It is mind-boggling that in a region that holds some of the finest and affluent colleges in our nation, our public schools are in such dire financial shape. Clearly, we in western Massachusetts value education, yet we are on the brink of decimating our public schools.

When I was the school nurse at Jackson Street School, I was uniquely positioned to see the toll that short staffing took on the physical and emotional health of young and vulnerable students. I cannot begin to imagine what effect cutting even more positions will have. We need to build up our schools to recover from the extreme losses to learning and growth that closing during COVID forced on our children.

Please find the money to fund our future.

Susan Rees

Florence