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| March 7, 2019 12:00 AM

What are students learning? They are learning that all they want may come out of their neighbors’ pockets. This develops a mindset that somebody owes them a living.

In 2009 a $10.9 million levy was adequate for 3,672 students.

In 2019, LPOSD wants $25.4 million to educate 3,715 students, and some are part-time. The levy request is unrealistic. Meanwhile, the graduation rate has dropped from 90 percent to 87 percent.

Students are taught by example that the superintendent does not have to be ethical. It may be lawful, but is not ethical to schedule the levy election when he knows the lowest voter turnout will occur. This gives district employees and spouses an advantage over the taxpayers.

It is not ethical to claim the people approved the levy, when one recent levy passed with a yes vote by only 15.7 percent of registered voters. In that vote, school employees (and spouses), may have comprised 41.9 percent of the 2013 levy yes vote.

It is not ethical to compel property owners to pay several million dollars of the levy who are not allowed to vote because they live outside the district, and obviously do not have students in school. It can be argued it is lawful, but that does not make it ethical or just.

Woodward tells us that 84 percent of the levy is for salaries. If that was all going to actual teachers, each would be receiving over $90,900. Unfortunately a lot goes to non-teachers.

State funding is adequate for educating students in the essentials. But LPOSD has non-educational functions they want $25 million more for non-educational expenses like wrestling, football, basketball, driver’s ed or expensive road trips, etc..

I urge you to vote NO on the levy March 12.

ANDY HARRIS

Sagle