MHPC in the middle of the Bath/Union 47 consolidation debate

0 Comments

The Brunswick Times Record, which last week became one of the first daily newspapers in Maine to editorialize against the state’s current school “reorganization” effort, was kind enough to publish an op-ed I sent them arguing against the proposed Bath/Union 47 consolidation plan, which goes before voters there in a couple of weeks. The plan has already been the subject of one of our Issue Brief reports.
Looking to be fair and balanced, the Times Record also published a response to my piece, from one of the members of the Bath-area team that developed the merger proposal. The author, though, seemed far more interested in personal attacks than in refuting my main argument that the Bath area merger plan will eliminate school choice in the region while driving up property taxes and school spending. My piece is variously described as “grossly inaccurate,” “misleading,” and “incorrect” despite my having used state Department of Education data for my piece. The author concludes that my statements “clearly lack credibility” and that I should just “stay out of our business”.
Good to know that people are free to disagree with the all -knowing, all-powerful Bath-School Union 47 Transition Team! Let’s hope the people of Union 47 vote down this proposal, which would deal a severe blow to the cause of school choice in Maine.