Letters |
Sunday, July 8, 2012
The RSU 16 board, in its infinite wisdom, has decided not to revisit the funding formula for the three district towns. In the past two years, Minot has been hit twice with large tax hikes; this year, Mechanic Falls joined in.
With the school ranking of 40 out of a possible 182, my question to the citizens of Mechanic Falls is why would you like to stay in a system that fluctuates wildly with tax hikes and constantly under-performs academically?
We would better serve our students by educating our students from age 4 through grade six and then voucher the others to where ever the parents see fit, even Christian schools, as they do better than public schools in educating their students
Ollie Emery, Mechanic Falls
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Rsu 16,BUDGET
The worst thing that this state has done to education, is to allow RSU'S. I t has taken away the control of our towns education and put it in the hands of the schools with larger population thus assuring that the chances of the smaller towns getting a say in their children's education is very little.
This school board idea of fixing things is to throw more money at it. Every year the teachers get their raises and every year the children loose out. Test scores are getting worse but their answer is that there are other schools in the state that are worse, as though that makes it acceptable.
If your car is not running properly and you take it to the mechanic, and he doesn't fix it but instead says give me more money and I'll see what I can do, then still does not fix it , you change mechanic.
I have attended a few school board meeting and rarely does any one question or challenge the superintendent or Ms. Jones. It seems that what ever these two want or say is final and every one just agrees and sign the contract.
As for the regional budget meetings very few show up and those that do are afraid to speak up, afraid that the school will take it out on their children if they go against their budget. Afraid that more programs will be eliminated. They accept the old, (It's for the children) idea. And those who do attempt to speak up are put off as being against education or not as educated as the board and superintendent, thus not knowing what is best for their children. The town of Poland with the larger population and where most of the teachers are make sure that their supporters are there to get their budget passed.
Until more parents come out and speak up for their children and show personal responsibility for their children instead of just going along with what the school says,there will be no change.
There have been just this year personnel, problems with staff and school board members that leaves the people wondering and speculating and dividing the district, but no one wants to come out with the truth. I agree with you that each town should be responsible for their students, and let the parent choose where they want their children to be educated. I the whole school board should be changed for they should be working for the town not for teachers unions that demand raises 2-3 years in a row without proof of improvement, try that in any other private sector jobs and see where it will get you.
Last year the town of Mechanic Falls had no tax increase, this year is quite different, so this year the residents are upset, are they upset enough to show up at these meeting and voice their oppositions, or will they sit back and let 10% of the voters think for them?
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Bernice - I couldn't agree with you more. The residents of the 3 small towns of Buckfield, Hartford & Sumner recently joined RSU10, which includes the larger more liberal minded residents of Rumford & Mexico. The recent RSU10 budget, which reflected a 3% increase, but in reality for Buckfield represents will be an 8%+ increase in school taxes, was turned down by all 3 small towns of Buckfield, Hartford & Sumner. However, the largest towns in the new RSU10 voted overwhelmingly to approve this increased budget. Therefore, the small towns of Buckfield, Hartford & Sumner will continue to have our choices about how much we can afford on school budgets decided for us by the residents of these larger towns like Rumford & Mexico... where the percentage of homeowners (those who directly pay property taxes) and those who rent (those who do not directly pay property taxes) is much larger in the smaller towns like Buckfield, Hartford & Sumner - wonder if that is why these larger towns are so ready and willing to vote for tax increases that are shoved down the throats of the rest of us. There is a grassroots effort in place in these 3 towns to get out of RSU10 and I for one will support any fiscally sensible proposal.
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