By Gregory Arnold, Contributing Writer
Shrewsbury – A hot topic in Shrewsbury this spring has been a proposed Proposition 2-1/2 override. On Tuesday, June 3, voters will go to the polls to vote on a $5.5 million override, which if approved, would add $4.2 million to the School Department's budget; the remainder would go to ?various municipal departments and the capital budget.
On May 23, students at the Al-Hamra Academy debated the question themselves.
The 21 students participating in the debate were in grades six through eight and are all on the school's debate team. Prior to the debate the students heard presentations allowing them to hear both sides of the issue. The Responsible Taxation for Shrewsbury Group offered reasons against the vote while Community Supporters for Shrewsbury gave the affirmative opinion. Students were then assigned either the affirmative side or the opposition side.
The students debated the issue fluently and assertively under the mediation of several teachers for this, their final debate of the year.
Photos/Gregory Arnold