We, as students in the Montclair public schools, call on the Board of Education to balance its budget in a way that doesn’t directly harm students and our schools. We call on the board to reverse its plan to fire over 50 public school workers as a result of faulty budgeting.

BOE superintendent Penny MacCormack’s $8.2 million budgetary deficit was caused by overspending on technology, consultants, legal fees, quarterly assessment tests, and other items within a secretive, unclear spending plan. These expenditures were made with neither transparency nor receptiveness to public input.

Within our public schools, MacCormack is now calling for the cuts of 18 teachers, 34 paraprofessionals, and three student assistance counselors to cover the shortfall that her spending recommendations caused. She is choosing to fire educators and paras, the employees with the most direct relationships with students. As a result, class sizes may increase; course offerings will decrease; and students with special needs will be losing integral aid and support in the classroom. The educational diversity that Montclair public schools have embraced for many years will be hurt.

Because the BOE is devoid of a checks and balances system, because the majority of the BOE chooses to ignore public input, and because the majority of the BOE still supports the now-resigned MacCormack’s budgetary recommendations without question, the plan was passed.

When the time comes to appoint an interim superintendent, and eventually an official superintendent, we, the undersigned, want him/her to emulate the integrity, collaborativeness, and open-mindedness that many Montclair residents/students have failed to find in MacCormack. We also want these traits to be reflected by our two new board members who will be appointed this spring.