproportionately high volume of teachers who live in the town when compared with other towns. If teachers are laid off, teachers may no longer be able to afford to live in the town of Easton. If 20-40 school positions are eliminated, the negative ripple effects will be damaging to the town for years to come.

In sum, I urge you to put a budget override to vote, so we have the opportunity to continue to invest in our schools, the most valuable asset our town has to offer. If we’re not investing in our youth, we’re not investing in our future. Please prioritize investing in our youth.

Kind Regards,
Katie Tyler
Parent and Spouse of Teacher

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