It's no great revelation that school-district mergers under Act 46 have been a contentious subject for many Vermonters across the state. As new boards developed by mergers begin their planning processes, some unfortunate consequences of the law are being realized.
The West River Modified Union Education District (WRMUED) came into existence when the towns of Brookline, Jamaica, Newfane, and Townshend passed a decision to merge relatively easily by a vote of 446–146.
In deciding to vote for the merger, I was initially encouraged by information put out by the local Act 46 Study Committee, which touted plans to consolidate schools based on a purely administrative basis with no structural impact to the makeup of the schools themselves.
The Study Committee also emphasized a proposal to offer elementary school choice within the district, an option that appeared popular among voters.