Hard to justify 'extreme makeover'

Palatine Township Elementary School District 15's latest plan involves an "extreme makeover" already enraging many residents for proposing to disrupt entire neighborhoods with changes in boundaries, kindergarten options, and junior high curriculum - all while raising taxes.

Developing the plan with scant public knowledge or input, the District 15 steamroller is moving again. But this time, taxpayers must approve a $130 million referendum to build two new schools to enable the plan.

The board has less than 10 weeks to provide referendum facts and answer questions. Will all district citizens get information in time to probe behind the plan? Will the facts reveal increasing enrollment that justifies the construction of two new schools, or just an "extreme makeover" that adds unnecessary classrooms and teachers?

Examine the boundary changes for segregation of populations and separation of long-standing student communities. Question busing cost savings. Don't accept the "need" for exclusively all-day kindergarten, which calls for more classrooms and doubling the number of kindergarten teachers - estimated by Superintendent Scott Thompson to add $600,000 yearly to costs.

Note the consequences expected if the referendum is not approved. These include spending $7 million in mandatory safety improvements on Sanborn School and construction cost increases each year the district waits to add two schools. (Valid only if overcrowding and increasing population make construction inevitable in the future.)

Let's see. If the voters decide that the facts (and their own capacity for absorbing increasing taxes) do not support the need for two new schools and the "extreme makeover" of their school district, $7 million is much more palatable than $130 million plus the added $600,000 per year.

Becky and Ed Booth

Rolling Meadows