School Referendum

On November 3rd 2009, Moorhead residents are going to vote for a levy referendum that would provide $850 per pupil in additional funds for the next seven years. If the referendum is passed, the money would be used to improve and preserve class sizes, to maintain and implement programs in such areas as science, math and the arts, and to enhance and expand student use of technology.

In 2002 the school district asked the community to passed a levy referendum to approve a $64 million bond referendum to support improvements to school district facilities. The district was going from four elementary schools to three elementary schools (building one new elementary school and remodeling the junior high and the 5/6th grade school into an elementary schools), a new middle school, and to remodel the high school. With the remodeling of the high school, they would add a ninth grade center. It torn down one elementary school, sold two elementary schools to Concordia College and MSUM, sold the old high school, Townsite (the building that held the district offices), and remodel an elementary school into the Probstfield Center for Education (the district offices, early childhood, adult ed. etc). The district made "promises" of smaller class sizes, new technology, and other things. The level did pass. We were told that our property taxes would go up, on average, $15.00 per month (i.e. for a house that cost $100,000). In my neighborhood, our property taxes were only suppose to go up between $10.00 and $15.00 per month. Ours went up $15.00 per month, but our neighbor across the streets went up $25.00 per month. Our house have the same square feet and our lot is slightly bigger. This happened to many people in the city, they were told their property taxes would be one number but found out after the levy was passed that their property taxes were another number, most of the time it was higher. These people were not happy.

As a teacher and a parent, I voted yes in 2002. My son just three years old and my daughter was just born. I wanted them to be able to attend school with newer curriculum and smaller class sizes than what was offered at the time (the average class size was around 25 in elementary schools, 30 in both middle and high school core classes and more students in gym). We have a new middle school and a new elementary school with big windows to let in a lot of sun, space for the students to go, and new everything. The three schools remodeled are very nice on the outside and inside. Did they get as much new items as the other schools? No, they did not. I understand that when you build a new school they will get new things, but why should the remodeled school not receive the same items? Why is it fine that those schools should have to use the same things that they have had for the past years? They built the new elementary building and a couple years after being built, the school was full. They did not build it for room to expand, they had to convert open team ares into classrooms. The students in those classes only had three walls (one wall was opened). Why is that? Is is because they ran out of money? They have never said. All of the schools have a marble map in the floor when you enter the main doors. To me, that was a waste of money, who notices that. Instead, that money could have been used to buy new technology or curriculum, or pay for a teacher. Last year in my daughters kindergarten class, she was among 24 students. 24 students that one teacher was trying to teach to read, count, and to help them socially adjust to school. This year, my sons fifth grade class has 30 students and my daughters first grade class has 25. Is this how they make a promise of keeping class sizes low?

I have mixed feelings about voting yes again (even though I know that I will for my children's sake). They say that they want to improve and preserve class sizes, to maintain and implement programs in such areas as science, math and the arts, and to enhance and expand student use of technology, but will they? We all heard this before and I feel that this time they will not get the levy to pass because of so many residents that were not happy the last time. It is sad that our children will suffer for this, but I do feel that the district needs to step up and admit that the last time a levy was passed some mistakes with the money was committed.