Something on your mind? Tell us about it! Write a letter to the editor! Submit yours to westside@columbusmessenger.com.
We are the frog in the pot
The only thing scarier than the President of the United States of America dictating who may or may not be a the CEO of a major corporation is the silence of the American people as he does so.
As a people, we have become the proverbial frog in the pot.
Becky Lusignolo-McGlone
Columbus
Schools should be run like a business
Voters like me are asking South-Western to run the school district using good business practices and to employ fiscal restraint in tough economic.
School districts need to be run like businesses with public transparency and fiscal management that produces a great product at a reasonable price; in this case a well-educated student that graduates. We expect excess waste to be eliminated, including excess salaries for positions that could be covered by a fewer number of employees.
Students are not punished by having their leaders make wise financially constrained decisions. My husband and I have to make wise financial decisions daily for our household to run well. We want the district to do the same. We’ve lived in our current home 20 years and our property taxes have risen 300percent during that time, with the majority of the increase from district levies.
Yes, trimming down the budget may mean loss of jobs, including teachers and administrators, but welcome to the real world. As private companies and local and state governments continue to make their job and salary cuts, so may the schools to maintain fiscal solvency. Teachers do make a good income and like many, many, other professions may have to spend their own money for job related items. I know I do.
Again, welcome to the real world.
Rebecca Davis
Orient
Look at the big picture for students
In 2005 , I was a sophomore at Franklin Heights High School. My goal was to become a music educator, but because of school funding, the South-Western school district was faced with the possibility of cuts, including extracurricular activities. This meant no band or advance placement classes. Without these courses, the probability of receiving any scholarship money was bleak.
Because of the support of my community the levy did pass. I was able to list extracurricular activities on my college and scholarship applications - including all state honors band, national honor society, French club, marching and jazz band. Without the passage of the 2005 levy, I would not have these opportunities in high school.
In 2007, I received a music scholarship to Capital University, where I am currently a music education major.
Four years later, the district is faced with the possibility of the same cuts. There are 21,000 children who need you to vote yes on Issue 15. The children of SWCS need the chance to compete for the same college opportunities that I have had.
Look at the big picture for the students - not just today and tomorrow, but include their future.
Robert Ragland Jr.
Columbus
Why should the taxpayer suffer?
I would like to respond to the letter that recently appeared in the Messenger offering support for the upcoming levy for South-Western City Schools.
I don’t know about you, but whether working, retired or on a fixed income, it is hard to exist in today’s economy. I have supported levies in the past, just to watch the district ask for more. They promise that the levy will carry them through until a given time. It never seems to.
Perhaps the focus of district leaders should be on education, not on new buildings, activities or sports. If a child wants to succeed, they will do it with or without the modern extras. When I went to school, we did not have carpet, air conditioning or new buildings; but we made it through.
People say “don’t let the students suffer.” Well, don’t make the taxpayers suffer either. We’ve worked our whole lives and still pay property taxes and will continue to do so. Shouldn’t we get a break too?
Star Thompson
Grove City
This generation is not expendable
If Issue 15, the proposed 8.3 mill operating levy for SWCS is not passed by voters on May 5, the district will have to implement cuts.
Those of us who have children in this district are already preparing ourselves for the budget reductions that we know will be taking place regardless of the levy passing - things such as paying for our own summer school and losing several key staff members.
What we are not prepared for is losing all extra curricular activities. Yes, all of them. No Friday night football, no band concerts, no choir concerts or drama. Buildings will be closed directly after school so no one will be allowed to use the buildings.
What does it mean to lose the many teachers and support staff slated for the chopping block? How is it possible to lose this much staff and not have the education of our children affected? The answer is, it is not possible. We can just march our kids off to school under the assumption that they will not be getting the well rounded education we had growing up.
I am one parent who is not prepared for this to happen. This generation of children is not expendable. We can prevent the worst from happening by voting for issue 15.