Need voter's support to education

If ever there was a time when education deserved our support, it is now. Education is clearly a key to the future of our children, our economy, and our nation. Today there are children and youth newly determined and eager to learn, with parents supporting them — in many cases sacrificially. And our Princeton schools are pressing forward on lifting the achievement of all children. When the superintendent says, however, that the Princeton schools budget is “bare bones” I worry that she unintentionally means exactly that: that the muscle that would enable the schools to move energetically forward has been stripped away. Money is not everything for sure, but pre-kindergarten for all, tailored math and reading instruction so that all will achieve literacy in the early grades, even participation in math and chess competitions cost money, whatever the source. My hope is that we will support the school budget with its minimal increase (less than 1 percent ) and increase our non-monetary support to a level that matches the challenge and opportunity of our times: asa community celebrating the child who has learned to read, mentoring and tutoring, and honoring school and teacher achievement. Every student, every teacher — however accomplished — will do better with enthusiastic community support.

Source: centraljersey.com/articles/2009/04/14/the_princeton_packet/your_views/doc49e3c41545253413481152.txt