Willing To Sacrifice For Education

To the Editor:

I feel compelled to write again because of my frustration that the budget did not pass yet again. We talk a lot in this country about how education should be a priority. How shocking it is that children graduate high school and can’t read. We support our presidents when they start talking about cleaning up our educational system. We talk about how children are our future, and we need to protect them and nurture them. Well, I guess it must be a nice dream, because we can’t even support our children in our own town.

Education is important, but I guess not that important because my taxes are going to go up and maybe we won’t be able to go to Disney this year or we won’t be able to afford the huge home we bought that’s mortgaged to the hilt. I guess it’s okay that my kid won’t have fourth grade orchestra, or that her class will be bigger because we’re minus one teacher in her grade, and that other meaningful school benefits won’t be available. I guess she’ll still be enriched... Hopefully that child that needs extra attention will be able to get it so they don’t fall through the cracks and become one of the 34 percent of American children who cannot read proficiently in the fourth grade. Well for me, it’s too much of a risk. I’d gladly pay higher taxes and sacrifice here and there for an excellent education!

Linda Watson

51 High Rock Road, Sandy Hook                                  May 19, 2003