To the Editor:

I am writing in response to the recent article in the January issue regarding the tentative agreement between the Wrentham School Committee and the Wrentham Educators’ Association (January 1, 2026, page 5). 

I am deeply troubled by the suggestion that gender played any role in the committee’s negotiations or final offer. That implication is both false and unfair to the dedicated individuals, myself included, who volunteered countless hours to reach an agreement that meaningfully advances compensation and benefits for educators while remaining fiscally responsible to the community. 

School Committee Chair Phil Jordan is a father of three daughters, a longtime advocate for equity, and someone whose values are rooted in fairness and respect. Four of the five School Committee members are women, including a former president of the Wrentham Educators’ Association. To suggest that sexism influenced this committee’s work ignores both the facts and the people involved. 

In the agreement, paraprofessionals received a 22.5 percent increase over three years, including an immediate 15 percent raise that moves Wrentham from the bottom of comparable districts to the middle. Teachers at the top of the salary scale will earn more than their peers in surrounding districts. Educators are also the only Town employees who will receive paid parental leave, a benefit included in this contract. These gains were achieved within the existing town budget, without the need for a tax override. 

It is also important to clarify several misleading comparisons. Police, fire, and DPW all received the same 7.5 percent increase over three years. Custodians received 9 percent. Paraprofessionals received more than double that. Claims that educators were treated differently do not align with the actual numbers. 

The funding that was mentioned for an MSBA-supported school building project and for recreational fields comes from entirely different sources and follows different rules. As the father of three girls, Chair Jordan’s vocal support at the November Town Meeting for recreational fields stems from a real concern about the lack of available field space for sports in our community, including those for girls. Municipal finance does not allow money to be casually shifted from one category to another. Suggesting otherwise misrepresents how public budgeting works and oversimplifies decisions that require careful management of taxpayer dollars. 

Progress does not require perfection to be effective. This agreement represents meaningful movement after months of difficult negotiations and reflects compromise, good faith, and responsible stewardship. 

Throughout this process, the verbal attacks and unfounded insinuations directed at committee members have been both surprising and hurtful. We are parents, neighbors, former educators, and unpaid volunteers who serve because we care deeply about this town. I have served our community for six years, including through some of its most challenging moments. As a former teacher, I understand and respect the work our educators do, and that respect guided my approach throughout this process. 

With three meetings remaining in my term, I am proud of the work we have done and the integrity with which we have done it. Our committee acted thoughtfully, transparently, and in the best interest of the community. It is my hope that we can move beyond the divisions this process has created and return to our shared purpose of supporting Wrentham’s students and those who educate them. 

Veronica Gonzalez 

Wrentham School Committee