To the Editor,
I’m writing to urge the communities of Manchester and Essex to recognize we’ve built together over the years.
My children have attended both Essex Elementary and Manchester Memorial, as part of the SWING program, IRWL, and now RISE. We’ve seen, firsthand, how strong leadership and inclusive values make this district something rare and precious.
Each of my children have unique learning profiles: private schools can refuse to even interview them based on their learning disabilities and support needs. Our public schools are their only option for a guaranteed education—and here, it’s not just about access, it’s about belonging.
Ten years ago, when my eldest was on medical leave from school, a classmate insisted on making him a Valentine’s Day card — in her words, “in case he was there.” He hadn’t been to school for two months and wouldn’t return, but this seemingly small gesture spoke volumes. My eldest is so easily misunderstood that he doesn’t have friends, but he did then, and it was everything.
Today, I see my youngest forming genuine friendships in the general education kindergarten class. I see her peers learning the kind of inclusion that will carry them into adulthood—not just as students, but as coworkers, community members, and leaders.
Our district’s inclusive educational model isn’t just morally right—it’s smart. In-house special education services like IRWL and RISE give students the opportunity to stay in their community while saving the district money by avoiding costly out-of-district placements. But these programs only work if we fund them, and inclusive education — a model reliant on one-to-one supports and teaching assistants within the general education classrooms — will be among the first things to go. And poof! We lose one of the many characteristics that makes MERSD special.
Many families in our community can afford private school, tutors, or have the time and mental bandwidth to homeschool. There are also a lot of families who don’t.
This is what educational equity means: making sure that the education we offer is excellent for every kid, not just the ones with resources at home.
If you cut the budget, the families who can afford tutoring will supplement their children’s education, and test scores likely won’t budge for a good number of these students. But don’t be fooled—that wouldn’t mean everything’s fine. It would mean we’ve quietly abandoned the kids whose families can’t supplement their public school education, or pull them out to attend a local private school.
Yes, costs are going up. Health insurance, special education, transportation—it’s all increasing. But this is a national problem, not a local failure. In regards to special education, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has never been fully funded by the federal government, and is at greatest risk with our current national leadership. We rely on state circuit breakers and local investment to close the gap. Despite those constraints, MERSD has managed to build something extraordinary on responsible budgets year after year.
To live in Essex or Manchester is to have an opportunity: to be part of a school community that includes all learners, that sees the value in every child, and that prepares all students for the real world with empathy and skill. Let’s not take that for granted.
Let’s protect what we’ve built and accept the proposed level services budget. I implore you, if not for my kids - for yours, and your neighbors’.
Sincerely,
