Friday, August 25, 2006

Voting issues

Our school had orientation last night and I noted that there was a voter registration table with two people sitting there actively making sure that everyone who passed the table was asked if they were registered. Good idea! Parents of public school kids are the major stake-holders. I don't have the figures, but I'm pretty sure that the number of voters in the last levy election did not equal the number of school children in Akron Public Schools.

I have seen some bitter posters on the ABJ boards who say they have students in the public schools but won't be voting YES on the levy. There's a lesson to be learned -- one or two bad teacher experiences can turn off a kid for life. These adults stereotype all teachers and all schools based on their own experiences. And that's how we get massive non participation and/or majority No votes in levy elections.

Well that and the fact that most people in the US are living month to month, pay check to pay check, and don't have the fortitude to give up something in order to pay for education. Or the fact that billions are being spent to blow Iraq to bits, which puts the squeeze on every level of government.

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