On July 4, Gazette reporter Alexander MacDougall wrote about the final approval of the Northampton Public Schools budget, which he described as “putting an end to a long debate over the city’s schools — for now anyway.” He’s got that right. The fiscal year 2025 budget has been passed, but the movement to adequately fund and staff the schools is far from over.

He goes on to write that the vote on the $40.7 million budget “comes after a prolonged campaign by supporters of the Northampton Association of School Employees union’s proposed 14% level-services budget” and that the debate about “the budget had often been fraught with tense moments between supporters of NASE and city officials.”

This is a complete mischaracterization of what’s been going on in this prolonged discussion/debate. NASE members were among a widespread community of parents, residents and students who supported a $42.8 million level-services budget, which was recommended by the School Committee. It was not and never was NASE’s budget. Rather, it was a budget that maintained current staff and services in the schools and one that received vigorous and ongoing support from many community members.

Any tensions and disagreements that arose were between that movement of people who wanted the city to prioritize education and some city officials concerned about fiscal responsibility.

The article got the last paragraph right: “Across the city, signs continue to be placed around various homes and businesses that support more funding for the school district. ‘Fund our schools, our kids, our future,’ they read.”

Indeed, make public education for Northampton’s children a top priority, as it should be. They are the future.

Tom Riddell

Northampton