Westport Education

"Kids Must Have a Voice": Nicole Suddath's letter to the editor on the Press Republican's April 5th Speakout column has appeared

From this morning's Press Republican, Nicole Suddath's response to the controversial April 5th Speakout Column, a column which allows people to vent anonymously. In the same issue that this letter was published, the Press Republican announced that it is tightening editorial standards for the Speakout column.

Kids must have voice 
TO THE EDITOR: Unlike you, I will sign my name to this letter. I just read Speakout and there were two letters questioning why parents let their children speak at budget workshops.

Why shouldn't kids be allowed to speak? Who is impacted the most when budgets get slashed? The kids!

My daughter was one of the students who spoke at the most recent budget workshop at Westport Central School; she spoke with honesty and from the heart. How dare you tell her she should not have a voice. These kids are the real future of Westport; why not let them speak? Furthermore, why don't you listen?

In case you haven't noticed, there are many who have a great love for WCS and all it stands for. If a second-rate school is what you want, go elsewhere. Second best is not in the vocabulary of any student or alumni from WCS. Why do you think we are one of the top-rated schools in the United States? Stop trying to short change the education of our kids to save a few pennies.

You say that kids should worry about homework and parents should worry about money. My daughter did her homework before the meeting. I think it is only right to teach our kids the value of a dollar and to support their beliefs and to teach them to stand up for what they believe in.

I support my daughter and know that what she said is the truth. I listened to what all of the students had to say that night and I will be at WCS on May 18 to vote "Yes" for the 2010-2011 budget.

In the meantime, I will be at all of the softball games, as many of the baseball games I can get to, the John F. Geyer Memorial Concert, the Drama Club show and whatever other student-based activity there is, and yes, the budget meetings. What are you going to attend besides the budget meetings?

Nicole Sudduth

Westport

See also my posts:

• Ulrich Hoffmann weighs in on the April 5th Speakout column in the Press Republican
• A few comments on the discussion of the Westport Central School budget

Tim Sherman: Vote ‘yes’ on Westport Central Scool budget

A letter to the editor by Tim Sherman was published in in this week's Valley News:

Vote ‘yes’ on WCS budget To the editor, Westport Central School has put together its budget for next year. It's a good balance of the cuts being pushed by some and the continuation of a high quality School sought by others. In the face of severe state aid cutbacks it only has an increase of 4.5 percent; $128,000. There is one staff member retiring that will not be replaced. Westport has earned its place as a top 1200 school in the nation, and continues as a draw for out of district students and new families coming into Westport. Commuting to P'burg is an easy trip up I-87. Despite our School Board's hard work, there is still a group of residents pushing to defeat this budget. If this budget fails we will go to contingency, meaning more cuts. Also all non-school-related activity will have to stop. No more Fireman's Supper, which also supports the ambulance squad. The Youth Commission Summer program, basketball, and possibly skiing would cease. Use by committees such as Future of Westport, and the Town would no longer be allowed. A whole variety of community sports activities would have to cease including the Tanneberger Tournament and fencing classes. It's possible additional budget cuts could take out our extracurricular sports and academic programs. If these programs go, we will no longer be a draw and risk flight out of our school. To this group, I ask they rethink their position on this budget. The families you affect are the ones that come save you when you have a stroke or heart attack. They mow your lawns and sell you pizza. They build, maintain, and clean your homes, keep your government functioning and put together the Fourth of July parade. They are your community, they are our future. Mark May 18 on your calender and vote yes!

Tim Sherman, Westport April 14, 2010

Ulrich Hoffmann weighs in on the April 5th Speakout column in the Press Republican

Ulrich Hoffmann writes regarding my post about the Press Republican's April 5th Speakout column:

Kathryn -- Regarding your Westport Education piece -- be careful at whom you point your finger or appear to point your finger. Why would I want to hide behind anonymity when I have spoken my mind publicly and signed every piece of writing that I have authored? That's a rhetorical question but take care how you generalize. -- Rick

I'm glad we all agree that the anonymous attacks on the participation of an 8th grader in a public meeting as published in the Speakout column of the Press Republican are inappropriate and beneath the level of discourse we wish to maintain.

Q: Did my daughter write a letter to the Westport Central School board of education? A. No.

Ulrich Hoffmann writes:

Kathryn -- Did I hear correctly that one of the letters read at yesterday's School Board meeting was authored by your daughter? -- Rick

Answer: No. There is more than one Cramer family in Westport. We are not related. 

However, my daughter was at the WCS budget hearing with me because I have almost no child care for those meetings and so my children are always nearby when I attend. (My husband still has a job in Manhattan.) My childrens' last name is Hartwell, not Cramer.