I am a Danbury parent and taxpayer and proud supporter of the Danbury Public Schools. I am strongly opposed to a privately managed charter school in Danbury.

We need and deserve local oversight for public schools, and yes we must hold our schools accountable. That’s why we have a democratically elected local Board of Education. Our taxes — state and local — must be used to pay for the schools that are charged with educating all of our city’s students, not the select few that might be chosen to attend a privately managed charter school. Danbury knows what’s best for our students and families, not Hartford, and not a company that is currently operating out of Brooklyn.

In addition, there are far too many unanswered questions about who will pay for the multiple buildings the Brooklyn-based private management company requires to house the proposed school. Who will own the buildings? Who will pay to bring them up to code? Who will pay for continued maintenance and improvements on these facilities? This cannot be shouldered by the taxpayers of Danbury because it will be at the expense of the public schools we already have.

The state of Connecticut has a responsibility to provide funding for local public schools, not force a community to accept a privately managed school and give up local control and oversight in return for more seats. Danbury is currently ranked dead last in Connecticut — 169th out of 169 districts — in per pupil expenditure. This is outrageous and unacceptable. We are one of, if not the, fastest growing districts in the state and funding has not come close to keeping up with our needs.

We must hold our elected officials accountable and demand that they work to secure fair funding for all of our children, not shirk responsibility by allowing a private management company to come in and set up shop. Danbury children deserve better from the city and the state.

Christina Sweeney

Danbury