Letters to the Editor
Trust is Earned, Not Given
The Feb. 5 Newbury school board meeting had to be moved to the cafeteria as the PR Room was overflowing with people. Ms. Kalish organized the tired custodial staff and administrators, who had been at school all day, to gather up tables, chairs, audio equipment and a piano down to the cafeteria and set everything up for the meeting. Wow! Great work!
At this time, I would have thought a whole-hearted thank you should have been offered to everyone who worked to get the meeting started. With dismay, the board president did not consider the efforts past her own. She had a prepared statement she read following the roll call and pledge. I heard about the time when she was as student, but not the now and the future — the large group of kids who were there listening to these words.
As the crowd and a lot of teachers sat in their orange, supporting school pride, waiting to hear what the future was going to hold for school, the faces of deceit and sadness were across them as they sat and watched all their hard work flash out as fast as these new members sat down. While noticing much of them making faces at fellow board members and community members, and even the staff, I saw one board member staring off into the ceiling, another laying their head into their hand in complete boredom. This being their second meeting I would’ve hoped for more enthusiasm and awareness to feelings that filled the room.
As most of the attendees were elementary children, who were waiting to get their chance to be knighted or to read a page of a book they had written, around 8 p.m. the children’s parents asked if they could get moved up on the agenda as the kids needed to get home.
These children whom are to not be involved sat during all the public input and watched anxiously, and saw anger among people that most know well. I listened as one child wrote a story about how she was treated badly at her last school. My heart broke for her and at the same time I was proud of her for having the courage to stand in front of a room full of strangers and express how much she loves this school.
Our job as parents is to hold people accountable who govern where our children spend their day. We teach our children how to treat others by doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. Trust is not given; it is earned by being honest with integrity, by speaking of facts, faith and compassion.
I felt uneasy as the staff was not reassured they would have a job next year. I fear in April, when any resignation letters are due, we will not have the wonderful staff here to carry out all the amazing things that have been done to date.
They have said not to bring the kids into this topic, but how can we not? If the school is not open for the following year what are we to say? What if their favorite teacher they had been waiting to get next year isn’t there? Do we lie? What about the young adults entering their senior year — the best year of your childhood? That will be ripped apart.
I pray that the newest members do what’s right for the children.
Jessica Rivera
Newbury Township
