This will be my first election as a new American citizen, and I plan to vote “no” on Question 2, which would eliminate the MCAS as a high school graduation requirement.

We are tiptoeing around a dangerous, sacred topic here in Northampton, and I must speak out. While my four children, the youngest who recently graduated, benefited from many wonderful, skilled teachers, we must face fact that no district has 100% excellent teachers. Some, we must admit, are not.

My children, all native speakers of English, fell through cracks here and there because a teacher was weak, distracted, or biding time till retirement. A standard across the state would make me, as a parent, know that my children are ready for what comes next, regardless of luck.

Iggy Generalov

Florence