Economic Education

I am wallowing in a sinusitis stupor. This makes it nearly impossible to think. Thinking is a huge effort. Sitting and staring is the only option.

I had to drag my poor, sorry butt out of the house yesterday morning. I did Nana's grocery shopping. She did not insist on this, but it always makes me more relaxed when I know her basic needs are met for a day or two. I picked up a few things for myself, English muffins, and wheat bread, a few tangelos, and more bananas. I have no appetite, and now I'm out of ginger ale and cranberry juice. It's easier to fast. And besides, to obtain sustenance, I would have to pry myself out of the chair and crawl to the kitchen.

While I was out, I also voted. This is the first "special election" that I can remember. I'm sure I've participated in one or another before, but I'll be damned if I can recall. In a nutshell, the school board has come up with an ambitious plan to renovate and improve our educational facilities. This will involve millions of dollars in loans to be repaid by increased taxes - hugely increased taxes.

Now, to put the finances in context, the previous board did not increase taxes for close to a decade. There was a huge fiasco a few years ago while building a new grade school - astronomical cost over runs, accusations of unethical financial doings. A new elementary school was completed. Two small outdated community grade school buildings were demolished, and, I believe the properties sold or leased. We are not a particularly affluent community. Agrarian, lower middle class, small business, we are in the midst of a housing boom, or were, until the economy went south.

The proposal we are voting for or against is to be coveted. State of the art buildings designed to progress with the anticipated future and wonderful athletic fields and facilities. Truly an administrative and parental dream. The plan is well thought out and was presented concisely, accurately, and professionally. I want the best for our progeny, I had determined to vote yes.

There is no argument that the district's buildings and resources need to be drastically updated. But, I began to wonder if the proposal isn't based, in part, on the projected moneyed transplants that are the potential residents of the new, unfinished, construction-stalled developments. Or the very special interests of Apriltown borough, that insists on replacing their outdated and damaged elementary school instead of being absorbed into the larger community and attending the existing elementary buildings located not 5 miles away.

As a result of the input of a much respected former superintendent, I began to question the direction of the project. Was it conceived and directed for the educational enhancement of our children, or was the focus based on selling points to entice a more lucrative financial base to our area? Are we in competition with the affluent districts in the county? And is that a legitimate requirement for our students' life development and success?

Are we justified in our demands of "our children deserve the best" while running roughshod over our elderly population, whose children are grown, and who face further ravishes to their already insecure financial future. As Daughter pointed out, is this a message we want to send to our children? Isn't it better to work for what you want, to creatively achieve your goals and desires instead of having things handed to you - by requiring an element of the constituency to sacrifice what they've previously struggled for? What does our public educational system "owe" us? And, what do we have the "right" to demand?

I voted "no". "No" carried the day. Now, the school board will have to go back to the drawing board - and we will have another referendum. Just as the "nos" cried universal economic ruin, the "yeses" are screaming educational collapse - cuts in athletic programs, silence in the music department, nothing but black canvas for art, suspension of bus service. I choose to have confidence that a compromise will be reached that will provide adequately for our children, encourage our creativity and volunteerism to make up deficits, and teach life lessons that are far more valuable than, "our buildings are better than your buildings".

One can hope.....