John Forde is the director of the communication department at MSU. He can be contacted at [email protected].Much has been written over the past several weeks about why the bond issue supporting the Starkville School District should pass.
I’d like to express my personal opinion on why this bond issue is essential if Starkville is to compete as a progressive and thriving community.
As a 20-year resident of Starkville (not counting my two years here as a student), I’ve been involved in the Starkville School District as a parent, as president of Parents for Public Schools, as president of the Starkville Foundation for Public Education and as a member of the School Bond Referendum Committee in 1994-95.
I understand directly the importance of passing this bond issue. It is and has been a burning passion of mine that Starkville offer the highest quality of education to our children that can possibly be provided. We all have high expectations of school officials, teachers, school boards and our state and federal governments. When we read the reports, we all rejoice in high or improved levels for schools and take pride in the improvement for each child when successes are achieved. The schools need our help on Oct. 9, and all citizens within the Starkville School District have an opportunity to make an important contribution to education and the community. Each vote will be needed to reach 60 percent for the bond issue to pass.
Each vote does matter, and your vote will make a difference next Tuesday. Consider it a vote for a single child you know and not just for some unknown names or faces. That vision of this single child in the absolutely essential new facilities should provide the motivation to vote yes.
I would like to state numerous reasons to vote for the bond issue.
The major overriding factor is that the schools once again are simply full (as they were 12 years ago when the last local bond issue was passed). I am very confident in the dozens of parents, teachers, administrators, architects and others who worked over many months to analyze needs, reduce initial plans and develop workable solutions that would serve in the best interests of the students in the district.
After seeing their project outlines presented, I’m convinced their hard work has paid off. More buildings must be built to house the current students and those entering schools in the next few years.
In addition to the building plans, the reorganization of grades seems to be very sound. The district leaders are following recommendations by accrediting agencies and others to reduce the number of school transitions students must make.
Again, much thought was devoted to this long-term plan.
A major selfish concern related to the bond issue that I have relates to recruiting university faculty and administrators.
When I’ve attempted to recruit faculty over numerous occasions, there is usually a challenge in the first place to persuade candidates to move to Mississippi or the South in general.
Of course, they do not understand the value of the people and the quality of life they are missing.
However, prospective faculty members with an interest in moving most often ask questions about the schools, usually meaning public schools.
I look forward to telling dozens of potential faculty candidates at a national meeting I will attend in Chicago in November that our community has just passed a school bond issue to support our children. I question what message our city sends when a prospective university faculty member learns that a recent bond issue to support public education in a university town was not supported by at least 60 percent of its voters.
I truly believe our citizens support improving our educational systems and securing the future of our children. Expressing that message after Tuesday only and not voting positively during this opportunity will send the wrong message.
Economic development has been discussed multiple times in other venues. It is obvious that businesses and industries want to locate where the community works together for the improvement of education. Not passing the bond issue will send a disastrous signal to any business groups or industries watching the city closely. The city will take a major step backwards in the minds of any businesses or industries considering moving here or otherwise supporting the community.
People with children in the school district and those who have no children in the district should all be concerned with the bond vote outcome because quality schools impact the quality of life.
We all have a responsibility to support the next local generation.
Additionally, I would hope our children when graduated would choose Starkville as an excellent potential place to live and rear their children (and many of our grandchildren). Again, having quality schools absolutely affects those future decisions.
Do the schools need to improve? Yes. Do all organizations, including communities, need to improve? Yes. Other community and school issues should be discussed openly and frequently with all important groups when the bond issue is passed. I am convinced that the Starkville School District must have this funding in order to improve and for Starkville to compete as a progressive city in a currently thriving region.
Anyone with ideas should become directly and assertively involved in the schools. If you have any questions about what the bond issue will help build or what the minimal costs are to individuals, please contact the school district. The main phone number is 324-4050, and there is a wealth of information on the Web site at www.starkville.k12.ms.us.
The cost of the bond issue in taxes individually is pennies a day. What better investment could you ask for than to improve education for the next generation? Please go vote ‘yes’ on Tuesday.