More than 30 Vermont school districts filed a lawsuit challenging the forced mergers the state has ordered them to make. Before voting on school budgets on Town Meeting Day, the districts involved in the lawsuit asked for a temporary injunction to allow merger proceedings to halt until the suit is resolved. But just one day before Town Meetings, a judge denied that request.
Now the districts have to move ahead with merger plans. And, unless the court rules in their favor or the legislature takes action, they will need to merge by July.
Due to the uncertainty around the situation, many of the towns in these districts did not vote on school budgets at all on Town Meeting Day.
Vermont Edition spoke to VPR's Peter Hirschfeld about the continuing debate and what comes next for these towns and school districts.
Broadcast live on Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
