This is in response to the Sun Journal story "School funding changes urged," May 3, about the city funding busing for Trinity Catholic elementary and junior high school students.
If it is dollars and cents they are really looking at, it is important to remember, first of all, that the 172 Trinity students who are currently bused are the children of Lewiston taxpayers. These taxpayers choose to send their children to Trinity.
Here are 172 students, not in the Lewiston school system, not overcrowding the Lewiston classrooms, perhaps making it unnecessary to hire new teachers.
Which is less expensive: funding busing or paying for the student to attend a Lewiston public school?
Lewiston officials should continue to fund busing for Trinity students. It is common sense.
Valerie Ouellette, Lewiston
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to Scottie
You have no idea what you're talking about. Most of the people at Trinity are not "rich". They have a strong faith and want to bring their children up with that faith. Most people I know have made great sacrifices to send their children there.
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jcc, if you read the posts here on this story you will see that on EVERY SINGLE POST that is for continuing funding the services for trinity, the writer goes with the basic belief that trinity parents pay taxes and public school parents don't. I just called them out on it. Bunch of stuck-up, better than you parents. I did not say they are all rich, they did it themselves.
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Facts!! I called the Superindendant of Schools in Lewiston and guess what? I have facts!!!! Montello is MAX CAPACITY as well as Farwell. I was advised I can't send my children to the schools in my district. HMMMMMMMM. What to do .... What to do....I have so many choices as a RICH person in Lewiston........GIVE ME A BREAK!!!! Oh, by the way, when there was a H1N1 issue, I called the Superintendant in Lewiston and asked to immunize my children and was refused as a TAXPAYER of LEWISTON. I was advised this was a STATE issue. Thanks for all the support. Do you really want to debate facts? I appreciate opinions and everyone has one....but again, I PAY FOR MY OPINION, DO YOU?
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Who is Councilor Butler...does anyone know? I believe he is the voice of my district. I have people calling me and my phone is ringing, ringing, ringing. Hmmmmmmmmm.
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The reply from "Scottie" and "News4U" is the best example of all of NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT HAS HAPPENED! They will understand when it happens in their own 4 corners of life... GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS.
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For all of those who do not support busing Trinity Catholic School children....SHAME ON YOU!! Get your facts straight before you speak......studies suggest that in one of our jLewiston public schools that 60% of the students don't speak ENGLISH as their primary language while in another public school they are rated #2... as in #2 worst in State testing. Stop picking on the educators, public servants and taxpayers who have no choice but to deal with the cards that have been handed to them by our Government Officials. Why don't use your time to figure out how to stop all the TAKING from our community and leave the hard working, taxpaying people and their children alone...just my opinion. By the way, I pay heavily for that opinion, DO YOU?
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What a stuck-up bunch of supporters the Trinity school has. They always feel like they have to tell everyone how much taxes they pay (status maybe) to support their cause. All while at the same time having their hands out for money for free bus rides and more. Do you really think that only welfare cases go to public schools??? So I will turn the question on you high class religious tax payers, how much exactly does your religion (oops, I mean school) charge per semester? And yes, I pay property taxes on my home that I own - so do I get an opinion too or not?
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Well said Scottie! Trinity Catholic itself realizes that the transportation for children attending their school is a privilege, not an obligation.
"Further, school bus transportation is a privilege paid for by the City of Lewiston."
This can be found online in the Trinity Catholic handbook at: http://www.trinitycatholic.us/handbook.htm
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The Trinity bullying is able to crank up its parents once a year to make calls and come to city hall at which time each and every council backs down and decides not to cut them. I lost this one on a 6-1 decision when no other councilor would stick to their guns. If you choose a private education then you choose to pay for all facets of that education and the city should only supply what is mandated by the state. I'll bet these same parents would be furious if anyone asked for bussing from lewiston to Hebron Academy or to the math & Science school At Limestone, but yet those parents who live in lewiston pay for lewiston schools and don't get anything back...
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you're only objecting because of your personal vendetta against the Catholic Church, ever since they forced you to resign from their scout troop because of your lack of faith. Get over it. You found another organization who's standards were lower and you've been allow to spread your hate and bigotry unimpeded.
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Taxpayers should not have their tax dollars used to support Catholic education.
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Ahhh, Trinity parents are tax payers...they're just utilizing a sliver of the service that their dollars are entitled to. I'm sure you'll find more public school kids on the bus whose parents don't pay any taxes compared to the Trinity crowd.
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I thought taxpayers paid for public school buses to go to public schools. Using your logic, any senior citizen who pays their property taxes ought to be able to ride the school bus to the mall.
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These families are choosing to send their kids to a private school. The city offers schooling and transportation to the public schools. If you choose to go a different route, you should pay for it. A couple of analogies: I don't want the water for my home to come from Lake Auburn, I want it from Portland - and I want the city to pay to pipe it to my house. Kind of crazy right? How about I don't want the city bringing my trash to the city dump, I want my trash sent to Lisbon - and I want the city transport my trash to Lisbon for free. (I realize this is not a good analogy, comparing kids to trash, but I am trying to compare city services). If you want to send your kid to private school go ahead - more power to you. Just don't do it with your hand out...
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if they don't want to bus, then the taxpaying parents who fund the buses and public schools and also pay out of pocket to send their kids to trinity should be allowed vouchers since they are paying for services that they are not allowed to utilize.
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Many senior citizens are taxpaying citizens that no longer utilize public education. Yet they continue to help fund the buses and public schools. Should they be given vouchers "since they are paying for services that they are not allowed to utilize"? What about a childless couple? Or, a single person? Should they be given vouchers "since they are paying for services that they are not allowed to utilize".
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