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Over the past weeks and months there has been a growing debate about whether or not to build a new school at ISD118, Northland Community Schools. As teachers who work in the building and citizens that live in our 6 communities, we have tried very hard to remain professional about the comments and remarks that have been printed in the newspaper, spoken at school board meetings, and whispered around town. We are required to stay out of the politics of the situation during working hours and have deliberately tried not to sway anyone's opinion about the issue while at school. As the vote draws nearer though, we are beginning to grow frustrated about many things.

Firstly is the complete misinformation that people use to argue their side of this issue. For example, it doesn't cost taxpayers 16,000 dollars to educate each student in ISD 118. That number means that each of our students generate that many educational dollars. Students in other districts generate far less because those districts do not receive sparsity aid and do not receive Title I dollars, among other factors, for their high schools. It's not a lie. But it is deceiving. Someone wrote that we are surrounded by schools in the 60's (MMR--Minnesota's school rating system). There are 28 elementary and high schools, including Northland High School and Remer Elementary, within an hour of here. Six of those 28 are schools in the 60's. Where do we rank? 13th and 15th overall--right in the middle. Some have said their students didn't receive a quality education. Northland Community Schools was a Blue Ribbon winning district, the highest award given to schools by the federal government, in 2009 and one of the highest rated in the area in 2012. We may have struggled for a couple years but exploded last year. Remer Elementary had the highest growth rate in the state. The district is trending upward when only 10 of the 28 local schools mentioned above (including NHS and Remer Elementary) made positive growth last year. Heard of these wonderful facts from the "Vote No" crowd lately?

Secondly, what is being offered to our students is a bargain. Unless the district closes, which will kill our communities, we're talking roughly $3,000.00 on a $100,00.00 property over 30 years. In today's world, 100.00 dollars per year doesn't add up to much. It's less than 2.00/week. News flash--your taxes are going to go up whether you vote no anyways. So it is really only $1.00 more each month. This just in--none of this is about you. It's not about us. This is not an adult issue. It's not a property owner's issue. It's a kid issue.

Finally, the faculty at Northland Community Schools would really appreciate it if everyone involved in the politics would stop telling the young people of Remer, Longville, Federal Dam, Boy River, Outing, and Emily that they don't deserve a new facility so loudly and so publicly. Stop telling them that they aren't good enough to pass the MCA III test, that they don't deserve indoor air quality and adequate classroom space, that a roof that leaks is okay, that they cost too much, that they don't know their grammar, etc. Whether it was your intention or not to hurt their feelings--you have. We care about, work with, and live among these children. They have it hard enough. Ironically, in this case it would be great if the adults would just "leave those kids alone."Thanks for your time & attention, Vote Yes on Nov.9,2015.[[In-content Ad]]

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