Letter to the Editor - President's budget cuts afterschool program

To the Editor:

Some 6,500 children in Montana would lose their afterschool program, if the budget proposal from the president sent to Congress on Monday makes it into law.

Despite years of research proving that afterschool and summer-learning programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and help relieve working parents of worries about what their children are up to in the afternoon hours and during long summer days, the President’s budget would eliminate the 21st Century Community Learning Centers. That’s the principal federal funding stream for afterschool and summer learning programs and, without it, some 1.7 million children across the nation will lose the afterschool programs their families rely on.

That’d be a tragedy. Children would be left without supervision. They’d lose terrific learning opportunities, particularly in the STEM subject — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — where afterschool programs excel.

Our 21st Century grant at the Boys & Girls Club is indispensable. Without it, it’s not clear we could continue with all of our programs. We certainly couldn’t serve as many children as we do now, not without some other source of funding.

Fortunately, Congress doesn’t have to rubber-stamp the President’s afterschool mistake. I urge our members of Congress to increase, not eliminate, federal funding for afterschool programs.

Tim Brurud

Director, Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line