To the Editor,

As last weekend’s historic “No Kings” protests made clear, we are in unprecedented times. Our freedoms and values are on the line. Under the current administration, the federal government has targeted causes important to many Newton residents, including civil rights, DEI efforts, and the protection and wellbeing of immigrant and other marginalized communities.

It was heartening to see the record-breaking numbers of people who showed up both locally and nationally to speak out and be counted. In Newton, an estimated 2,500 people, including Mayor Laredo and other local officials, crowded Newton Centre. This mobilization not only demonstrates opposition to the federal government’s actions but also reminds us that we live in a community of shared values, including belonging and inclusion.

It’s against this backdrop of federal threats against marginalized communities that DEI is on the chopping block in Newton Public Schools.

The proposed budget would slash the DEI Director’s position, gutting an office already hollowed out by previous budget cuts and eroding NPS’s commitment to equity and belonging. It is difficult to fathom that we are facing cuts to our own DEI efforts, for which many in our community have advocated, at the very moment DEI is squarely under attack by an administration most Newtonians voted against.

This cut would be a shame for Newton, as it contradicts the values we claim to uphold and the promise that every student can thrive in our schools.

Rielle Montague
West Newton

Angela Brooks
Newton Centre