Dear Editor:
(In response to: ‘Debate over schools of choice: Boom or bust?? The Citizen, March 7, page 1).
The amount of school of choice kids coming into the Brandon District has mainly to do with those who voted yes for the $74 million bond extension. That extension led to more classrooms and a new elementary school. In other words, more space than we have in our small community to fill. Bigger is not always better. The old saying, ‘build it and they will come,? came true, Brandon tax dollars are hard at work helping students from other cities.
Another issue that I have heard from many parents about is the new start times for Fletcher. Now fifth and sixth graders will ride the buses with the ninth through 12th graders. Our kids are growing up fast enough; let’s not make it faster than it needs to be.
How about this as an idea: we could put K-fifth grade in the elementary schools, sixth-eighth grades in the middle school and keep ninth-12 in the high school. This would fill up our classrooms with Brandon kids, keep the start times to a minimum and save tax money by only having elementary, middle and high schools. I never understood the need for an intermediate school for fifth and sixth grades anyway.
It seems to me that school has become a business instead of a learning institution. Stop spending money after money with wasteful lighted signs in the front of the schools that work half the time. Next we will need security cameras, metal detectors and guards at all of our schools.
Ken Hall
Brandon Township