To the Editor,

This is an open letter to the Superintendent of Schools of the Wareham School District, the School Committee and to the citizens, parents and taxpayers of this community.

Over the last two months or so, a lot of events have unfolded to undermine our school department.

Let's go back to the beginning when the food service division and its employees were informed of the administration's intention of outsourcing their jobs, but as an enticement, a $10,000 retirement package was offered.

Some felt intimidated by this. These hard-working people were put in a difficult position because of misinformation and the loss of their pensions for which they worked so hard.

Some have retired. Soon after, the administration decided not to outsource these positions. My question: If you had the funds to pay for all these retirements, why wasn't this funding put against the debt that the food service had accumulated? Or was this a stunt to scare these people with intimidation?

On to other things. The custodial department was another target of this administration. Another group of hard-working men and women have been thrown under the bus (not school) with their livelihoods threatened with outsourcing.

The administration decided with their mind games to forego their plan to contract out custodial services until after the contract expires (in 2015). With total disregard for these people, our superintendent went back on her word and brought in a cleaning company in spite of everything else.

I feel this head of the school department is a loose cannon and needs to be reminded you cannot do whatever you want without consequences. There also needs to be an answer given to the parents and taxpayers for the over $5,000 in packing material for moving teachers around.

Additional costs were incurred moving cartons of books and furniture across town. By the way, some teachers at Decas and possibly Minot packed up to move next door in their school.

Madam Superintendent, with the dire straits and financial constraints, you spend freely. You are looking at a pay raise, based upon your performance. You should be looking at a pay cut (until this crisis is over). Practice what you preach while you're trying to bust unions.

Let us move onto investing in our children and the buildings in which they learn. Most importantly, the physical condition of the E wing of the Decas School where the roof leaks.

My question is: Why, while voting to fund a new roof for the high school (which also leaks), was the Decas School E wing not brought up? Isn't the health and well being of young children important? The days of patching a roof so it can leak again should be over.

Again, for you taxpayers/parents, your children should be in a clean and healthy environment.

Arthur Sandland
Retired Custodian