ORANGE — Parents, educators, students and others are invited to attend a community forum in the Mahar Regional School Library, 507 South Main St., on Monday, Jan. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m., to share their vision for public education in the region and talk about funding needs. Mass. Teachers Association Vice President Max Page will describe the Fund Our Future campaign, which is a coalition effort to pass legislation in 2019 to substantially increase funding for public schools, colleges and universities.
The event is being organized by the Athol Teachers Association and Orange Elementary Teachers Association. State Representative Susannah Whipps and Senators Anne Gobi and Jo Comerford will be attending to hear concerns of community residents and educators and to learn more about the Fund Our Future initiative.
The stretch of Route 2 between Athol and Turners Falls includes the districts of Athol-Royalston, Mahar, Orange, Petersham, New Salem-Wendell, Erving, Gill-Montague, and Pioneer. The state is underfunding schools in these communities by over $5 million each year, according to estimates based on the non-partisan Foundation Budget Review Commission, who say that loss impacts the region’s ability to provide small class sizes and adequate art and music, librarians, counselors, academic support for struggling students, asbestos and mold remediation and a host of other issues.