Question
Dear editor,
My husband asked several questions of the Warren County School District about the budget impact of the opening of the proposed charter school for the Eisenhower catchment area on the rest of the District's services. It does not appear in this morning's article. The answer appears on the District's web page and should give us all pause to think about the future of our children's education in Warren County. The District's answer follows in its entirety:
"A study, completed in September shows that the Warren County School District would be required to pay the Eisenhower Charter School $1,700,000 more than it currently costs the District to operate Eisenhower as a district school. Since there would be no increase in revenues, this additional money will need to come from the existing budget by cutting services and staff from the school(s) remaining in the Warren County School District."
This move is taking away services and staff from the many to give to a select group of individuals with an inordinate level of political power in this county right now. The current political philosophy appears to be that in order to get ahead you must grab everything you can for yourself to make sure that your wants are met regardless of the impact it has on the common good.
Let Eisenhower break away if it so wants, but make it a reality that the individuals in that area must pay their own way. Years ago Eisenhower joined the WCSD precisely because its tax base could not support its own school. In this age of declining budgets, the energy and resources of the Warren County community need to be focused on improving the education of all our children, not just a few.
Sincerely,
Elaine M. Wiehagen
Warren
Top-Down
Solutions
Dear editor,
The gambling addiction program described in the Feb. 26 Times Observer is number 59 on my list kept since 2009 of programs focused on corrective behavior without attention to basic causes, and these are only a tip of the iceberg. These were referred to in an earlier letter as the aspirin society -treat the pain, not the cause.
This is timely as I am soliciting help through a paid T-O classified March 5th and 6th for persons interested in a more basic solution to many problems. Families which in the past drove our somewhat imperfect society, are now being driven by it through media and technological theatrics.
If you agree that some change for the better is necessary contact me at (814) 723-9212.
Charles S. Merroth
Warren