The closure of the Agnes Gray School in West Paris remains a terribly disappointing development. The school is the heart of the community.

The administration of School Administrative District 17 has been far less than transparent about the process. To begin with, the school was allowed to go years without proper maintenance. Why?

Then, on a Tuesday in February of this year, the students were abruptly sent elsewhere because they were in a dangerous structure. Fine on Monday. Closed on Tuesday.

The meeting at the Legion Hall in West Paris was well orchestrated to limit citizen input and was basically a layout of a “plan” that had clearly been in the works for a long time.  Why all this careful management of what can be said by whom, both at public meetings and at the board level?

The uproar over this “quick” decision has caused division among the towns.  The administration may well succeed in its goal of closing not just Agnes Gray School, but other community schools as well.

We are told this will benefit the children. That is a matter of opinion. Many believe that children should have a chance to learn and play in their own community.

West Paris, Waterford, Harrison.  They may be small towns, but there are people who love them and who believe their young people deserve their own schools.

People in the smaller towns do not need to be lectured about their misgivings. Condescension is never a good public communication strategy.

Rodney Abbott, West Paris