School Levy

["Barbara Richardson" <edc@moscow.com>]

Visionaries,

As all of you know, the quality of education in a community is directly
related to the economic development that will occur in the community.
However, unlike a for-profit business, you cannot tell the quality of your
product until 12 years out.  The children who are graduating (or not
graduating) in 2001-2002 - did not receive full exposure to the positive
changes in the district over the past 5 or 6 years.  Consequently, we cannot
really determine the success of the district for another 5 or 6 years.  I
have lived in Moscow for 1 year and I have heard many positives and
negatives concerning the schools, the NEA, the superintendent, etc.  It
amazes me that almost word for word I have heard these same
complaints/praises in Rockford, Illinois (population 150,000) and Biloxi, MS
(population 50,000).  Many of the problems faced by the Moscow Public
Schools are national in nature.  Parents all over the country are opting for
home-schooling, private schools, vouchers, charter schools, etc.  Leaving
the public school system with fewer students with greater needs.

I suggest that it would be best for the community, as a whole, to stop
placing blame (whether deserved or underserved) and determine what type of
school district we want and work together towards that end.  I commend CQE
for taking the lead in working towards a positive solution to this difficult
issue.

Barbara Richardson

winmail.dat