Quality of Ann Arbor schools will suffer without millage passage
I urge Ann Arbor school district residents to vote for the WISD millage on Nov. 3. As a longtime Ann Arbor teacher, I obviously have a stake in the outcome, but even more as a graduate of the Ann Arbor Public Schools and the father of two graduates.
My children attended the AAPS from kindergarten to high school graduation. They received an excellent foundation for their later successes at the U of M and Kalamazoo College.
Their teachers showed great kindness and dedication. From Kindergarten Camp at Mack to Band Camp at Pioneer, school was filled with fun, hard work, connections, and discovery.
Our schools do an excellent job teaching the highly diverse children of Ann Arbor. Students come from all kinds of backgrounds, some gifted, others highly challenged. Some live in mansions, others in homeless shelters. All get the best instruction a dedicated, educated staff can offer.
I’m impressed with the way the district faces issues like the Achievement Gap between students of different races, as well as adapting to the technological changes that rock the educational world today, as they change all aspects of our lives AAPS has a rich tradition.
We’ve weathered many cutbacks since 1995, when Proposal A was passed, but we continue to deliver a fine education. Now, though, the meltdown of Michigan’s economy has undermined school funding. The cutbacks we face now are vastly greater.
Here’s our choice: Continue the current inadequate support to the schools. As soon as the federal stimulus funds are gone, we’ll see greatly diminished Ann Arbor schools. Students will experience drastically reduced educational opportunities.
To continue the quality of our school district, we need to find additional funding sources. Please vote yes on the WISD millage on Nov. 3, to avoid unprecedented cutbacks.
Dan Ezekiel Ann Arbor
Comments
Brian Kuehn
Mon, Nov 2, 2009 : 4:58 p.m.
Note to a2momX3 - Mr. Ezekiel did identify himself as "a long time Ann Arbor teacher" in the first paragraph. Whether I support or oppose his position, I commend him for identifying his interest in the issue.
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 12:06 a.m.
Dan, First you should identify yourself as an AAPS teacher. There seems to be a pattern to these letters to the editor. You mentioned 'the meltdown of Michigans economy' but I do not see a meltdown of teacher's or administrator'ssalaries or pay. They have increased every year for the past 8 years. (OK this year you took 0%, but still kept your step increases, which in fact are raises every year)
A Voice of Reason
Thu, Oct 29, 2009 : 3:52 p.m.
Not a good deal for Ann Arbor 16 million contributed and only 11 million for A2 Schools --5 million going to other school districts. This millage is MEA (state teacher's union) driven and it is not about the kids in Washtenaw County for Charter Schools would be getting a cut. We are in a ression. Hollywood is getting lots of money from our state with only 16 cents on the dollar being returned. Give this money to our kids. Our governor is using our kids to get you to pay more taxes--she can make more cuts--start with the film industry!!!! Vote No--no more scare tatics by the pro millage people and school districts. Please do not scare my children any more!!