By Tom Beebe
Whether you live in Lee County, Pascoe County, Alachua County, or anywhere else in Florida, public schools are the backbones, brains, and hearts of our communities. That’s true whether we have children in school or not.
In reality, therefore, no office has a greater impact on the future of our communities—and our children—than the school board.
You have the opportunity to help determine a better direction for Lee County schools by voting in the August primary election and putting the right folks in office.
More about the details later, but first, what’s all the fuss?
Well, today’s students will become tomorrow’s nurses, teachers, business owners, first responders, and community leaders. One day, they might be the people caring for us in hospitals, protecting our neighborhoods, serving our communities, or leading our local businesses.
The quality of their education today will help shape the kind of community we will live in tomorrow.
To make that happen, public schools help create an educated and well-trained workforce and a healthier local economy. They also strengthen and maintain property values. For many folks, especially retirees, their home is their largest investment. Communities with excellent public schools are more attractive to families and businesses. They help sustain home values and economic growth. They are the most effective crime-fighting institution we have.
The economic impact is only the beginning. Think of the social, cultural, and personal growth public schools bring to our neighborhoods.
For example, where do we go together on Friday nights for athletic activities? Schools, right? We get much of our entertainment at school plays and concerts. We walk on tracks or play soccer on school fields for exercise. Tomorrow’s drivers are trained in those institutions.
And on and on it goes, the limitless value of our public schools.
Our civic leaders graduated from those schools, and the vast majority of our workforce have local diplomas. In Lee County, public schools are a top economic driver employing thousands and purchasing millions of dollars of products and services.
Most importantly, our public schools teach, train, and mold today’s students to be tomorrow’s moral leaders, business entrepreneurs, and wonderful neighbors.
Yes indeed, public schools are the heart, soul, and economic engine of Lee County, and the school board members who run them need to be in office for the right reasons.
I’m not sure if that’s true today.
Why are we letting the Conservative agenda from Tallahassee, or Republican scare tactics, play political games with our children? Why do we vote for folks who take their orders from people in Tallahassee rather than Fort Myers, Lehigh, and Cape Coral?
Our schools are facing existential challenges. Teachers are leaving the classroom, tightening school budgets are squeezing out the programs and services our children need to succeed, and our classrooms are becoming dangerously overcrowded.
At the root of it all, political battles in Washington, DC, and Tallahassee are driving local agendas. Meetings that should be about teaching and learning are all too often about banning books, limiting students’ rights, and making excuses.
In that atmosphere, our school board oversees millions of taxpayers’ dollars. Their decisions affect special needs students, teacher recruitment and retention, textbooks and supplies, school safety, and academic standards.
At the very least, Lee County residents should be able to expect the responsible use of public funds.
Yet, Lee County schools face a crippling $46.7 million deficit that threatens critical programs and services. Buckingham Exceptional Center, for example, is planning for the relocation of children with special needs to an entirely different facility. Edison Elementary expects to have to curtail musical and art programs, while Colonial Elementary School is talking about reducing guidance counselors.
Our local schools are struggling to maintain competitive wages and keep excellent teachers on staff. All the while, the question goes unanswered as to why there was a large staffing shortage last year, but the board is planning to cut staff this year.
With all this mystery and uncertainty, the voters have to ask the question: Why are parents, taxpayers, and the community shut out of budgeting decisions?
If you ask me, it’s time to hold school board members puppeting edicts from Tallahassee accountable for their mistakes that have landed us in this disastrous situation. We need to elect or keep those folks who will put our kids’ social needs, physical well-being, and education at the top of the list, rather than their political allegiance or party affiliation.
There is an adage that holds true here: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
We have a chance to stop the insanity and bring child-centered and education-oriented common sense back to the Lee County School Board. We have candidates who have promised to put our kids above their own political points-of-view.
Debbie Jordan, Jennifer McDaigle, India Palencia, and Carline Saintilus have promised to work for:
- Strong neighborhood schools.
- Fair, responsible, and child centered budgeting.
- Teacher recruitment and retention.
- Mental health support for students.
- Accountability and transparency.
- Respect for parents, teachers, and children.
- An educational program that prepares young people for college, careers, and life.
This is where we all get to be involved, the voting part. School board elections are often decided by a surprisingly small number of votes. Even if you don’t have children in school, you have a huge stake in their success. The children in our classrooms today are the future of Lee County—and helping shape that future is a responsibility we all share.
Voting by mail is one of the easiest ways to make sure your voice is heard. It’s perfect for busy families, frequent travelers, and anyone who wants a stress-free voting experience. Voting by mail is free, and it allows you to:
- Take your time reviewing the candidates and issues.
- Fill out your ballot when and where it’s most convenient.
- Return it by mail or secure drop box.
- And if your plans change, you still have the option to vote in person.
It is critically important to remember, however, that under Florida law, all previous vote-by-mail requests have expired. If you were previously enrolled, and have not already re-enrolled, you must do so with Lee County Elections at lee.vote or at 239-533-8683.
If you don’t want to vote by mail, you can still vote early or on election day. Check our website for all of your questions.
It’s just that simple, so make your plan now to vote in the August 18 School Board Primary Election.