Editor:
One of the items to be voted on in the upcoming election is the usual pitch to the property owners of Montezuma County to pay more taxes for an inferior product, namely the school system. I live in the Dolores district which seems to be somewhat better at providing some semblance of a satisfactory education, and in the past I have voted for bond issues. However, I am inclined to not do so this time because I have become disgusted with government at all levels lying to justify their incompetence, witness the bridge to nowhere in Durango.
The country has been throwing money at education for decades with poor or bad results. Repeating the same failed actions is the definition of insanity. I would like to know with all the money spent, why is this country ranked last in most categories of excellence? I see students arriving at school at 8 a.m. and leaving at 2 p.m. with a lunch break thrown in. I look at both the Re-1 and Re-4 websites for a curriculum for high school and find none. I look for graduation requirements and find nothing. Why would our school administrators be afraid to be up front with the taxpayer? Also, the websites have a listing of all staff, but no resume of qualifications. If they are well qualified, it should not be a secret.
I am a property owner and feel that as a group we are viewed as a cash cow for government spending. This applies to government at all levels, including the incompetents in Washington. School financing should be shared with every citizen, including everyone with a child in the system, not just the so-called fat cats. Many parents get a free ride and contribute nothing to the operation of the school system. In short, like the 47 per cent in this country that pay no federal or state tax, they have no skin in the game. The only way a taxpayer and/or property owner can get the full attention of our so-called leaders is to refuse to fund their projects.
William H. Taylor
Dolores
Via email