Letter to the Editor: School District Wants More Money for Less Services

I see the school district is trying to increase homeowner and renters’ school levy taxes by 66 percent to pay more for worsening services to families.

I’m like one of the hundreds of families who have not been well-served by the school district, and I had to remove my children. Literally hundreds of others have taken kids out because the lack of discipline, lack of professionalism and diminishing services of Centralia School District. In the last year, enrollment in Centralia SD has decreased by 70 students.

Parents are choosing private schools, homeschool, online schools and hundreds go to smaller, surrounding schools to escape poor treatment in Centralia.

This district does not seem to mind that families leave. They do not involve parents enough, using the excuse that ‘parents don’t care’ so they have this approach that they are to act as the parents. In my family’s case, their decisions have been convenient for them, but damaging to the students in my household.

They have made a mess of things and I do not see it improving. The system of funding encourages the public school to ignore the needs of families, and to focus on their own interests and on getting money.

Now, after several years of significant increases in funding, they want more money? After failing my family so badly we had to sacrifice and go elsewhere to prevent further educational and emotional harm? 

So, of course, I do not see the value of sending them any money at all at this point. They are not serving our children’s best interest and removing actual parents from being involved.  

Bethany Poppino

Centralia