Your Opinion: Response to Durham on education issues

Dear Editor:

I would like to respond to Mr. Durham's letter to the editor posted April 17. He states he would like to see this school district build two high schools. He also states his disappointment regarding the school board incumbents were re-elected because they are "incapable of giving consideration to ideas they are not prepared to accept. They won't listen."

Let's be honest here. Most of the people who voted on April 2 were not voting for one high school or two high schools. They were voting against increased taxes. Because in the end, most people are concerned about their pocket books.

If my theory is correct and most of the people voted against a 55-cent increase, it's hard for me to believe the voters of this district would go back to the polls and vote yes on a $1 or more increase. Let's just say for argument's sake that operating and building two high schools could be done for the same 55 cents, the majority of the voters would still vote no because a tax increase affects them negatively and that's their main concern.

I, personally, know the incumbents who were re-elected to this school board. I believe those people care deeply about this school district and about giving the children of this school district the best possible opportunities that the taxpayers are willing to pay for. I do believe they listened to the voters of the school district when they said, "Do not raise our taxes any higher than you have to."

As I said and I have said multiple times in my letters to the editor, it really makes no difference whether we want one high school or two high schools or even if we think our children will have a better learning environment in one or the other.

If the voters of this school district continue to vote no on tax increases, we will just stay right where we are and do the best we can with what we've got. We will just order some trailers and have the kids get the "further schooling" you suggested in a 10 by 10 box.