Why I am Voting No on the Lebanon School Referendum

The Lebanon Community School Corporation is seeking voter approval for a $40 million bond offering for various building projects. I have attended meetings, read the materials and talked to many people in the community about the $40 million school projects referendum that will be on the ballot this November. There are needs in the proposal but also wishes with unproven educational outcomes.

The school board members, as stewards of our tax dollars, have been entrusted to demonstrate competent management skills in their fiduciary task. As well, they are in a leadership position for our children.

Recently there was not a parking lot near the middle school sports fields although ample parking existed. I was at the meeting where the board voted to spend about $100K on that parking project. One reason disturbed me; because even though there were signs prohibiting parking in that area people were doing it anyway so a parking lot may as well be built for them.

This is modeling behaviour. Most parents don't believe it but children acknowledge that we are the greatest influence on them. Since the adolescent mind does not reason in the same way as an adult we must demonstrate appropriate actions rather than articulate desired outcomes. Developmental psychologist Jean Piaget believed that children made moral judgments based on their own observations of the world.

It's not about parking, it's the rule. The children see that enough people violated a rule then those in a leadership position did away with it to accommodate the rule breakers actions. Apply this thinking pattern to the risky behaviours that adolescents may engage in and the example provided by the school, the steward of your children and the desired $40 million.

It's about leadership, responsibility and placing money in the hands of those who modeled such behaviour. Throwing more money at problems may be ineffective. Proper management of existing funds and understanding child development is better than more money.

Many of us attended schools that didn't have all the luxuries that many modern schools have and we have still been quite successful. What we did have was leaders who understood our needs and modeled behaviour to best accommodate those.

The necessary improvements can be done without a yes vote on this referendum. A no vote is not a vote against the children but may better be seen as a vote in support of the children.

Stuart Showalter's Political FaceBook page

Subscribe

Indiana Custodial Rights Advocates

©2010 Stuart Showalter, LLC. Permission is granted to all non-commercial entities to reproduce this article in it's entirety with credit given.