In “New paint, and hard work ahead” (Op-ed, Oct. 13), Carlo Rotella can’t help but take a cheap shot at my family, abutters to his newly reopened and renovated Brookline school. Like other parents, Rotella is proud of his school and the actions taken to get it built.

As Rotella states, the renovation was contentious; what began with good intentions deteriorated when the project’s dimensions were determined to be disproportionately large for the site. When abutters asked for design mitigation, town officials acted with impunity and exempted the project from zoning. My neighbors and I sought the rule of law and our rights, yet we were bullied and vilified.