Like many who attended Monday night’s ACSD meeting, I left feeling incredibly disappointed with the board’s actions in the meeting. The discussion centered around immediately removing the K-2 students at Ripton elementary and placing them into other area schools. Despite parents and staff urging the board to simply take the time to consider the effect this would have, not just in Ripton, but also in the Salisbury and Mary Hogan schools, certain board members sought to push this issue through without consideration, time, or thought.

It became clear, as the same board members who decried this “tough situation” also spoke in favor of removing the students from the school, that these board members wanted the easiest choice for themselves, no matter the well-being and repercussions to the children and families of Middlebury, Salisbury, and Ripton. Dr. Baker, the district superintendent, mentioned that there were many available options, if these certain board members would be open to more unique solutions. This idea was not entertained.

This is an alarming situation for the entire ACSD community, and a dangerous precedent to be setting, should the board decide to eliminate entire grades from an area school without substantive warning or input from any of the communities impacted. The well-being of our children is at stake when any issue, regardless of complexity, is pushed through without honest and deliberate discussion, without careful consideration. If these board members honestly cared about working for the betterment and future of the children and staff of our schools, they would not have considered such an aggressive and chaotic solution.

The entire ACSD community is watching the school board this upcoming week, from Ripton to Shoreham, from Salisbury to Weybridge, Bridport to Middlebury. We can only hope they choose to do right by our communities.

Bill Hunsinger

Ripton