Letter: School will be benefit to city (Printed Nov. 2, 3007)
Posted by Sentry Editor at 11/2/2007 1:43 PM 
Categories: Opinion, Letters to the editor, So Po Schools
Categories: Opinion, Letters to the editor, So Po Schools
Editor:
What is the magic number?
In response to the nameless entity who put up signs in South Portland reading “SPHS No $56 million is too much,” what is the magic number? Has the unspecified group done exhaustive studies of the school buildings and grounds? Do they know what it costs to renovate Beal Gym so it is in compliance with federal regulations? Do they have plans for mandated physical education classes while the gym is closed during renovations? Perhaps they favor having no high school at all?
This is the tip of the iceberg that is South Portland High School. Would you send a baby to daycare that doesn’t meet fire codes, has mold and asbestos and doesn’t meet air quality standards? Would you continue to patch the roof on your home if the walls weren’t connected to the floor? Of course not. However, we continue to barely fix an outdated building. Why force high school students and staff to learn and work in this environment and deter prospective hires from choosing South Portland High? It’s time for a school that will last another 50 years and bring South Portland High School into the 21st Century.
If we fail to invest in our schools, families will leave our city to populate nearby communities, which have better facilities for educating their children and teachers will look toward communities that value education.
Please vote YES for the high school – it will benefit our whole city.
Craig Roberts
South Portland
What is the magic number?
In response to the nameless entity who put up signs in South Portland reading “SPHS No $56 million is too much,” what is the magic number? Has the unspecified group done exhaustive studies of the school buildings and grounds? Do they know what it costs to renovate Beal Gym so it is in compliance with federal regulations? Do they have plans for mandated physical education classes while the gym is closed during renovations? Perhaps they favor having no high school at all?
This is the tip of the iceberg that is South Portland High School. Would you send a baby to daycare that doesn’t meet fire codes, has mold and asbestos and doesn’t meet air quality standards? Would you continue to patch the roof on your home if the walls weren’t connected to the floor? Of course not. However, we continue to barely fix an outdated building. Why force high school students and staff to learn and work in this environment and deter prospective hires from choosing South Portland High? It’s time for a school that will last another 50 years and bring South Portland High School into the 21st Century.
If we fail to invest in our schools, families will leave our city to populate nearby communities, which have better facilities for educating their children and teachers will look toward communities that value education.
Please vote YES for the high school – it will benefit our whole city.
Craig Roberts
South Portland
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