According to an April 14 story in VtDigger, 40 Readsboro residents signed a petition requesting that the town close its elementary school. The same thing is happening in Windham this year.
Both petitions reflect a trend to undervalue small community schools and accept the opinion that closing a local school and sending children to a larger consolidated school would be better.
No evidence supports this opinion, and the effect - and perhaps the purpose of these petitions - is to divide and confuse the community.
A year ago, a group of concerned citizens who appreciate the value of the Windham Elementary School founded a nonprofit group to show the advantages of town and school cooperation.