Recently, Grant Chamberlain touted that being against the bond doesn’t make those voting against the bond against students. I beg to differ and I can no longer be a spectator of their attacks on this community. He and others are against kids and schools as long as it costs them money, but yet try to find any other reason why they are voting no.
SInce I moved here a little over a year ago, I have become informed and active in the BG Community and BG BOND issue to a great extent. My family has been so appreciative of what this community and BG Schools has offered us. However, everything rears its ugly head and it reared its ugly head in the form of Wood County Citizens Against Higher Property Tax. This group’s first attack against kids comes in the repeated malicious attacks against the BG Board and Superintendent Scruci, whom students adore. These individuals have been outright assaulted by this group of naysayers on a daily basis. These insults are unwarranted and a guise to bully people into thinking that the BG Board and Superintendent are trying to bamboozle the voters and swindle tax dollars. This is not the case.
The Board of Education and Superintendent have been putting students and their needs first in this district and it’s a shame that others don’t want to see it and try to sway others because of selfishness. When the most vocal nay sayers aren’t stuffing their pockets and riding the coat tails of their farming clients or hustling the community to thinking that the school board is in kahoots to steal the community’s tax dollars, they spend their time being malicious and rude online or attacking the teachers and citizens who defend the bond that is best for kids. Yet another attack on kids of our schools when they go after the throats of the teachers, staff, and community members who are trying to do what’s best for kids.
The board has never negated the ask of this bond and no matter what the board does or says to try to provide information that shows why the bond issue is the best and most affordable option, Chamberlain, Bateson, Sabo, Hinesman and other cronies of this group, stoop to all levels, continue to attack, put out misinformation, and mislead the public anyway they can. They are like pouting children who get the answers they’ve asked for, but then because it’s not the ones they want to hear, they cry and scream louder until people get annoyed and walk away.
I’m disheartened for the community based on the naysayers behavior because it’s slapping every one of the selfless teachers who help love, support, and lift up the students of this community in the face. That’s an attack against students. You are saying no to students because ultimately, a no vote against the consolidation of elementary and remodel of high school denies students and teachers a functional home to do their job; it’s denying present and future children opportunities because our current buildings can’t effectively accomodate the number of students. It’s denying common and equitable resources/learning experiences for all students. A YES vote is an investment in the present and future. A YES vote is standing in defense of our community. A YES vote is for students.
How would you feel if your boss was unwilling to give you the tools you needed to do your job everyday? How would you feel if you had to work out of a closet because that is the only space in your current building? How would you feel if the person doing the same job you did got more assistance just because they were in the “right” building? How would you feel if all of the sudden you were expected to use a horse and plow as opposed to the available technologies John Deere offers to plow fields? In essence, as tax payers by saying No to this bond, you are bosses saying no to functional space, resources, equitable assistance, and technology needed for success of every current and future student and teacher in this community.
Those citizens of Wood County Citizens Against Higher Property Tax going out of their way to attack the public servants of BG Schools is atrocious. While they wage war on these public servants and the Bond, they have cost tax payers approximately 4 million dollars in interest by stalling this project and THEY have been the divisive factor in this community. And I guarantee that I will be the next target of their attacks after this letter to the editor. How much more will they cost this district and community in the meantime?
I am proud of the outstanding job, integrity, and leap this board and Superintendent Scruci have shown and taken to do what is not only best for students, but also for this community. This is personal and it should be because it impacts current and future students and teachers and OUR community. Saying Yes to the BG Bond Issue is saying Yes to students, teachers, and this community! We all have more to gain by saying Yes on May 8th!
Tracy Hovest
Bowling Green
