When my children were little, it was important to me that they learn that “No means NO.” When their dad would tickle them and they’d yell, “Stop!” I insisted he stop, because “No means NO.”
When I teach Women’s Lit at Hopkinton High School, I make it clear in our discussions that violence against women is never okay, that “No means NO.”
On May 30, 949 Hopkinton voters voted “no” on the school budget compared to 770 who voted “yes.”
A local and verbally toxic group on Facebook has interpreted that “no” vote to mean, “We need a budget with a zero dollar increase.” That group would have the school stay at the 2019-20 budget, despite hundreds of thousands of dollars in increases due, mostly, to health care increases and the bond passed by 73% of voters in 2019.
I lived in Hopkinton for 17 years and I’ve taught there for 15 years; I know a lot of people in town. I’ve talked to a lot of people who voted.
Here’s a novel idea: What if some voted no on the budget because they thought it was too expensive (and that vocal, toxic group is taking all “no” votes to mean this), but what if others voted no on the budget because they thought it cut too much?
Maybe, in this case, “no” doesn’t always mean what we think it does. Maybe no means no more cuts – our schools cannot absorb such deep and damaging cuts.
What if?
TRISH WALTON
Henniker