Letter to the Editor - Resident says city needs to Pay it Forward

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Dear Editor:

The time has come, once again, for us to have the opportunity to provide a New Elementary School for the youngest members of our community. The safety and security of our youngest citizens is of utmost importance. School shootings are on the rise and people always think “that won’t happen here”, But guess what, it can and has happened in communities that they too thought could never happen there either. All students, regardless of physical ability, should be able to get to their classroom on their own. We owe it to our community to make all of our buildings handicap accessible so that everyone entering those doors ( young and old ) feel that they are welcome and not a nuisance. At one time, our community stepped up and made this happen for our youth and now it is our turn to do the same for the next generation and the generation that will follow. Our schools reflect directly on our community and the reflection we are showing right now is not the one that any of us want, a reflection of the past and not a path forward to the future. A new elementary school will show prospective employers and citizens how much we all really care about the place that each of us calls home.

A few people have been outspoken about how THEY believe the school misuses funds, but really does that make them right? Others don’t think that the school should be built where we have the land to put it. Does that make them right? Before making these statements, please take some time to ask and receive the correct information. School funding is a very complicated animal, I am sure that the district would be happy to sit down with you and show where all the funds are spent, and I know you will be pleasantly surprised to see they are doing the very best with the limited amount of money they have. The land that the district already owns is not a swamp and the middle school is not sliding down the hill, and again, I am sure that the district would be happy to sit down with you and show you the studies. We, as a community, need to put trust in Superintendent Slater and the School Board to make our schools great again, we did elect the board to do just that. I don’t have all the answers and I’m not portraying that I do, but I do know that for me it is time for our community to “Pay it forward” and vote YES for our youth and the betterment of our community, and I ask that you all will do the same.

Teresa Young,

Fort Madison

absentee, April 3, Elementary school, fort madison, letter to the editor, Pen City Current, school bond referendum, vote

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