To the Editor,
In the last issue of The Orange Times, 1st Selectman Jim Zeoli spoke of his vision. He mentioned a commitment to the Orange school system.{{more}} Yet his vision and commitment have been to minimize the growth potential of our students.
Since 2009 under the Zeoli administration, the greatest rise in the Orange School Budget has been 1 percent. That’s right, 1 percent when inflation rises three and four times that every year! Yet the Superintendent and Orange Board of Ed have continued to make ends meet with less money every year. This has been done in part by making a large sacrifice to the big picture. Several teachers were given early retirement to clear some money to bring in the latest technology and resources. We are robbing Peter to pay Paul, because our students now go without some of the best, wisest and most creative teachers!
Year in and year out, the school budget is helped by the wonderful, and dedicated PTA’s and Parent clubs that raise funds for various programs and projects. The loyal people of Orange have been forced for years to not only provide time and effort, but their hard earned dollars, while our taxes are increased, and those tax dollars funds never get allocated to education.
Mr. Zeoli tries to take credit for one of the top school systems in New England!! But he should be working with the BOE and administration to improve the standard, not turning his back on the students of Orange.
The facts show, Mr. Zeoli doesn’t support the education system of Orange or the Amity system. For him to proclaim that status quo is good enough for our kids, is unacceptable!
Marc Robbins
Editor’s Note: Marc is running for the Board of Education.
