Editor’s note: Wausau Pilot & Review gladly publishes commentary from readers, residents and candidates for local offices. The views of readers and columnists are independent of this newspaper and do not necessarily reflect the views of Wausau Pilot & Review. To submit, email [email protected] or mail to 500 N. Third St., Suite 208-8, Wausau, Wis. 54403.
Dear Editor,
I commend Scott Seefeldt for his very on-point letter regarding The Wausau School District restructuring plan. The glaring indifference by several board members and the District Administration is woefully disappointing.
The school board makes the final decisions, not the administration. It seems the community feeling is, for the most part, being ignored. Parents, residents, taxpayers, renters with children in the district, please make your thoughts known to the board. What is being pushed is a long-term problem, not a long-term solution. The projects currently being worked on seem to be moving exceptionally slow, or not at all. Imagine what may be coming in the next year or two.
Mr. McKee’s plan seems well-studied and workable, with minimum disruption to our students. The family dynamics of the administration’s plan seems just plain unkind to families, and we certainly should be doing all we can to strengthen parental involvement in our neighborhood schools. Parents need to be heard, opinions valued; not just ignored to fulfill a few peoples dreams.
Due to the ongoing construction at Wausau West, which caused water in the auditorium, school programs are already being shifted around, making parents with students in two schools choose between one child’s Christmas program and the other child’s concert. As a parent, what decision would you make? Not easy, and we haven’t even moved schools yet!
Please take the time to make your thoughts known now. If this plan goes through, and your child(ren) will be bussed across town, either direction, and you will try to get across town for your children’s activities, that may be very inconvenient. It may be inconvenient to you, but think of the toll it will take on our students, who will put in longer days than most adults. Let them be children, teenagers, allowed to like school and not be tired all the time.
I would like to know which board members and administration leaders have taken the challenge of adding 90 minutes of driving around in the morning before work, and spending 90 minutes after school following a school bus, before they go home for supper. Any adult takers?
Please look at and study the entire issue, not just what a few people “want.”
Beverly Kordus, Wausau
