Loss

Its the last day of school today. Last day for our school forever. Lot of tears, lot of anger seeping through- frustration.

I'm not sure what it is precisely, but there is a level of mistrust between the town that ate our school and our little village. It may not be personal but it feels that way when we overhear them complaining about the 35 extra mouths they have to feed with their taxes...which is odd, considering all of us pay into the same system and have been for years. I suppose I have to wonder where that kind of vitriol comes from? When is it okay to complain about children who've lost their school through no fault of their own. We weren't over here cheering on the decision, after all.

And then there was the guy taking pictures of the building the other night. Furtively standing on the corner with his nervous wife. What was that about anyway? We feel- in this issue- that we just simply aren't being told anything- on purpose. Feeling this way becomes the norm when previous experiences- including the decision to close the school- are done in similar fashion- as quietly and quickly as possible, with intent to disclose as little as possible, and mesmerize people with double talk. Sometimes it works- with some people it works. With others, it does not.

The children are encouraged that this change will be better somehow. It was just a few words in the principles speech today- but it struck me as false on a certain level. How is this change better for our community? How is it better that our little kids will be on buses for much longer times everyday now- away from home that much longer. How is it better that the classrooms will be larger, with fewer teachers to students? No, there IS a downside to this- just not for the people whose lives are tied to the larger place, and whose thoughts don't often remember what those of us here, feel and know.

Mostly I'm just sad and angry. I don't like people with abusive proclivities to power. They suck. And I like to be told when changes are in the works. We're grownups, and taxpayers, and parents- and we have the right to a say in what happens. We have a right to say what happens with our children's education. We have a right to say what happens in our community. Those taxes the Milford parents were complaining about are there for the taking- diverted from our community and given now entirely to theirs. Why do they believe they're shouldering this on their own? Simple minds, I suppose.

But anyway. That's that. Meh.