Letters to the Editor for March 20

Here are today’s Letters to the Editors…

Submitted by Levittown teacher Timothy Sauritch:

Let the Democratic Process Work

I am a fifth grade teacher at Samuel Everitt Elementary School in the Forsythia Gate section of Levittown. The Neshaminy School District will be closing our school at the end of this school year. In my humble opinion, this is more of a ceremonial action of the school board’s plan of consolidation. I, along with many parents and residents, have spoken out against the closing of our school and consolidation. The board listened, but they did not hear. To date, I know of 11 candidates running for school board this May. Nine are vehemently opposed to this board’s plan. This is unprecedented in local politics. Those opposed must have some merit. Some have the backing of their respective political parties. The community is not happy, and it has never been more clear; they want to send a message to the school board. They want to be heard.

Forget the rhetoric for or against. The board has their agenda and they are moving forward at lightning speed. There’s a bump in the road, and many to follow after the elections, should those opposed be seated. All candidates opposed to consolidation have stated their intentions to reverse everything this current board is pushing forward. They will reverse the closure of Everitt. They will return to the K-5 elementary model. They will not build a new school in Lower Southampton. Depending on how far this board is willing to go, it will essentially cost you, the taxpayer, more money. If Everitt is closed, and a lease given to a prospective tenant, is there not the possibility of the district breaking the lease? If the 5th grade is moved to the middle schools, is there not the possibility they will be returned to the elementary schools the following year? Is it possible construction on a new school could be halted? The answer to all of these questions is yes, and mind you, it will cost money. Money that should not have been spent in the first place. Wasted money that will be blamed on a new board of directors.

I believe the prudent thing for this board to do is wait until after elections to move forward. That is, should they win reelection. The people were not heard at board meetings. Let them be heard at the voting booth. Let the Democratic process work. As in our system of government, the voting process is the only way for our voices to be heard. When one is opposed to a government’s current direction, we have the right to change course. Unfortunately for the current board, this comes at a time when five seats are up for grabs. A change in board means a change in direction. This may not be the popular thing to do at this juncture, but it makes the most sense. Let the people be heard.

I’m not interested in how long this has taken. I’m not interested in who attended what meetings. I’m not interested in the opinion of others. What I am most interested in is the board waiting to see how elections unfold. This is the way it should be. The board may be making decisions now, but they may not be there to see its fruition. This is wrong. If a new board is seated, let them make the call. This may not be popular among the few, but it would obviously be the wishes of the taxpayers. If you have a vested interest in this issue, get out and vote. Be heard!

Submit Your Letter to the Editor

Do you have something you want to say about a town issue? Want to praise your community members for something they did? You can do that by writing a Letter to the Editor.

LevittownNow.com accepts Letters to the Editor on issues that are important to local residents.

Our editorial staff asks that your Letter to the Editor is free of spelling and grammatical errors, clear, and void of libelous statements. We also request that letters are kept under 500 words.

Here are some keys:

• Please include your first and last name, town and email address (so we can contact you back or verify your identity.) We will only publish your name and town.
• Feel free to type letters in response to other people’s opinions, but just be sure to reference the original letter. Why? So no one is confused.
• The choice of letters for publication is at the discretion of LevittownNow.com editors.

To submit your Letter to the Editor, submit it to tom@levittownnow.com with the subject “Letter to the Editor.”