It’s that time again when everyone comes out and bashes the Stamford Public Schools and its budget. Here’s a question I genuinely wish more people would ask before trashing our schools and our school budget:
What do you think this does to the value of our homes?
Strong schools are one of the single biggest drivers of home values. When a community supports its schools, invests in them, and talks about them with pride, families want to move there. Demand goes up. Home values rise. Everyone benefits.
When we constantly tear down our schools, complain about every dollar, and paint a picture of dysfunction, what message are we sending?
To young families deciding where to live?
To professionals relocating?
To people looking to invest in Stamford long-term?
Why would anyone choose to move here if all they see online is negativity about our schools?
There’s a reason our wealthier neighboring towns attract so many young families. They promote their schools. They support capital improvements. They understand that investing in education today pays dividends in property values for decades.
And here’s the part that really matters:
When people — especially young people — read these comments, they’re not just forming an opinion about a budget line. They’re forming an opinion about whether this is a community worth joining.
We can debate priorities. We should ask tough questions. That’s healthy.
But endlessly trashing our schools doesn’t punish “the system.”
It hurts our kids.
It hurts our reputation.
And ultimately, it hurts the value of every home in this city.
Supporting strong schools isn’t just good education policy.
It’s smart community and economic policy.
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