As frontline health care workers, the Cooley Dickinson Hospital Massachusetts Nurses’ Association understands the critical importance of investing in our community’s well-being. That’s why the CDH MNA Executive Committee is calling upon the Northampton City Council to fully fund Northampton Public Schools and avoid any cuts to essential positions within our community’s education system.

The vitality of our schools directly impacts the health and prosperity of our community. Every nurse knows that prevention is key to maintaining health, and investing in education is a proactive measure to ensure a thriving future for all residents of Northampton. Defunding the school system not only jeopardizes the quality of education our children receive but also places undue strain on the remaining staff, leading to increased stress and decreased effectiveness in supporting students’ academic and emotional needs.

Nurses know all too well how the burdens of chronic understaffing and lack of institutional support can hurt those in our care. It doesn’t work in our hospitals, and it doesn’t work in our schools.We urge the Northampton City Council to prioritize the well-being of our students and educators by funding Northampton Public Schools sufficiently to maintain level services for our children, to avoid the elimination of educator jobs, and to protect the quality of education that our community’s children deserve. We need to work together to ensure that every child has access to a high-quality education and that every educator has the resources and support they need to succeed. Our community’s future depends on it.Aaron Winston and Rose Tottser, Co-ChairsCooley Dickinson Hospital MNA Executive Committee

Aaron Winston and Rose Tottser, CDH MNA Executive Committee co-chairs

Northampton