Vote for levy today

As a parent in the Lakeside/Somers school district, three of the most important, precious people in my life will be affected by the school levy vote today. 

My three children and their peers spend each day learning from the devoted educators within this district. Children and their teachers should be able to focus daily on academic issues and the development of young minds, not on issues of safety, health, and deteriorating maintenance of the buildings around them. Community support and quality of education should be reflected in the atmosphere of the buildings in which students learn. Do students feel valued by their community when their schools need obvious attention?

I am voting a strong YES today because I believe that no child should feel unsafe while at school, and that no parent should feel concerned sending their children to school. I am voting YES to update and/or implement new tactics to keep our schools safe from harm, including safety planning such as intercoms, alarms, fencing and ridding the asbestos. These are non-negotiables to me; it is not a privilege but a basic right to be safe while learning. 

The facts right down to the costs have been available on the website and at the schools. Email-fueled rumors and misinformation regarding the levy amounts and end dates are hurtful to the necessary building projects, and in the greater picture, to our children themselves. Our children do not have the ability to vote for their own schools; only the community can step up and choose what is right. When you vote today, please vote YES for the safety and education of the 580 children in our district. —Linden Wendle, Somers