Schools can't afford plan to shift resources

As a member of the District 59 school board, I have a firsthand understanding of the need to protect every dollar our schools receive. That's why I was deeply concerned when I heard about a proposal in Springfield that would take nearly $6 million away from District 59 and send it to other districts in the state.

As both a parent of school-age children and a board of education member, I understand how critical state funding is in meeting the needs of every child. School board members have to constantly fight to preserve the funding we receive, and we simply cannot afford a reduction in our state funds.

Two years ago, a proposal that would have shifted millions of dollars from our local districts passed the state Senate. We cannot allow this proposal to pass the state legislature and become law.

Fortunately, we have a strong ally in State Rep. Marty Moylan. Rep. Moylan has strongly voiced his opposition to this bill, and is calling on all of us to join him in this fight.

I encourage all the families in School District 59 to support his efforts at keeping this money in our community by signing Rep. Moylan's petition against the proposal to shift our local school dollars to other parts of the state.

The more families that we can get to support this proposal, the easier it will be to stop this bill from passing. Help us protect our schools.

Tim Burns

Elk Grove Village