I read with interest your July 19 story about the debate between the parents and students over the Marlboro middle schools’ Florida trip. I have also learned that at this week’s Board of Education meeting, notwithstanding the opinions of the parents and students, the board voted to limit this year’s trip to 2.5 days, a far cry from performing on stage in Disney World or attending workshops with highly trained Disney staff members.
I am only sorry that the majority of the board members did not have the nerve to stand up and make their own decisions. Rather, they felt they had no choice but to support the recommendation of the superintendent of schools, no matter how misguided and unsubstantiated that decision was.
If Dr. David Abbott is allowed to make unilateral decisions and the rest of the board cannot, or will not, oppose him, what then is the point of having the rest of the board?
Clearly, this is a situation where for whatever reason, Dr. Abbott decided that the trips to Florida should be cancelled and he made sure that his decision became the board’s decision, all at the expense of the hard-working members of the middle school jazz band and show choir.
As one concerned parent succinctly put it at last week’s board meeting, “First the residents of Marlboro were raped by their corrupt officials who are now facing jail time … now we are being raped by the Board of Education, too!”
Cyndi Bleier
Marlboro