LETTER: Port-Saukville schools excel but face funding unfairness

To Ozaukee Press:

May 7-11 is designated Teacher Appreciation Week by the National PTA.

A big shout out to the Port Washington-Saukville School District! We love your public schools and appreciate your teachers. Three of our grandchildren are experiencing a comprehensive, high quality education in Port-Saukville schools.

We are not district residents, but we are familiar with the experiences of our grandchildren. Attending programs and events they are involved in has shown us the value of district curriculums and co-curricular and extra-curricular programs. It is evident they are being challenged to reach their highest potential.

We congratulate the parents and the entire community for their support in ensuring the school district continues to do a great job for their young people. But we are concerned about the challenges facing our public schools.

A blue-ribbon commission on school funding was created by our Legislature to take a comprehensive look at the funding system. The highly complex funding system in place in the state now calls into question fairness, adequacy and whether young people statewide have similar opportunities to receive an excellent education.

An expanding voucher system has developed into taxpayer funding of two separate school systems. Is that affordable? Should each school district taxpayer know how much of local taxes go to support the private sector as we do for the public sector? Should transparency and accountability apply equally to both systems?

We are concerned about the decreasing enrollments in teacher training programs, the developing shortages of teachers, flattening of wages and benefits, questionable licensing changes and requirements for maintaining teaching skills.

Voice your concerns about these challenges. Talk to legislators, school board members and each other so we can continue to say we love our public schools and appreciate their teachers.

John and Linda Binder

Plymouth