OPINION: Approve Banks school bond to invest in district's future

I am a parent and volunteer in the Banks School District. I have been frustrated with the state of the BSD facilities for the 14 years that I have had children in the district.

I have seen leaky roofs destroy gym floors, students forced out of classrooms due to woodsmoke, nonfunctional security and fire doors, and my children have gone to classes in unheated buildings. This is an unacceptable learning environment for students.

I have learned that these facility issues are not due to a negligent maintenance staff or our school not prioritizing preventative maintenance. Our school district maintenance staff is constantly being asked to perform miracles to keep our high school’s aging infrastructure running.

The cost to maintain these failing systems continues to climb. We are spending approximately $1.5 million annually on repairs and fixes that extend the life of these systems for only a few more years. This is not a cost-effective use of my tax dollars. And these costs will continue to rise.

We need to stop “band-aiding” our schools together and put an investment into our school district’s future.

On May 21, Banks School District residents will be asked to vote on Measure 34-336 to approve a $49.3 million bond. Why now? Because costs aren’t going down, the school district has received a grant for an additional $6 million if we pass the bond now, and because our children cannot wait any longer for safe learning spaces.

Please join me in voting yes on Measure 34-336.