A Little Slack

In normal times, this would be a simple conversation about the importance of vigilance as school district budgets come up for the annual May vote, stressing the notion that taxpayers have the ultimate responsibility to know what they’re supporting with their votes, and their tax dollars.

That’s still true, of course — but these are not normal times. Anything but. And while vigilance is still important, and a taxpayer should never cast an uninformed vote on something as important as the school budget for the coming year, it could be a moment for compassion.

School districts, like any government body, should plan for the unexpected and be prepared to adjust spending in a crisis. But the pandemic has been a challenge unlike anything school administrators, and the volunteers who sit on the region’s various school boards, could have anticipated. Unprecedented times meant creative solutions, on the fly, and finding ways to continue providing an education while students, and their parents, were under enormous stress.

That stress can manifest in various ways. Some might feel like taking out their frustrations from the past year on a school district by rejecting a budget proposal this month. That would be a very short-sighted, potentially damaging fit of pique.

In fact, it’s probably more important this year that school district officials are cut a little slack when it comes to budgeting. In truth, the numbers were put into a blender this past year, and it could take a year or more for the impact to be fully absorbed.

A glance at the various budget proposals suggests no district has dropped the ball — there are no major shocks, no panicky changes proposed. In the midst of a catastrophe, school officials in the region were generally steadfast in their resolve, and the calm way most districts handled the unexpected should be applauded. That has continued as budget are drawn up in a cloud of uncertainty, even as there’s hope that the new school year will be something closer to “normal.”

School district voters should certainly review the proposals closely — the numbers can be found in these pages, and more detailed budgets are generally shared on each district’s website — and plan to visit the polls to cast a vote. In doing so, here’s hoping there’s a little bit of empathy: A vote to support a school budget this time can be a vote of confidence at a moment one is sorely needed.