As the School Department works to determine how it will spend its next annual budget of about $138 million, it has provided the public with details about proposed teacher layoffs and cuts to academic programming, including the end of elementary World Language learning. Missing in its disclosures is equally clear information about additions to the budget this year, and in recent years. The public needs full transparency about, for example, non-student-facing staff, non-academic initiatives, and other discretionary spending. Brookline taxpayers are entitled to clear and timely information about how school money is spent, so that they can, ideally, enter into constructive dialogue with decision-makers.
Carolyn Thall is running for School Committee.