There is a Warwick Valley School Board election on May 16, and it has never been more important to be an informed voter.
Across the country, there are groups that are attempting to elect candidates, who will work to change and control the direction of our schools. Armed with the term “parent’s rights” their goal is to inject their personal beliefs on our communities through education.
Although parents are, and should be, partners with teachers and administrators in their children’s educations, they do not have the right, in a public school system, to determine what the curriculum should be, or what books should be allowed in school libraries. That is the responsibility of educational professionals, who understand that there are many individual differences in the maturity and values of students and their families. It is then the responsibility of parents to guide their own children according to those differences.
Our present school board has worked tirelessly to prepare all students for the future, with multiple pathways to graduation. It has fostered respect for teachers and administrators, improved training, and focused on the needs of all students, while also controlling tax increases, and keeping Warwick a highly competitive district.
The three incumbent candidates for the school board: Robert Howe, Dory Masefield, and John Garcia, have been crucial in these initiatives. It is important that we reelect them on May 16.
Dorothy Kelly
Warwick