Letters to the Editor
Voters Made Their Pick
We survived the voting process with several heated debates occurring for Geauga entities. Results are in, so now it’s time to make things work, one way or another.
I submit the guest column recently by Dave Jevnikar said a great deal about the processes we live by with our state government and the folks in Chardon, while disappointingly turning down Issue 26, did the right thing to put off any issues to build new schools.
We’ve done it here in Jefferson; same for Ashtabula, and possibly the best show of doing it is done by the Grand Valley school district in Orwell.
Sadly, in recent years, the state has taken away a lot of funding used to maintain those schools and, despite being palaces of education, all the above districts are now having issues in keeping things on solid ground, almost entirely due to funding cuts thanks to Mr. Kasich’s politics.
I’m disappointed Chardon didn’t pass Issue 26, so cuts are coming that shouldn’t. Remember that next time we vote for our state leadership.
The Oct. 19 issue of the Maple Leaf had a compelling story about actions of Newbury Schools. What I read was about certain candidates talking more about tax rebates and personal matters of the superintendent than anything regarding the kids in the system — which is flat out wrong. That those same people won election disappoints me, but it’s done and it’s time to move on.
At the same time, I hope those who wanted to effect change will put forth enough effort to attend school functions and make sure their decisions are based on the best for the system and kids, and not for their own wallets.
In covering sports at Newbury the last couple years, I had occasion to meet all of the BOE folks from time to time, which means they were taking part of what was going on. Nobody has seen any of the new folks yet at any recent games, so let’s hope that changes.
The levy passed in 2014 was doing its job well, but some wanted it different and got their way. Make it work, or let those who want it to work get the job done, much as they have recently.
Constant bond or levy issues cost money; the BOE had avoided it, but that has changed again, and must be lived with.
Don’t let the kids pay the price. I see a lot of big, fancy houses around Newbury and Chardon, which doesn’t help the tax bases used to fund schools. Want lower taxes and more state money? Live within your means for a change.
Rich Kelly
Jefferson
Support Good Schools
The guest column written by Dave Jevnikar a few weeks ago in the Geauga County Maple Leaf is an excellent one that should be read carefully by the citizens of Chardon — and other surrounding communities.
Two questions emerge from reading it:
- What is the Ohio legislature trying to evaluate? If it is the state of education at particular schools, then there are many standardized tests, placement records to college, academic records in colleges and many other standardized ways to evaluate students and schools in the area. Nowhere is there any way to evaluate the parents and grandparents of any particular student since most Americans expect that students should become responsible for making their own academic records. Hence, particular tax records of the area have very little to do with this picture.
- As a Republican-controlled Ohio Legislature, many of us are surprised that it has accepted Marxist Socialist doctrines of the 19th century that failed so badly in that century. Great Britain and the United States accepted the concept of capitalism and we led in the Industrial Revolution since it became accepted doctrine the best persons or organization should have access to capital based upon their capabilities and best record. According to the present Ohio Legislature, their budgets would be cut and the money distributed elsewhere to the needy with poor records.
Bottom line: The Ohio Legislature should support any school with an excellent academic record based on student performance. It should help in rebuilding all schools over 50 years of age as a consistent policy and upgrade equipment used in instruction every decade.
The state should have a firm policy, based on appropriate academic records and consistency, not one upheld by useless statistics. The current system is not fair to good parents and grandparents in Northeast Ohio who pay more than their fair share to Columbus, and regularly vote for Republicans, but receive little education support.
A final consideration might be for Chardon Schools to form a development office with experts to seek grants and other forms of external business and personal giving to the district, as the state withdraws its support further in coming years.
With declining state support, privatization may not be such a bad way to go. If Chardon is to become a cultural center, as well as a legal and shopping one, this should be considered.
David Peltier
Chardon
