LTTE - Back to School Reminder

[LeftHander]

Published in the Waukesha Freeman August 26th, 2004
(Waukesha County is a GOP stronghold in Wisconsin)

Public education is key to prosperity

Public education is the foundation that America rests on. As a young pioneer country our ancestors recognized that a free public education was the key to create opportunity, freedom and liberty.

Quality education of our children is the single best investment we can make in the future of a strong America. It is the duty of all citizens to remember that our public school system is funded for the most part through our tax dollars. We shuffle off to work to buy homes that pay for the cost of delivering to society bright, motivated, productive young people.

Yet despite this, many have disconnected the linkage between prosperity and public education. People over the years have replaced this basic concept with "prosperity comes from tax reform." The idea that by cutting taxes and putting money back in people’s pockets creates progress is an empty argument. For the vast middle class the benefits gained from recent tax reform did nothing more than reduce dollars available to public education, create huge deficits and provide discount retailers with another boost in quarterly profit.

We have reduced prosperity to a simple desire of having things. Prosperity and the pursuit of happiness now occurs for many through property tax freezes and tax reform at the cost of public education. We all need to think hard about that because that is precisely what we have heard over and over again.

The idea that privatization of education is more efficient and produces better results is a good choice when you have a silver spoon in your mouth. For the rest and vast majority of America, the public school system is the only hope of achieving the American dream. Yet despite this, many only see the property tax bill and turn red. It is these people who have become disconnected from the community and from the education system. They only see wasteful spending and gross negligence, thanks to a stream of conservative commentary that drones endlessly from the radio.

Many fail to recognize that without a free, well-funded public education system in our midst we would not have a community. Innovation would stagnate. Product quality would falter as engineering would become substandard. Sales would fall because the ability to communicate in a effective manner would be lost. Our children will grow in a community devoid of opportunity and hope. Music, art and sports would become a distant memory, as would would our current quality of life.

Self-determination and personal responsibility begins with taking responsibility for your community. By helping foster the progress of society through proper school funding we are all doing a service to the greater community. The next time you get your property tax bill take it with you to your child’s public school concert, sporting event, art show or science fair. It is your receipt.

Brad Odland, Waukesha

[spotbird]

1. What does LTTE mean? nt

[Moderator]

2. Letter to the Editor.

DU shorthand. :-)

Moderator