The Sagamore reached out to K-12 METCO Coordinator Suzie Talukdar for comment after a Dec. 4 meeting of the Override Study Committee.

Sag: What are your major concerns about budget cuts?

Talukdar: Budgets cut can be devastating to any program, including METCO. Budget cuts hold the potential to result in eliminating staffing and services for the Brookline METCO Program.

Sag: What did you think about the meeting tonight and how town meeting is handling the budget situation in general?

Talukdar: Tonight’s Override Study Committee was intended to discuss programs that are not required of the Public Schools. Though METCO was not discussed in detail, I have informed members of the Committee that I am available to answer questions or provide more information regarding the Brookline METCO Program.

Sag: After the meeting, there was a lot of discussion between you and some METCO supporters who attended tonight’s meeting. Do you have any comments on that?

Talukdar: After the meeting, I wanted to let friends and families of the METCO program know how much I appreciate their support of the program. It is always heartening to know that METCO has an impact on the lives of all families and children served, both from Boston and Brookline. Their presence was a sign that they would like for programs like METCO to remain in Brookline as it provides the opportunity for a quality integrated public school education for students of color (from Boston and for suburban students in participating communities. Further, it offers the opportunity for deeper understanding, collaboration, and sharing between urban and suburban parents/guardians, students, and community members.

Sarah Gladstone can be contacted at [email protected].