Editor:
As a concerned United Local School District resident, I know we have elementary students in classrooms that are over 50 years old. Why are these classrooms adequate for use for many years and yet our board is advertising for bids to build a new locker room? We just built brand new locker room facilities less than 10 years ago.
In January 2001, a new locker room facility was proposed, and it was supposed to be built with fund-raising activities and donations. Now the possibility exists that permanent improvement funds will be used to build the locker rooms, according to a district newsletter sent to residents.
These permanent improvement funds come from a levy we pay in our real estate tax bill. This levy expires in December 2003. It is possible that taxpayers will be asked to vote a renewal of this levy. I will think long and hard before I’ll consider voting yes, if permanent improvement money is used to build locker rooms.
Within the next couple years, we are going to need additional classrooms in the elementary and the cafeteria should be expanded before United has all-day kindergarten. Elementary students now start eating lunch before 11 a.m. and we serve no lunches to kindergarten students.
If the locker room project jeopardizes the chances of renewing the permanent improvement levy, the board should not proceed with the locker room project and should continue to seek donations and fund-raising projects as originally planned.
When it comes down to what’s most important, I’ll go with classrooms any day over locker rooms.
Dorothy Ward
Hanoverton, Ohio
