BOARD TO VOTE ON SCHOOL CLOSING AT FEB. 16 MEETING

[Stan Austin]

Bret Polka playing accordions are illegal. It's an obscure ordinance dating to the Rockport Township days.
Stan

[Danielle Masters]

What message does it give our kids if we don't pass the operating levy? I don't think it gives a good message to them especially since the operating levy affects the here and now. The decisions should not be linked. We need to think about the kids and support the levy.

[Ahmie Yeung]

I am a former public school teacher, married to a public school teacher, and a product of public schools for my entire 1st-12th grade education except for one semester in 7th grade. I support operating levies, usually without a second thought. This time it's something that's getting a lot of thought and discussion in our household, though, because we have lost faith and trust in the fiscal management and decision-making abilities of the people controlling the spending of those levy dollars. 99% sure we're going to vote for the operating levy anyway, but that 1% doubt is a very uncomfortable thing and I've never had it before (especially spending grades 8-12 in Parma, where they are notorious about not passing levies to the point Parma SHS was turning the hallway lights off during classes and keeping the thermostat set to 60 in the winter to save money - resulting in the risk of students falling down stairs if they needed a restroom or got called to the office during class and lots of shivering inside the classes with exterior windows).

We are devoted to supporting our schools via the operating levy. I'm not quite so sure about our neighbors holding the same opinion, and since the board has not given any rational explaination of their decision, I don't think they should logically trust rational behavior at the polls from the affected people. Other parents who have a different history with school levies may show up and vote against it. I would hate to see that happen, but it is a logical outcome of the current climate - economic as well as political - and it's a fire I really wish the school board wouldn't be playing with right now.


Ahmie

[Ryan Patrick Demro]

The Board made this decision and every decision has a consequence. I have never voted against a school levy. This will probably be the first. I refuse to reward politicians for this type of behavior. Where are their heads? They were bold to do this in what is arguably the biggest wave of voter discontent in recent history. THEY killed the levy, let them explain it to the kids. As an aside, a levy failed in 1993 when I was at LHS. It was pretty much business as usual then and probably will be if this one fails too. Make them earn your trust in November.

Keep in mind local elections are generally won or lost within margins of less than 500 votes. Have they changed the minds of 500 people? I can think of 20

[Rhonda loje]

by Ahmie Yeung: because we have lost faith and trust in the fiscal management and decision-making abilities of the people controlling the spending of those levy dollars. 99% sure we're going to vote for the operating levy anyway, but that 1% doubt is a very uncomfortable thing and I've never had it before

I am wrestling with the same uncomfortable feeling.

Rhonda

[sharon kinsella]

I'm with the two of you and this truly makes me sad.

I can't seem to be able to trust them.

[Grace O'Malley]

Talking with neighbors and friends leads me to believe that this levy will be a hard sell. Not one person I've discussed this with is planning to vote for the levy.

They seem to understand the distinction between the levy and the bond issue, with most planning to continue to vote to finish the building project, but the operating levy is another story.

Most mentioned the economy but I was surprised at the people who were concerned over the closing of Grant, considering that most did not have school age children.

I think this does not bode well for the levy.