Let’s keep the focus on educating students
Until every school in the system is fully staffed, fully functional and clean, the central office should use the World War II motto “Use it up, wear it out, make it do.”
Look at the numbers; at a savings of $200,000 per year, it will take more than 40 years to recover the $8.9 million cost of building the proposed central office.
We need to keep our priorities in order: The purpose of the school system is to educate our children. This should be our highest priority.
— Janie Martin
Rockwell
Missed opportunities
During the past year, two things have been obvious from reading the pages of this newspaper. Our economy is headed into a downward spiral, and our school system’s administrators would like to be in a new building. Unfortunately, the latter must be oblivious of the former.
From the articles appearing in this paper, it would seem the newspaper is 100 percent behind building a new office. You are like the parent who can’t say no to the spoiled child.
Children who are told “no” to new toys just don’t want to hear the truth. One great opportunity would have been to use the former Winn-Dixie building (on Jake Alexander Boulevard); however, that was quickly dismissed because it was not a new, special-purpose building. It’s kind of like a teenager who is not satisfied with their parent buying them a used car instead of a new one. Of course, they are not the one paying for it.
Another missed opportunity was to upgrade the newer building at the Dunbar Center. The building was in good shape over all, with none of the settling issues of the current site on Long Street. It even had indoor bathrooms!
Yes, it would be wonderful if our school system could eliminate those old offices and move into one central location, but the truth is, we can’t afford it at this time, even if the present buildings need repair.
One of the commissioners should dismiss himself from the discussion because his boss wants the new office. The conflict of interest in unavoidable, even if he is the chairman.
If any classroom in the system is in need of repair or upgrade, a new administrative office should not be considered.
— J.P. Johnson
Kannapolis