Letter: There are many reasons to support school referendum

To the editor:

We got the letter yesterday, telling us we will raise our taxes if we vote “yes” on the May 14 Wrenshall school referendum. Strange system. People actually get to vote to decide if they want to raise their own taxes. Usually tax decisions are made by city councils, county supervisors or state legislators. Imagine if we could vote to decide whether we want to fund our fire departments or police forces?

But this is the system we have for education in Minnesota and it won’t change until the state legislature makes it happen. In the meantime, we have to decide if our school is worth an increase in our taxes.

I live in Wrenshall, am retired now, but taught social studies at the school for almost 30 years.

This is the third referendum we have had in the last two years. Our school board, elected by us, has to decide how to maintain the school infrastructure and improve student opportunity. The board is asking the community for money. Part of that sum is for infrastructure issues like air quality, heating, asbestos abatement, etc. The board has the option to borrow money to fix these issues whether the community supports the referendum or not. The other part of the referendum would be used for additional classroom spaces, improved IT, vocational programs, a new gym, roofing and windows.

Why would anyone disapprove?

Wrenshall has a unique position with open enrollment. Over 40 percent of our student body comes from out of district. I think this is a good thing. It helps the diversity of the student body, and the state aid that each student brings to our school helps to defray the cost of education for our local kids. Our school enrollment is approximately 365 students. Ending open enrollment would leave us with only 200 students; not enough for a band program, some sports programs, and some of the teachers in departments that make electives possible.

I understand why people are resistant to pay higher taxes to help support other people’s kids. But those children came to Wrenshall for the same reason we need to support a local school. We want the kids in our community to get a good education and have a small-school social environment in which they can thrive. I want other people’s children to have that opportunity, too.

As these children succeed they may even buy property in our school district, send their kids to our school and become taxpayers who help pay the cost of the referendum.

Burnell Peterson, Silver Brook