For the Kids

Dear Editor,

When someone asks me if I like going to school, I typically say yes. I enjoy my classes, and like my teachers. I get to hang out with my friends, and prepare myself for my future. Because that's what school is all about: teaching young people important skills, and preparing them for the wider world. Without schools, we wouldn't have skilled jobs, like doctors or scientists. Without passing on the knowledge of the human race, we would eventually cease to exist. That's the one goal of education. The betterment of the students, which leads to the betterment of the community, which leads to the betterment of the world. That's it. There's no ulterior motive, no secret reservations, no grudges held.

I'll put it plain and simple: our school needs money.

Unfortunately, there are some people reading this right now who think it's a bad idea for our school to have it. I've heard all the reasons. "I don't have kids, so why should I care?" or, "The school doesn't do a good enough job teaching, so why should I support it?" or, "I have something against the people who send their kids to this school, or I can't get over a past issue I experienced, so I'm not going to support it." To the people feeling these, or similar things, my response is this:

The children being educated now are going to be the ones who will need to have skilled jobs in the future. Doctors, scientists, and teachers will still need to be trained, whether or not they happen to be related to you. It doesn't matter if you have kids of your own - kids' education now will still affect your life later.

If you feel like the school doesn't do a good enough job at teaching kids things that you feel they need to learn, tell me, how is giving them less opportunity going to help them learn more? Giving the school money gives them a better chance to be able to fill in gaps of education, and provide more of the knowledge that is so valuable for kids to know.

The people being directly affected by the loss of school money are the students. Any grudge, or dislike, or past grievance is not with the students. Why should the children of our community suffer the consequences of any disagreements that previous generations may have? Why does punishing children for any event that they are not involved with feel like a good idea?

I'm a sophomore in highschool. And even now, I see the changes going on. Teachers talking about leaving, classes in danger of not being reoffered. But it's only going to get worse unless we do something about it. 

I want whoever's reading this to remember that we, the children, need your help. And stepping up together, as one, for a common cause to help the children receive a great education? That's powerful. That's something worth fighting for.  

Felix Wieczorek

Sophomore at DHS