Last week, just a few weeks after submitting their permitting application, the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School leadership attended the Oak Bluffs planning board meeting, and during the public comment part of the meeting, assistant superintendent Richard Smith read a passage from the Dover Amendment. Essentially, this amendment says that the law exempts agricultural, religious and educational corporations from zoning restrictions. In other words, the high school claimed that they intend to circumvent the standard, municipal site plan review process. It is our understanding that the Dover Amendment could be applied to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission as well.

We disagree with the high school’s approach. This is not a path of transparency. Nor is it setting a good precedent.

We recognize and appreciate that, like us, everyone wants what is best for our Island and for our kids. But a divided community and no due process is not what is best for this Island or for our kids. To reach a solution we can all get behind, we hope that our educational leadership demonstrates respect for the public review process, abide by municipal regulations, and model civil debate.

Mollie Doyle, Dardanella Slavin, Rebekah Thomson

Chilmark and West Tisbury