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To the editor:
You’ve seen your Facebook feed flooded with “sponsored” posts from “Ipswich Supports Education,” and now your mailbox is filled as well.
Who’s spending so much money to force you to spend yours?
And while some are spending lavishly to purchase these opportunities to comment, others question who has the standing to offer an opinion.
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Are all residents welcome to comment on this community decision? Only voters? Or only those with certain opinions?
Residents are entitled to speak, of course, but what about property owners who live out of town? Or families whose children choice into Ipswich schools? After all, arguments regarding per-student spending in other towns effectively gives out-of-towners a voice in our internal debate.
Maybe only current students should opine. They’re really the ones being impacted. But are their parents’ or grandparents’ insights legitimate? Perhaps only those in middle school or below, with enough years ahead to be materially impacted?
Or only parents of active students? But what about those folks who will become parents of active students and thereby directly impacted by the school system’s inability to address the “structural deficit”?
Perhaps only property owners should be allowed to speak. After all, they’re the ones that feel the tax impact immediately and acutely.
And we’re told every override cycle that property values are tightly tied to the schools. Or maybe only the assessor should opine in order to maximize values.
But what about renters? They will only feel a financial impact indirectly and with a long delay, but they may be overrepresented among parents of young students.
We’ve seen too often how concerns of the elderly on fixed incomes are dismissed.
Maybe only school staff should speak. After all, they’re the ones in the trenches who understand the challenges. But what of their conflict of interest and myopia? Who wouldn’t vote for their own raise?
Should anyone who didn’t attend Ipswich school from the first day of kindergarten through high school commencement have a voice? After all, could anyone who’s not a townie and a product of the schools possibly be qualified to speak? Maybe you should ask members of the school committee who moved to Ipswich as adults?
And what educational attainment renders one qualified to comment? Should only Ph.D. holders be invited to opine? Or are they so privileged, and therefore remote, from elementary school as to be disqualified? Maybe only those whose last attained credential is a high school diploma should have a voice.
The point, of course, is that posturing around any group’s standing to participate in the debate is an attempt to limit discussion and marginalize unwelcome opinions.
Everyone should be free to opine, and then voters will decide either at town meeting or, as more frequently happens in our era of intolerance, anonymously at the polls.
Ed Marsh
Ipswich
"Opinion" - Google News
May 09, 2022 at 01:05AM
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Letter: Is your opinion relevant? - The Local Ne.ws
"Opinion" - Google News
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