One member of the budget committee has criticized the Salem School Board for not following nearby Hudson in challenging the state’s public kindergarten mandate in court.

“It just annoys me that the School Board is ignoring the law,” said Stephen Campbell, a 14-year member of Salem’s Budget Committee. “The (state) constitution says no unfunded mandates and they’re just going along and not challenging the state. I’m happy that Hudson has decided to stand up and do what is right.”

Though Superintendent Michael Delahanty agreed that implementing the program following legislation that included kindergarten in the definition of an adequate education, he said he is grateful the School Board opted against taking the state to court. He called Hudson’s lawsuit a “no-win case.”

“State level educators are calling for statewide publicly supported kindergarten and to think that there are nine districts without public supported kindergarten is a sad commentary,” he said. “I understand that Hudson doesn’t want to incur this expense, but it’s going to come. Sooner or later, it’s going to have to be done.”

Though the state will be paying the housing costs associated with starting a public kindergarten for the first three years and giving school districts $1,200 per pupil, Delahanty said Salem would be paying for the operational costs, which include hiring 10 new new teachers, additional staff and purchasing books, supplies and other curriculum materials.

The state is also offering to fund 75 percent of the price tag of building a permanent kindergarten facility down the line, according to Delahanty.

Despite the cost – hiring new teachers alone will add about $280,000 to the budget – Delahanty described beginning a kindergarten program as a “social obligation.”

“I believe we have an obligation to provide kindergarten,” he said. “It is the fundamentally the right thing to do. It will make a difference for the kids academically, and I believe we have a social obligation to decide it.”

Campbell is faulting the School Board for not putting the kindergarten program in a separate warrant article, which would allow voters in March to decide whether the town would institute a public program. The program is being rolled into the district’s operational budget.

“For me its a matter of principle,” said Campbell. “It’s an unfunded mandate and we shouldn’t let the state get away with breaking the constitution. Whether you agree with kindergarten or not, the people should be allowed to vote on it,” he said.

“That’s the thing the school board members aren’t doing. Those two things are wrong.”

Voters still have a chance to challenge the school board’s position at a deliberative session for the district’s budget on Thursday, Feb. 5. If enough voters opt to take kindergarten out of the budget, then Salem may have to follow Hudson in taking the state to court, Campbell said. Otherwise, kindergarten-aged students will be heading to school come September of next year.

“What are they afraid of? Let the people vote,” Campbell said.