Disillusioned with ‘Vote No’ Committee

To the Editor:

After opening our mail today, I became very disillusioned with the Vote No Committee. Apparently they admired the tactics of a certain paid consultant, and hired this unscrupulous individual to compose a letter slandering everyone working to provide an outstanding education for our children. Such tactics have reinforced my support for voting yes for questions 1, 2, and 3 in the upcoming referendum.

When we moved here thirty years ago, I was so impressed by the people of Hoffman, putting the education of their children ahead of their own interests and voting for a new high school in Barrett, elementary school in Kensington, and giving up a school in Hoffman. I was a substitute teacher at the time, and can honestly say that Kensington was the most run-down of all but one of the six schools I worked in. The district has done its best over the years to maintain that building, but fresh paint and new flooring can’t make a building more efficient.

Teaching techniques have changed dramatically since a lot of us attended school and sat quietly in our orderly rows, learning facts and memorization. The amount of knowledge available today requires teachers to show the kids how to access information and work together to solve problems. Classrooms need to be larger to accommodate more group work and to incorporate 21st century learning like STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics).

In addition, a new school in Hoffman and renovating the school in Elbow Lake would mean much more efficient lighting and heating. Air exchange systems can be installed to improve air quality and cut down on illnesses.

As a senior citizen, I can see why some elderly people wouldn’t want to pay for this expense. I ask them to remember that our parents and grandparents paid for the facilities that allowed our kids to attend school. It’s now our turn to do the same for the next generation and the future of our communities. Please join me in voting yes for all three questions.

Wanda Saurer

Hoffman, MN