Vaping, Marijuana Danger to Youth
During this pandemic we can easily ignore and forget the dangers to our youth regarding vaping and marijuana.
COVID, of course, affects our lungs. And so do e-cigarettes and marijuana. Young people who are bored and/or stressed might experiment more. It’s still a threat to our children’s brains and their future.
Pat Leech
Citizens Against Recreational Marijuana
Newbury Township
Concerning Behavior of Chardon Schools
I think it is time we look at how our schools are being run. I am a fifth-generation Chardon resident and have lived here all my life, and the recent behavior of the school is deeply concerning.
I recently became aware that the Chardon Crescendo club was doing door-to-door sales/fundraising. I was deeply upset by this because of our elderly community and the recent increase in COVID cases in Geauga County. I know not everyone is taking the same precautions with the virus, but it seemed like a bold move on the school’s part.
I contacted the school and was met with hostility by Assistant Supt. Ed Klein. He accused me of being scammed by children and that the schools had nothing to do with it, even though the Crescendo Club is promoted on the local school’s website.
First the blue flag scandal — there were a million better ways to handle that situation. Second is the bussing issue — multiple families have been expressing their concern with how busing is run this year. Elementary school children are being left at stops for long stretches of time and the school has had months to figure this small part of the plan out. Third, the superintendent had a DUI in 2017 that we just became aware of.
I think it is time we look at how our local schools are being run. Chardon was one of the greatest schools in the state, but has gone downhill in the last 10 years.
A new building is not going to fix all the problems, a new administration will.
Emily Hegner
Hambden Township
Time is Short!
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to go camping at Mosquito Lake park. It was nice. Good food and good people at the nearby campsites made for great conversations after dark around the campfire.
Interestingly, someone commented about one of my bumper stickers concerning the past Newbury school board and decided to ask a few questions. A younger lady said to me, “Did I hear right that Newbury School is actually closed for good?” I stated, “Yes, unfortunately it is gone and many of us are not happy about it.”
She then asked, “Who did you merge with? Was it Burton or Chardon?” I said, “No, it was West Geauga and it wasn’t a merger, it was a territory transfer.” She asked what that means and after a lengthy discussion of the particulars of a territory transfer, she said, “Wait, so they only needed three people, not the entire board to close down your school forever?” I said, “Yes, that’s how it happened.” She asked, “Were you in fiscal emergency?” I said, “No, in fact, we only needed to renew a 1.2-mil levy to be in the black through 2025.”
I asked her what school district she was in. She said, “Bristol” and then told me how worried some of the parents are in that school district about merging because they had about the same number of kids as Newbury had in grades 7-12. In fact, their graduating class last year was smaller than Newbury’s class. With that said, I gave her a warning about what to look out for and what she could do to help prevent her school from closing as a result of greedy school board members.
First, get involved. Attend school board meetings, talk to parents and find out what is going on at the school. If possible, volunteer where you can and keep informed.
Second, write to the paper, post on social media, create signs or whatever it takes to get the truth out. It is very difficult to inform people of the misinformation they are receiving unless you start early. Believe it or not, there are still people in Newbury that think we merged with West Geauga and we own the property in Newbury.
The opposition will entice certain populations of the community with promises of “lower taxes” (even though it is temporary), “better community services” (by way of increased taxes later), and “better school opportunities for their kids/grandkids” (regardless of 1-plus hour bus rides to schools, etc.).
Third, don’t give up. It is very difficult to fight the good fight with so many against you. Just remember, most of them don’t have kids in the school, don’t know the issues and don’t care to dig deeper to find out. If they turn a blind eye to the issue, it will “magically go away.” Yes, it will go away, along with the property, the buildings, the kids and the community.
Finally, I told her that our community will go on. It will never look the same; it will never be the same. A school that provided happiness and education to thousands of kids over 95 years was able to be dismantled by three school board members with an agenda. They were able to divide a community forever and send their kids to other schools while pretending they were “looking out for the citizens of the township.” What a lie.
I told her to watch out for these people. They may end up on task forces or even run for township positions in the future to try to justify their decision to shut down the school. Be on guard. Don’t be a victim of their deceit. Seek the truth or the same misfortune that occurred in Newbury, could be coming to you and by the time you realize what is happening, it may be too late.
Phil Paradise Jr.
Newbury Township
