The school district story continues

By Alonzo Weston

After Tuesday’s election, we voters find ourselves embarking on another chapter in the St. Joseph School District saga.

Voters chose to retain school board member LaTonya Williams and elect Ronda Chesney and Mike Moore on the board. Incumbent Kenny Reeder did not make the cut this time.

And to my surprise, voters approved a $20 million bond proposal, which will reconfigure existing schools and seemingly pave the way for two new high schools.

Part of what swung the vote no doubt was the “no-tax” increase. The total local school tax will remain $4.32 for every $100 in assessed value of personal property.

A total of 11,721 people out of 52,000 registered voters cast ballots Tuesday. I don’t want to hear anyone complain about the outcome who didn’t vote.

I’ve long said St. Joseph is too tribal to close local high schools in favor of only two, but a minority of eligible voters will make it happen.

The bond will go towards not only upgrades at existing buildings but also to make improvements to school fine arts and science facilities. That is great when other districts cut funds for the arts.

The bond money also will install artificial turf at high school fields and running tracks will be renovated and expanded. Other upgrades include a districtwide intercom system and improvements to heating, ventilation and air conditioning in schools.

Even with the past shenanigans of the former school board and district with the 2015 stipend fiasco that saw former board president Dan Colgan going to prison and then-superintendent Fred Czerwonka leaving after a short stint here. I thought that would bury a bond levy issue for years. Gladly, it didn’t. It proves voters are forgiving.

I’ve never voted against a school levy or bond issue despite district troubles.

Our students deserve better and our teachers should have better pay. It’s not easy being a teacher these days with bullying and absenteeism on the rise. You know how hard it is to control one 6-year-old, try teaching 20 or more of them accelerated math. That’s the Mount Everest teachers face daily. They deserve all the money they can get, and to keep the best here we have got to pay them.

Two new high schools will each cost around $120 million. The tribal fallout will add to the price.

I’m a proud Central High School Indian. I think the change bothers the graduates and parents more than the students. I’m concerned that two mega schools will contribute to more problems like bullying and truancy. We need smaller classrooms more than larger schools. I know it will help us compete against larger Kansas City schools in sports and that is a plus but not a fix.

We have to take care of our kids and teachers no matter if it’s two new high schools or not. That is our future whether or not you voted.

I hate to see elementary schools closed in needed areas. I live across from Edison School and the culture there serves the children and community,

I hated it when they closed Lake Contrary. I knew the teachers and principal there and admired the culture they built there for kids and parents in that area. Hope officials are mindful of that when they close and reconfigure some of these schools.

It’s a new chapter and a new beginning of sorts. It’s up to all of us to make it work.