Christina schools deserve a ‘yes’ vote May 27

Christina School District is holding an operating referendum on May 27. In Delaware, we rely on the beneficence of our taxpayers to fund the local portion of our children’s education. This includes all children in the district regardless of which public school (charter schools are fully publicly funded schools) they attend, hence the slogan for our campaign: Christina, Charter, Choice: We All Win!

A group of dedicated, tireless, parent volunteers have been e-mailing, calling, meeting, door-knocking, and social media blitzing the general population since the district announced the May 27 referendum. While it is common for many opinions and concerns to be expressed anytime a school district goes out for referendum, in the case of Christina, we have an additional hurdle to overcome. In the mid-2000s we overspent monies and were forced to take a loan out and repay the state: we repaid that loan in 2011. We have little control over how people feel about that, and while we understand those concerns, we focus on the fact that it has been fully resolved for over four years.

What we can control, though, is asking you, directly and sincerely, for your vote. Our schools have continued to deliver great programs and education: award winning dropout prevention at Sarah Pyle Academy, the first public Montessori program in Delaware, the statewide Autism and Deaf programs, award winning music and arts programs, and excellent athletics are just a small part of our continuing commitment to educating our community.

The bottom line is this: costs (energy, supplies, and salaries) rise over time and unless and until the public adds money to the coffers via referendum, eventually these two lines (costs v. flat revenues) will cross. We are at the point, five years since the last referendum, where those lines will cross again this year. This is not about scare tactics regarding what will happen if we fail to pass this referendum: it’s about our most important civic duty: educating our community. Please go to CSDWeAllWin.org and get the facts before you vote. There you will find FAQs and links to multiple social media outlets where we are having a vibrant, direct, and honest discussion about our schools, our families, our taxes, our teachers, our administrators, and most importantly, our students. Join the discussion. Get informed.

Be an informed voter. Then vote. The students of Christina would benefit greatly from your vote on May 27.

John M. Young is a member of the Christina School District Board of Education.