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Back at Square One

On April 18 I attended the Board of Education meeting where the board discussed the options regarding the 10-year master plan. The outcome was a 5-4 vote in favor of Option 3, which results in the construction of a new Ryerson and leaves the door open for another referendum in two to three years to renovate Jeffrey.

I have two children in Madison Public Schools. My youngest would be directly impacted by Option 2. That is a sacrifice I am willing to make because the end justifies the means. Before the meeting, the board indicated that it would welcome input from the community and I shared this viewpoint with them. When asked about the other input that was received, board members indicated that the majority of letters that were written to the board were in support of Option 2, yet the majority chose to ignore that input and vote in favor of Option 3.

Option 2 offers stability, equity, and an investment for all of the children of Madison. It costs less than Option 3 and ensures that work would be done at both Jeffrey and Ryerson. Option 3 will cost the taxpayers of Madison $5.5 million more than Option 2, and offers no stability or commitment to the children who attend Island or Jeffrey, only more years of uncertainty. Option 3 runs the risk two years down the road of being voted down at a second referendum, which will put the district and its children back at square one. It is my assumption that the members of the Board of Education are supposed to represent their constituents and the children of Madison. At the April 18 meeting, it seemed as though five of them put the majority of Madison’s school children on the back burner.

JoLynn Kennedy

Madison