Letter: School district out of touch with voters, he says

TO THE EDITOR:

After the news from the school board meeting in a recent copy of the Herald, it seems that another school referendum may be going to be put to the voters.

I ask again, are the people who keep pushing this upon the taxpayers totally detached from the wishes of the voters? Do they not consider us in the electorate bright enough to make a rational decision based on the facts they have presented twice? The voters have already spoken twice with resounding no votes.

This decision to try again to push their wishes upon the public in spite of the two previous defeats smacks of some type of elitism. Obviously, someone must not consider the voters and taxpayers smart enough to decide what is in the best interest of the schools and of the taxpayers of the district or they wouldn’t keep pushing referendums at us. They must really believe we, the electorate, just don’t understand the issues and since they are the “educated,” they therefore know what is best for everyone regardless what we, the electorate, have repeatedly said at the polls.

This elitism may well go beyond the fiscal policies as well. The recent grade school concerts had songs about winter, about jolly elves, Hanukkah and Kwanza reflecting multiculturalism of the region, which is wonderful, but ironically the concert was totally devoid of any of the old carols which are part of the cultural heritage of our community and are part of the belief structure held by most residents of the school district.

If the school district were a little more in touch with the beliefs of and economic realities faced by the voters, they might get a little farther trying to get their hands into our pockets for the additional funds they seek.

Kenneth Peterson

Ellsworth

Tags: opinion, school, district, third, referendum