I was shocked to see the sensational April 22 online headline “Scarborough schools shaken by an administrative cage fight.”

What’s happening in Scarborough is not a reality TV show, nor is it mixed martial arts. This is a town in pain, regardless of which side one is on. To exploit that for a headline is hurtful and unnecessary for interesting and accurate coverage.

Additionally, although the article refers to Scarborough as “an affluent coastal town,” it is an economically diverse community. We have Prouts Neck and poverty along with many middle-class families in between. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 14 percent of Scarborough residents are living below the poverty level, and the poverty rate is highest among children and the elderly. Therefore, it’s disingenuous to speak only of “affluence” in the context of failed budgets.

Averyl Hill

Scarborough