This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Schools

Just How Big Of A Check Is The Public Willing To Write To Racine Unified?

If not $80 million, how much?

Racine Unified School District Board President Bill Van Atta doesn’t want to give up on a school improvement referendum. But, he also wants to know what local residents want from their school district in the wake of the resounding defeat of three school improvement referendum questions in early April.

Racine area voters gave only about 37 percent support to referendum questions that would have brought smaller kindergarten and first grade classes to several elementary schools, paid for existing and additional staff and continued to support the district’s general fund balance.

Reading from a “thought and discussion starter” outline, Van Atta suggested convening focus groups from various constituencies, such as business operators, politicians, minority groups and parents. The feedback could be used to develop a new referendum for next April.

Find out what's happening in Mount Pleasant-Sturtevantwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 “We need to explore a broad range of subjects,” he said. “My own preference is early childhood (education) because that is where we can make the most progress.”

But other School Board members suggested a public opinion poll might be a better way to develop a future vote.

Find out what's happening in Mount Pleasant-Sturtevantwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 “Let’s hear what the public says before trying to push in a specific direction,” said Board Member Dennis Wiser. “If the community is willing to spring for a large maintenance referendum, it would free up money for other things like early childhood education.”

Board Member Pastor Melvin Hargrove disagreed. He said that in his experience, educating the public about what the district does and what it needs to adequately serve students would ultimately win support. “It’s helping them to see what they don’t see,” Hargrove said.

Board Member Sue Kutz suggested that voters were focused on the referenda price tags.

 “I think it was the dollar amount and economic times,” she said. “People just didn’t listen beyond the dollar amount. The thought process was excellent. But, I’m not sure it was as well communicated as it could have been.”

Board Member Don Nielsen countered that the board may not need more focus groups. He said that in his meetings with the public during the past five years consistent themes are the physical condition of school buildings, safety/security and a desire to have students learn. “And, of course, this last time I kept hearing ‘If you’re asking for $82 million, you must be out of your mind,’” he said.

David Hazen, RUSD’s chief financial officer, who participated in nearly every public meeting prior to the April 5 vote, said he’d like to find a way to ask voters why they opposed or supported the referendum.

“What was the motivation for not supporting it? It wasn’t the plan. It wasn’t the amount. It was several extraneous circumstances,” Hazen said citing an acrimonious legislative fight over public employee collective bargaining that included a one-day RUSD staff sickout that resulted in canceled classes.

Van Atta thanked his fellow School Board members for their input and said he’d ask for volunteers to serve on a new referendum committee in the coming months.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Mount Pleasant-Sturtevant