100 Citizens Urge Council to Keep $2.4M in Education Budget

Teachers, parents and students urged Middletown's Common Council Thursday to keep $2.4 million in the city’s education budget.

More than 100 students, parents, educators and coaches attended a public hearing regarding this year’s budget in Council Chambers.

Filled to capacity, curious onlookers watched and waited from the hallway, while others stood along the walls, waiting to voice their opposition to a proposal to cut $2.4 million from the original education budget presented by School Superintendent Michael Frechette earlier this year.

Many worried that the proposed cuts could endanger after-school programs, result in the elimination of school sports or result in the laying off of teachers.

Elijah Pemberton — a captain of the basketball team at Woodrow Wilson Middle School — urged the Common Council not to let after-school sports be cut.

“If you take away our sports, you will hurt many people inside in their hearts,” he told Council members.

Basketball and track, Pemberton says, helped get him on the right path in school and is where he forged many important and lasting relationships. “We are all like family,” he explained.

Martin Strickland says all five of his children, presently in the Middletown school system, all play sports. “It keeps them in check. It is something they want to do,” he remarked.

In order to play, they keep their grades up so they can stay on the team.

Kevin Smith read a letter from his daughter Lizzie — a seventh-grade student at Woodrow Wilson who plays both soccer and track.

“Being on the team gave me something to do after school,” Lizzie explained in the letter. “Middle school sports also helped me get into shape.”

According to Lizzie, pride is very important. “If sports are canceled, how can I be proud?” she asked.

High school science teacher Richard Pelczar gave a grim picture of his day-to-day struggles trying to make ends meet for Middletown High School’s Science Department with already tight budgets.

According to Pelczar, the high school’s Advanced Placement Biology Class needs new books in order to stay accredited. In order to purchase the books for the students who will be enrolled, he estimates it will cost the district approximately $4,000. Yet he says he only has about $300 to buy new books for everyone, including his AP students.

What should he do, he asked the Council. Should he have the students buy their own books that cost more than $100 each or should the school give up its accreditation?

Pelczar went on to explain that some science books they are using were copyrighted in 1998 well beyond the five-year timeline the district had once set for replacing textbooks.

The Council also got a chance to hear from fourth-grade teacher Buster Nelson, who himself grew up in Middletown, attended Lawrence School and played sports.

“The education for me in Middletown was excellent,” he told the Council.

Due to the fact that he is a relatively new teacher, Nelson said, if the $2.4 million is cut from the budget and teacher cuts are required, Nelson could be one of the first teachers in the district to go.

“I might be cut,” he explained.

Reaching into his pocket, Nelson – who teaches fourth-graders at Macdonough Elementary — produced his wallet and a bunch of crumpled-up receipts haphazardly left inside.

Unfolding each one, he explained to the Council what they were for: four chess sets from Amato’s Toy and Hobby for his students; a receipt for books for his class; a $20 check from a parent whose child he lent money to during a field trip the school had which was funded by money donated by the teachers.

If he is let go — Nelson explained — he could go look for another job, but that’s not what he wants. “I would like to be one of those people that stay in Middletown,” he explained, his legs visibly shaking behind the podium.

After more than two hours of public comment, members of the Common Council expressed shock that despite the millions of dollars provided in the education budget each year, books are not being purchased in a timely fashion.

“I am a little perplexed,” remarked Minority Leader Philip Pessina. “We give the Board of Education ‘x’ amount of dollars…and I have a chemistry teacher telling us we have books from 1991.”

Deputy Mayor Joseph Bibisi said he was also concerned about that fact that it appears books are not being purchased with the money being provided to the district.

Majority Leader Thomas Serra explained that over the coming days, the Democratic Caucus will be meeting to discuss the budget.

“Our goal is no increase in taxes,” he explained. “Hopefully we can find money to move around.”

If possible, he and his colleagues will look for other areas where spending might be cut. They also will do their best to see if state funding might be able to be increased.

Serra reminded those present that the Council can only provide a sum of money to the board — it is the board who decides how it is spent — whether that be to keep teachers, sports or after-school programs.

The Democratic Majority leader explained that he and his colleagues are hoping for an adoption date of May 12 for the budget.

Pessina explained that the Republican Caucus will also be meeting to discuss the budget and plan to get together with their Democratic colleagues to help forge a solution.

“I think we are going to be able to come to consensus,” he remarked.

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