Dear Editor:

As a mother, I see what’s at stake — not just for my child, but for the future of our towns.

When school budgets are voted down, when we talk about closing or consolidating schools, what message are we sending? That our children aren’t worth the investment? That families don’t belong here? Because that’s exactly how it feels.

Our kids are still recovering from the pandemic — academically, emotionally, and socially. The disruption was deep, and its effects are still with them. They need more support, not less. And yet, at the very moment they need us most, we’re pulling back.

I’ve heard it said that children are expensive. But in 2019, the federal government spent eight times more per person on seniors than on kids. That’s not a funding issue — that’s a choice. We are prioritizing the past while the future slips through our fingers.

Since 1963, home prices have tripled. Student debt is now $1.7 trillion. In 1989, Americans under 40 held 12% of household wealth. Today it’s 7%. Over-70s now hold 30% — up from 19%. We’ve made it harder for young people to stay, buy homes, and start families. And now we’re making it harder to educate the next generation too?

These kids will be our nurses, farmers, tradespeople, small business owners, firefighters. If we don’t invest in them now, who will be here to carry this place forward?

Schools aren’t just buildings. They’re the center of community life. Closing them sends a signal: this town is no longer for families. And once that begins, it’s hard to stop the decline.

We don’t need short-term cuts. We need long-term vision. If we want thriving towns in 10 or 20 years, we have to invest in the people who will live and lead here.

Our children are not a burden. They are the future — and they are worth it.

Demi Kaeka 

Westport Island