In an article that appeared in the American Journal on Feb. 20, 2014, reporting on the rollout of the superintendant’s school budget, reference was made to a three-page essay written by Superintendant Ted Sharp regarding the growing budget pressures on school districts due to new “societal demands” being placed on the schools.

The example that was used as an illustration of these societal demands was the proposed implementation of all-day kindergarten in Gorham. All-day kindergarten is not a societal demand; it is an educational imperative for our children in today’s environment. I am certain that all-day kindergarten is not representative of the societal demands that Superintendant Sharp was referring to in his essay.

The societal demands that Superintendant Sharp was referring to include meeting the basic needs of children such as food, clothing, access to housing, physical and mental health services, all unfunded by the current funding formula for public schools. Kindergarten in the state of Maine is part of the school funding formula, at an all-day rate. All-day kindergarten is an essential part of the K-12 programming that is needed to prepare our children for the competitive world within which we now live.

To suggest that all-day kindergarten has been included in the superintendant’s budget in response to the societal demands of the community is an insult to the integrity of the school administration and the school committee. They deserve better, our young children deserve better, and I think this record needs to be set straight.

Brian Deveaux

Gorham