To the editor:

In a recent edition of your paper I read “ Commissioner of Education Susan Gendron said she is confident Maine schools can maintain high quality education by addressing budget shortfalls with rule changes and collaborations between school districts.” This rankles me. It seems like she is telling us that the sun is shining while we can see that it is raining.
The implication is that we didn’t really need those rules to have quality schools. I believe there are good reasons for existing rules. For example, there are rules about class size. Would a student’s experience be the same in a class of 30 or 35 instead of 24? This is one of the rules that is sure to change.
Considering the number of high school dropouts in Maine, our schools are already falling short of meeting the needs of all students. According to The Associated Press, “A bill to improve Maine’s high school graduation rate awaited final committee votes before moving on to the House and Senate. The sponsor, Democratic State Sen. Justin Alfond, Senate chairman of the Education Committee, says Maine’s graduation rate is around 76 percent, with more than 3,000 students dropping out each year.”
When programs are cut, fewer needs are met.
Why can’t Gendron say “we will do the best we can with the money available” instead of trying to give the impression that there won’t be some huge changes taking place in school programs? The changes will feel huge for the persons affected. She has lost credibility in my eyes.

Ruth Stackpole
Kennebunk