By Neal Zagarella
Several facts seem to have been forgotten as the town struggles to find a path forward for our elementary schools. Chief among these is that both schools applied for state funding and only one school, Winthrop, qualified for the grant. This decision by the state inherently means the building at Winthrop is in greater need of repair than that at Doyon.
It is also true that Winthrop serves a disproportionate share of the town’s most economically challenged families. The School Committee at one time ruled out the Doyon site as a location for a new school to serve the entire town because of the adverse effects it would have on these families, most of which live in the downtown area.
Because of this situation the School Committee voted unanimously to place the new, larger school downtown at the Winthrop site. The School Committee then voted, again unanimously, to reaffirm their decision to locate the school downtown.
At the most recent Town Meeting the voters rejected funding for planning a large school at Doyon. Though 308 voted for and 301 against, the article required two-thirds support, or 406 votes. It fell 98 short.
At the same Town Meeting passed an advisory article asking the School Committee to again explore the two school option, albeit very narrowly.
It is clear that there is no consensus in town. If at this town we choose to take money that was originally granted for the downtown school and use it to build a school away from our population center, we should remember that many of the families that will be adversely affected by this decision do not have a lawn to put a sign in.