Dialogue needed on funding education

Dialogue needed on funding education

The editorial on April 1 addressed the issue of our terribly unfair funding of education. The title is "A useful debate that can't be renewed." It almost suggests that we should ignore the inequity of our present system of putting the funding on the property tax.

And yes, it won't be easy to change. But in my mind this way is totally wrong and leads to many uneducated students, frustrated teachers and parents who aren't left with many choices. These students will soon enter the workforce inadequately educated leading to minimum wages for the poorly educated and a widening gap between rich and poor.

That doesn't sound like a democracy to me and even though the editorial ends with, "There is much to be said for an idea that would base the responsibility for school funding om ability to pay rather than on simple property value. Alas this one may do a little toward calming resentment toward a huge tax increase and a failed state promise, but unfortunately it is not much more than a distraction when it comes to a comprehensive conversation on how schools are funded," I believe this comprehensive conversation and thoughtful and intentional work must be done to stop the hemorrhaging of the abilities of the young.

Sheila T. Burris

Elgin