Public comment on the budget

Whoops we seem to have not gotten to the public comment period! Suspension of rules to allow for it now

Parent of Flagg St and Forest Grove: happy with education children have received thus far. Buildings dilapidated. Music at Forest Grove cut. "Where do we send our kids as they go on to high school?" Have to have optimism. Have to provide a quality education. The School Committee can't make the decision on their own, reaching out to people around the community. Parents are exhausted by fundraising. Parents being involved makes Flagg a great school. "Why are we still in Worcester? My children are getting less and less and less." Her kids are now saying they don't like Worcester, don't like where they are.

Chair of Stand for Children: take exception to the line on no new charter schools. Don't believe problem is with charter schools. H4163 and 4164 which is the increase of charter funding of 9% to 18%...Duncan on Race to the Top. Ten states qualify, possibly, $430 million per state, half along Title 1 funds, magic $27 million...asks that School Committee to ask state to vote to increase charter schools.

Parent of Nelson Place parents: seen parents move kids out of WPS through school choice, or move out of Worcester. Making a self-fulfilling prophecy. Echoes that parents are exhausted. Asks that whole city work together. Maybe we need to raise taxes, lobby city council. Not in this alone. Pushing me (out of Worcester)...forcing me to make this decision, but has to put her kids first. Look at Race to the Top funds...be creative in looking at grant money. Working with local businesses. Sacrifices shouldn't always be on the backs of our children.

Choral director at Burncoat High School: advocate for all the arts. "Arts are simultaniously the most basic and most elegant of our culture...all begins...with the arts" Don't lose sight of the development of the whole human being while pursuing test scores. He spoke significantly more eloquently than this...I just didn't get it all.

Grafton Street parent (just moved back to Worcester): has a child at K and 6 in Grafton St. Concerns about Worcester East Middle: should she let him go through WEM? A lot of the underprivileged schools get a bad rap. What are people afraid of? Why are we not asking parents if they have a skill or job they can offer to the school free of charge? Parents have vocational talents. Wonders about school choice.