Submitted by Trish Rohr, Greenwich
I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed $4.05 million cut to the Greenwich Public Schools budget—and my deep concern over the lack of transparency and due process surrounding this proposal.
Tuesday was supposed to be “Decision Day.” But instead of a decision, we got a disgrace. No transparent data. No clear rationale. And no regard for contractual obligations or the very real loss of federal Title I funding that supports our most vulnerable students.
When BET Democrats reasonably requested a two-day adjournment to review the last-minute amendments, the Republicans refused. The Democrats walked out, and quorum was lost. A dramatic move? Sure. But sometimes, when the process is broken, you walk away to stop the bleeding.
It’s hard to keep pretending this is governance.
The original BET budget guidelines failed to account for fundamental realities: contractually obligated salary increases, expiration of an ARP grant, and the expiration of federal Title I grants. Rather than adjusting those guidelines to reflect the actual cost of running a school system, the Republican BET members are now proposing reductions based on vague notions of improved absenteeism and marginal administrative savings.
This isn’t fiscal conservatism. It’s fiscal carelessness—wrapped in politics and passed off as prudence.
What hangs in the balance is staggering: middle and high school athletics, the Advanced Learning Program (ALP), Foreign Language, Art, Phys Ed, and critical Special Education initiatives like Positive Pathways and co-taught classrooms. Cuts of this magnitude will also strain AP offerings, increase class sizes, and further diminish the quality of education that Greenwich families count on.
In my nearly three decades in education—working as a classroom teacher, school administrator, coach, and consultant across both public and private systems—I know exactly what excellence in education looks like and what it requires. And I can say with complete confidence: short-sighted budget decisions that cut student opportunities and eliminate essential positions do not qualify as excellence.
We are not a town of fools. We are taxpayers, parents, students, and educators who deserve better. We are also voters. We demand a fully funded school budget—one that reflects both fiscal reality and a genuine respect for public education.
We cannot afford to let our students become the collateral damage of a broken process.
The BET reconvenes this Thursday. Show up. Speak up. Email them! Remind them that if they keep shortchanging our schools, we’ll remember who failed the final exam when Election Day rolls around.
Sincerely,
Trish Rohr
Greenwich Resident, Educator, and Outraged Voter