I have been remiss in my lack of posting recently but when I read this in today’s opinion section in the Seattle PI I had to at least let you know and link to it. The article is called, “Public Education: Let the people vote.”
As I’ve written about previously, my children both started kindergarten this year and we’re investing all of our time and energy into their school—their public school. My husband and I are both products of a public school education and have been very committed to making this work for our own children. There are many reasons both from a social perspective as well as a monetary one. It has always been important to us as parents, to have our children in an environment that at least “simulates” the real world while at the same time not sacrificing academic excellence or social responsibility. We found that in the school they are now attending—Orca. While there are larger class sizes than their previous private school, somehow they have managed to include and maintain strength in programs outside of pure academics. Classes like art, environmental sciences (they actually have a curriculum that includes weekly time spent in their greenhouse and garden) PE etc.
Recently there was a bond and levy vote that came before Seattle voters. For both to pass—and passing means maintaining many of these excellent programs—the state required a “super majority.” I personally take strong exception with this notion. Seattle voters don’t even require a super majority to pass legislation around new stadiums but we require it for something as important as our children’s education? As a parent of children in public school and a tax payer this is terribly wrong. What do you think?
Posted on February 16th, 2007 by Sam
Filed under: Uncategorized
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