Stephanie and Chris Goodwin
Several comments in social media and elsewhere have indicated that people are voting “No” on the proposed March LCSD operating levy because our district needs to “learn to live within its means” and that the new levy continues to reflect “wants, not needs.” One person went so far as to argue that our district budget should be “beans and rice,” suggesting that anything more than a minimum investment in education was too much.
We want our child to have a smorgasbord of educational opportunities.
We want to go on the record that we want more for our child than a “beans and rice” education. We want our child to have a smorgasbord of educational opportunities, to be able to sample from a tasty buffet of curricular offerings, to be supported by “chef” teachers who are masters of their disciplinary cuisines. That doesn’t mean we believe our child is entitled to a “Michelin 5-star” education. But we absolutely want more than beans and rice.
If you want your child to have more than a beans-and-rice education, we encourage you to consider the impact the recently-failed November levy has already had on our schools – including the loss of 5 high school teachers (i.e., ~30 course offerings!) next year, the loss of 8 additional district teachers over the next 4 years, and the loss of funds to renew curricular materials. All of these resources have already been lost from our schools’ menu as a result of the last failed levy. If the March levy also fails, we may see that “beans and rice” reality begin to come to fruition. The school district is already engaged in planning for the worst – which includes loss of bus service for some, and additional reductions that will necessarily have an even greater impact on the quality of education.
If the March levy also fails, we may see that “beans and rice” reality begin to come to fruition.
Could our children “survive” on a beans-and-rice education? Possibly. But we’re not ashamed to say that we want more than basic educational survival for our child. We want him to thrive in the future economy, to be confident and successful in choosing a career path, and to live a life that provides more than the minimum for his own family. And that requires investing in education both now and in the future. Our district is already making cuts that will negatively impact students. We cannot expect our schools to maintain current levels of success, much less to improve, if we continue to cut resources. That’s why we’re voting “Yes” in March. This levy (for operating expenses only) will ensure our district maintains resources without further cuts. When you consider your own decision in March, we hope you’ll join us and others who are voting “Yes” to ensure our children continue to be nourished by a rich curriculum supported by excellent teachers who care about their education. Our children, and theirs, deserve more than a beans-and-rice education.
Stephanie and Chris Goodwin live in the Hidden Creek Neighborhood
