APEA Offers Alternatives To Proposed Instructional Cuts

Source: Amherst Pelham Education Association

The Amherst Pelham Education Association released the following talking points on March 6 concerning proposed cuts to the district school budget.

• The District is proposing balancing the budget largely on the backs of educators. The District needs to take a closer look at positions that are furthest away from students and the classroom. This includes Central Office administration, Technology, Facilities, Special Education and Transportation Offices.

• Interim Superintendent Slaughter admitted to spending $705,000 this year on James Levine & Associates as special education consultants. This is about 10 teacher positions. APEA contests this amount of public money going to a private company.

• As Amherst Regional High School/Middle School principal Talib Sadiq said at the March 6 Regional School Committee meeting, the town has seen fit to support a $46 million new library. The APEA believes that the community values public education too. 

• The APEA supports asking the towns for a one-time gift to make up the over $1 million shortfall.

• The APEA supports formally asking Amherst College for help as towns with similar small, elite private colleges do (Williamstown, for example).