If you vote no…
To the editor,
If you vote no regarding the school bond issue on Sept. 13, these are just a few messages you are sending to the community.
You are saying “No” to secure access points and security systems. You are telling the students and teachers that their safety is not important to you.
You are saying, “No” to handicap accessibility. You are telling students with disabilities that they will not have full access to their school and education.
You are saying, “No” to proper ventilation, heating, and cooling. You are telling students and teachers that they should keep breathing harmful dusts and molds. Their health is not important to you.
You are saying, “No” to reducing school bus costs. You’re telling students that it’s OK to spend lengthy amounts of time on the bus before and after school. You’re saying that you want to keep using huge amounts of fuel and money to bus kids from building to building to building. Do you think their time is better spent elsewhere besides on a bus?
You are saying, “No” to energy efficient buildings. You are telling the community that you aren’t interested in lowering utility bills and reducing your carbon footprint for generations to come.
You are saying, “No” to proper classroom accommodations and class sizes. You’re telling the students and teachers that their learning and work environments are unimportant to you. You have no interest in progressive education.
You are saying, “No” to community betterment. There is a huge push in Greene County right now to create jobs and increase population. There are efforts to build housing, revitalize the Jefferson square, build community centers in surrounding towns, maintain libraries, and more. The school is huge part of this. Some families come into town, look at the school situated in five different buildings and choose to live elsewhere. So many people have worked so hard to build momentum in positive direction for this entire county, don’t let the momentum stop here.
You are saying, “No” to a small tax increase if you own property. If the bond fails, repairs to the existing buildings will be far more costly than the current bond issue at stake. You are telling your kids and grandkids that their education is not worth a monetary investment on your part. This bond is never going to be less expensive than it is now. Labor, material, and construction costs will only go up in the future.
If you vote “No” these are just a few of the messages you are sending to our students and teachers – and more importantly, the future people of Greene County. Are you sure these are the messages you want to send your kids, grandkids, neighbors and friends? Are these the messages your parents and grandparents sent you?
These are NOT the messages I will be sending on Sept. 13 when I VOTE YES for the school bond. People, join me in sending the correct message to the future of Greene County. VOTE YES!
Amber Lawton, Jefferson
