It’s been a long time since I have seen a issue in Newburyport, MA that is as divisive as the upcoming vote tonight regarding the spring override for the Newburyport schools, at tonight’s Newburyport City Council meeting.

No matter how the vote goes at tonight’s Newburyport City Council meeting, the world as we know it will not end, the City of Newburyport will not come to a halt, people will not leave the City of Newburyport, MA in droves.

What has happened, however, is that neighbors are pitted against neighbors, families are pitted against families, hard working folks trying to work for the good of Newburyport, MA are barely speaking to each other. Sometimes they are not speaking to each other at all.

Threats and dire predictions of Newburyport’s future, on both sides of the issue have been made. The Newburyport community seems to be consumed and fracture by this issue.

Empathy and reason appear to be in the wind.

And to me, this is a tragedy.

Is this issue so important and life altering that it is worth it for this state of affairs have taken place?

Frankly, I don’t think so.

And no matter how the vote goes tonight, it is my great hope, that we as a community would be able to put this issue in perspective. And the venom and blame that I hear, would have a chance of being put aside.

It’s simply not worth it folks.

And most selfishly, I would be able to stop monitoring my phone calls, and be able to stop holding my breath and close my eyes every time I check my email.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport