Popular opinion and polls don’t always point to best decision
Surprise! The Post’s opinion poll on redistricting was 77 percent against, and 22 percent for. So what? If you polled parents nationwide, the result would be the same.
No one wants change. However, to keep the status quo is a detriment to our educational system. As the demographics of Rowan change, our school system needs to change with it. If not, we will face overcrowding, high student-teacher ratios and facilities not designed to meet educational needs. Unless someone has a large pot of money and will build a new school every time one gets crowded, then redistricting is a necessity.
It would be nice if you could fix one school and not disturb the neighboring school districts, but that is impossible. In the current economic environment, you cannot add more teachers and more classes to level the playing field at North. (Note: North High has lost between four and six teaching positions in the last two years ó were you concerned about those jobs?) The only solution is more students, which will allocate more teaching positions and more class offerings.
As a reminder, the school board is elected by the entire country, not their individual districts. We, the taxpayers, should demand equal opportunities for all children, not just the ones in certain districts.
As I see it, we should be actively involved in providing all children with the same opportunities, instead of selfishly looking after our own. We cannot succeed as a school system until all schools are performing well.
All the parents of North students have asked for is equal access to educational opportunities for the North district, and to get that we need more kids. You can call us “whining,” but we are fighting for our children’s future, just like any parent would do.
Popular opinion is not always the right one ó choose carefully.
ó Wanda Gilland
Salisbury