To the editor,
In a recent letter dated December 22nd, (The Emperor’s New School Budget Dec 22, 2025) author Brian Raabe made two misstatements that need clarification.
The letter asserts that many of the staff reductions at GHS in the budget target the World Language Department. During the meeting, Superintendent Toni Jones clarified that this is a placeholder. Until the master schedule is completed this spring, specific reductions are unknown. She further said that the three reductions mentioned in the letter would most assuredly not all fall to World Language.
The letter also suggests that ongoing litigation between the town and the Board may have impacted the budget and the number of reductions needed. This is false. At the meeting, Dr. Jones made clear that her budget was calculated based on her and her team’s calculations of district needs. At no point was any reduction included to balance out incurred legal fees.
Sincerely,
Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony, Ed.D