I have receive contact from people who are for the override and against the override in regards to “Massachusetts Stand for Children,” www.stand.org/ma. From what I understand, people on both sides of the issue have been in touch with each other about getting together after the override vote is over to see what they could do together to work on a state level.

I could not be more pleased.

My feeling is that “Massachusetts Stand for Children” has already “invented the wheel,” so to speak. The organization is already 85 communities strong, and there is definitely strength, as well as good old political “know how” in “numbers.” 85 communities already involved in the same fight for educational funding and reform sure works for me.

And I was also enormously pleased to see that at tonight’s forum on the override, which is now sponsored by the Newburyport Daily News, along with the Newburyport Chamber of Commerce and the Newburyport Education Business Coalition, that both sides of the override issue would be represented as part of the discussion.

According to the Newburyport Daily News, May 17, 2007, former City Councilors Brenda Reffett and John Norris, who head up the “kNOw Newburyport” effort will now be on the panel.

Who says democracy doesn’t work.

The forum on the school override will be from 7 to 8:30 PM at the Newburyport High School, today, Thursday, May 17, 2007.

And whether you are for or against the override, or simply won’t know until voting day arrives, for goodness sakes VOTE on Tuesday, May 22, 2007. It is one of the privileges that we as citizens of the USA are blessed to have.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport