Thursday, April 27, 2006

Saul Seigel is the chairman of the group called Worthington Community for Schools.

As I approach the end of my eighth decade of life, the realization of how important a good education is to each generation has become ingrained into my very being.

As a resident of the Worthington community, it is evident that the children in the Worthington school system are now receiving such an education.

As someone who has volunteered in the Worthington schools, I have a lot of confidence in the teachers and administration who are employed by the legally elected school board, which I also believe in.

I have met the members of the school board and they are all residents of the school district who also are affected by the tax levies. They work long hours for very little pay. They do it because they care for the community.

Over the years, I have heard many excuses to not vote for a school levy. The reasons sound all the same no matter what school district you visit. Some blame the teachers and administration, others blame the school board, and still others say if they vote no, they will send a message to the legislature.

Recently, many have even complained about how the teachers pay schedule is set up. This type of pay schedule is used by virtually every school system in the state because it meets the state law requirement that teachers' pay recognizes experience and education.

The reality is that a lot of people seek only to rationalize doing something that will only hurt the kids. To vote no will hurt no one but the kids. Programs and opportunities will be cut to balance the budget.

It seems that in this race, rhetoric has replaced trying to look at the accurate facts of the situation. The facts can easily be found in the campaign literature that most Worthington residents have received in the mail.

Over recent years, the administration has already made cuts totaling $22-million in an attempt to continue to provide a good education and still answer the critics who complain about spending money to educate the community's children.

I am the father of three children and the grandfather of six. Someone paid to educate my children and I have no problem paying taxes to educate the children of this community.

I live in this community because of the excellent quality of life, a quality of life enhanced by the excellent school system.

As a senior citizen living in this excellent community, I realize that it costs money to continue to have an excellent school system. The people who complain the loudest seem to have forgotten the reason they moved into Worthington in the first place, the excellent schools. Our school system here in Worthington is truly a gem and all people have to do to appreciate that fact is to read the paper and see the turmoil many other school districts are experiencing even right here in the county.

If the opponents of the levy would spend as much time writing to their legislators and demanding changes to how schools are funded as they did trying to avoid paying more taxes, we might really see changes take place.

I and those working on the levy would welcome these people to help us persuade the legislature to make changes that will help senior citizens living on tight budgets, without hurting the kids.

The reality is that any meaningful changes in school funding, and in effect taxation, will have to come from our state legislature. It cannot come from the school board because they are bound by state law.

It is time for the rhetoric to end and for the residents of the district to take a positive stand for the children of our community. Please vote yes on Issue 5 to maintain the excellent programs now in place in our schools.

It is far better to spend a hundred dollars on education, than spend one dollar to take care of those who have a poor education through entitlements.

Many kids leave this school system and go on to become doctors, attorneys, accountants, architects, businessmen and women, and leaders. This is only possible because of our community's tradition of supporting education. This has to continue.