Letter to the Editor: State Money for the High School Isn't Going to Happen
Town meeting Member Monte Pearson shares his thoughts on the futility of waiting for state money to address Burlington High School
To the Editor:
There is no way that the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA for those in the know) is going to give Burlington millions of dollars to renovate our high school. The School Committee has requested a grant 13 times since 2011 and each time MSBA has said – No. Why? Because lots of schools in Massachusetts ask them for grant help. To determine who gets grant assistance, the MSBA has rules. One of their top rules is the school must face a problem with overcrowding.
Burlington High School was built for about 2,000 students – currently there are about 950 students there. The school is not overcrowded and never will be.
When the School Committee asked for money to relieve overcrowding at the Marshall Simonds Middle School in 2009, we got a grant. When the School Committee asked for money to relieve overcrowding at the Fox Hill School in 2022, we got a grant. The MSBA is consistent with its rules, no amount of talk about Burlington deserving a grant will change that outcome. Waiting for the MSBA to give us money for a high school project is like Linus in the Charlie Brown comic, waiting for the Great Pumpkin to show up and give little kids presents.
Linus has been waiting for nearly 60 years – should we wait that long for a renovated high school?
Sincerely,
Monte Pearson
5 Willow Way
Town Meeting Member, resident for 33 years
