O P I N I O N

THE SOAPBOX

Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.

Manchester’s public schools are under siege by a political agenda that prioritizes power grabs over our children’s futures.

At the April 15th budget hearing, hundreds of community members showed up in support of our school district, with 60 speaking in favor of adequate funding. Only one individual spoke in opposition, a reflection of the disconnect between educators, students, families, and the reckless actions of some members of our Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

In particular, two individuals who have consistently disparaged our school district, Aldermen Crissy Kantor and Joe Levasseur, attempted to undermine its independence with a reckless charter amendment proposal aimed at making the school district a city department.  Their past votes, along with public statements, prove they cannot be trusted to act in the best interests of Manchester’s students and families.

Levasseur, who claimed to have “researched the legalities,” indicated that he not only orchestrated Kantor’s motion to undermine our school district but openly coached her during the discussion, like a puppeteer pulling strings. When pressed by Alderwoman Christine Fajardo to articulate the problem the proposal aimed to solve, Kantor stumbled, offering no coherent justification.

Their inability to defend the motion is unsurprising. Levasseur and Kantor have spent years dragging down our schools rather than supporting them. They seek to gut public education funding and hand power to party-line politicians in City Hall, many of whom seem to share a disdain for our school district.

Thankfully, Alderman Chris Morgan refused to enable this charade. He was joined by Aldermen Bill Barry, Jim Burkush, Dan O’Neil, Tony Sapienza, Christine Fajardo, and Dan Goonan in voting against Kantor’s motion, standing firmly with the community.

Their collective opposition exposed the amendment’s true intent: to dismantle public education, not improve it. While Levasseur and Kantor prioritize ideological warfare, these leaders prioritized Manchester’s future.

Hypocrisy is worth mentioning. Three of the six aldermen who supported this amendment (including Kelly Thomas and Joe Levasseur) have or had children in private schools. They will never feel the consequences of overcrowded classrooms, outdated resources, or programs gutted for the sake of political posturing. Their children are shielded while ours are left vulnerable. They don’t care if our kids suffer because theirs won’t be in the classrooms with less of what they need to thrive.

Levasseur and Kantor’s record is clear. They have never fought for Manchester’s public schools. Their coordinated effort to manipulate the budget process proves they view public education as a political weapon rather than a public good.I’d remind them both that public education is an enshrined right and that our children will not be used as pawns.

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