Voters say 'no' to school levy

How sad that our band (that scored a superior at state finals and other competitions) will probably be cut. Both of my daughters will suffer from that. The gifted and advanced classes that they have been attending will also probably go. Lowering our graduation requirements too.....It is time to consider moving to another school system.

i am glad that the levy did not pass . well the school just like to waste the money . like for one thing why do we need astro turf on a high school football field? and another thing why should we pay for busing for kids that goes to private school i think that the parents should have to pay the bill for the bussing? I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE VOTERS THAT VOTEED NO.

I don't understand how anyone could not see how important this levy was to our CHILDREN. I just moved to Reynoldsburg last year to get away from a poor-performing, failing school district in Northeast Ohio. The reason it was so bad was because they didn't put any money into the school system, and nobody wanted to move there because of the schools, which meant no one could sell their homes and people were "stuck."
I did research on our school district before I made the move, and I was very impressed with the diversity and support and academic achievements of Reynoldsburg Schools. Now after only being her a year, I don't think I made the right decision by coming here and am already having to consider another move.
I understand the economic factor that I'm sure went into most of the "No" votes, but I think voting no and denying children a good and safe education is not going to be the answer, it's just going to begin a downward spiral for the City of Reynoldsburg. And those of you who were worried about your property taxes will now have other things to worry about.

Bobcat wrote:

How sad that our band (that scored a superior at state finals and other competitions) will probably be cut. Both of my daughters will suffer from that. The gifted and advanced classes that they have been attending will also probably go. Lowering our graduation requirements too.....It is time to consider moving to another school system.

well if the school stops wasting the tax payers money the levy may have pased . we did not need astro truff on our football field and we should stop paying busing for kids that go to private school when thy do not go to our school.that i two thing that coused the levy to fail

robby wrote:

<quoted text>well if the school stops wasting the tax payers money the levy may have pased . we did not need astro truff on our football field and we should stop paying busing for kids that go to private school when thy do not go to our school.that i two thing that coused the levy to fail

So the kids have to pay for the school board's mistakes? I agree bussing for private school should not be done, and astro turf may not be necessary; but you're saying that means kids should have to take VERY unsafe routes to school, not be able to participate in music and art and things that make them well-rounded people? Not to mention people can't afford to pay for their kids to play sports, and I'm sure we all know what kids do when they are bored and don't have anything to do...they cause trouble and get in trouble.
I think there should be policing of the way the money is spent to insure it's being used in the most cost-effective manner; because I will admit when I first moved here, I did think the bussing could have been done a little more effectively.

We are a pathetic community. We are now the ONLY community in Franklin County that will not financially support their schools. Even Southwestern City Schools passed theirs. Shame on those who voted against it.

Someone paid for your public education. Grow up and quit whining that you must pay for someone else's.

voter wrote:

We are a pathetic community. We are now the ONLY community in Franklin County that will not financially support their schools. Even Southwestern City Schools passed theirs. Shame on those who voted against it.
Someone paid for your public education. Grow up and quit whining that you must pay for someone else's.

Exactly! It's not free, never will be free.

Remember back when we were told we HAD TO HAVE a new high school or we'd LOSE all that state money? And some of us pointed out that we could run more efficiently with the structures we already had? We even pointed out that operating expense would go up because of new structures opening and it would be better to ride out the peak in population than go into massive debt.

We were told there was NO WAY are kids could learn in classrooms with more than 25 kids in them. I left the area after the construction bond failed the first time, and it passed after I left.

Now, you are all stuck. I hope your new Board is better than your old one. And good luck with your half empty buildings 4 years from now.

I just want to express my sympathy in the loss of your levy. We in SWCS, know your pain all to well. I hope that something can change so you will not have to go through the agony we have had for the last 10 months. My heart goes out to the children of your community.

Sad mom wrote:

<quoted text>
Exactly! It's not free, never will be free.

You are exactly right it is not free tax payers pay for children education but there is a growing number families that live in Reynoldsburg that are getting alot and not paying into the system. About 10 years ago Reynoldsburg was starting to decay but no one saw it because it was not effecting the school system yet. Now we have gangs in the high schools, I have been told by high schoolers that inside the social structure of their school it is bad because there are fights, gangs and alot more going on.

Our past mayor (Not McCloud) turn a blind eye so that Reynoldsburg could have taxes reduce by allowing alot of apartment with special issues to go up around certain area of Reynoldsburg and those area's are NOW the high crime area, they are also the area's where alot of taxes are not paid for by the voters.

Alot of people are either moving out of Reynoldsburg or sending their children to private schools or other school districts. On my street alone family are preparing to move out of Reynoldsburg before their children reach middle school, some families are already sending their children to Licking County schools and have seen amazing turn around in their children attitudes and influences.

If you ask me Reynoldsburg is one step away of being like inner city not a suburb. I think it is a shame 15 years ago when we moved to Reynoldsburg it was a nice small community. Greed took over and now we the tax payer are left with the mess for our children. Thanks alot to Retired McPherson

Reynoldsburg wrote:

<quoted text>
You are exactly right it is not free tax payers pay for children education but there is a growing number families that live in Reynoldsburg that are getting alot and not paying into the system. About 10 years ago Reynoldsburg was starting to decay but no one saw it because it was not effecting the school system yet. Now we have gangs in the high schools, I have been told by high schoolers that inside the social structure of their school it is bad because there are fights, gangs and alot more going on.
Our past mayor (Not McCloud) turn a blind eye so that Reynoldsburg could have taxes reduce by allowing alot of apartment with special issues to go up around certain area of Reynoldsburg and those area's are NOW the high crime area, they are also the area's where alot of taxes are not paid for by the voters.
Alot of people are either moving out of Reynoldsburg or sending their children to private schools or other school districts. On my street alone family are preparing to move out of Reynoldsburg before their children reach middle school, some families are already sending their children to Licking County schools and have seen amazing turn around in their children attitudes and influences.
If you ask me Reynoldsburg is one step away of being like inner city not a suburb. I think it is a shame 15 years ago when we moved to Reynoldsburg it was a nice small community. Greed took over and now we the tax payer are left with the mess for our children. Thanks alot to Retired McPherson

I've only been here a year, so I can't speak to what happened before we came, but it certainly doesn't sound like something that's happened overnight.

robby wrote:

i am glad that the levy did not pass . well the school just like to waste the money . like for one thing why do we need astro turf on a high school football field? and another thing why should we pay for busing for kids that goes to private school i think that the parents should have to pay the bill for the bussing? I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE VOTERS THAT VOTEED NO.

From the looks of Robby's letter, he's really going to be having problems learning how to spell and write correctly now that teachers and classes will be cut. Too bad he won't have a chance to become properly educated now. Good luck getting a future job, young man. You will need it.

robby wrote:

i am glad that the levy did not pass . well the school just like to waste the money . like for one thing why do we need astro turf on a high school football field? and another thing why should we pay for busing for kids that goes to private school i think that the parents should have to pay the bill for the bussing? I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE VOTERS THAT VOTEED NO.

If you are going to make comments on something you should research the facts first. The astro turf on the football field was donated to the school by the company who installed it. They were replacing our field as well as a College field when they messed up the order for the College. They asked Reynoldsburg if they wanted the upgrade, FOR FREE, and they said yes.

Secondly the law requires Reynoldsburg to bus the kids who live in Reynoldsburg to the private schools they attend. That will not change. They either have to bus the kids or provide they with funds for transportation.

You guys had the gumption to stand up to the evil government machine and stop accepting blackmail from your school system.I wish those in our district(SWCS) had the compassion that you all do in Reynoldsburg,for the working poor and those trying to live on fixed incomes.BRAVO.

For the reasons that most people have listed on here (football field, and bussing students) there was no reason to vote it down. Just like in SWCS voters would rather buy into the propaganda of no voters so they don't have to sacrifice, rather than pay forward the same opportunities that were allotted to them when they went to school when someone paid for these activities for them. The ignorance that people show when voting truly astonishes me. If your going to go vote (which I believe everyone should) then please take the time to figure out the issues and make an informed decision. The worst thing America does is let ignorant, lazy people vote and affect the lives of everyone else.

Rhonda wrote:

<quoted text>
If you are going to make comments on something you should research the facts first. The astro turf on the football field was donated to the school by the company who installed it. They were replacing our field as well as a College field when they messed up the order for the College. They asked Reynoldsburg if they wanted the upgrade, FOR FREE, and they said yes.
Secondly the law requires Reynoldsburg to bus the kids who live in Reynoldsburg to the private schools they attend. That will not change. They either have to bus the kids or provide they with funds for transportation.

Thanks for the clarification! I guess people will look for any excuse to justify voting against it...even if it's not the truth. Maybe it makes them feel better about denying today's children what they deserve -- the things former students were given when they were in school.

Laura wrote:

You guys had the gumption to stand up to the evil government machine and stop accepting blackmail from your school system.I wish those in our district(SWCS) had the compassion that you all do in Reynoldsburg,for the working poor and those trying to live on fixed incomes.BRAVO.

Yes..bravo for making our children non-musical, non-creative, overweight, gifted-wasting, bored kids who have to walk to school two miles, no matter how dangerous the path is! Why wasn't this thought of years ago?!

Rhonda wrote:

<quoted text>
If you are going to make comments on something you should research the facts first. The astro turf on the football field was donated to the school by the company who installed it. They were replacing our field as well as a College field when they messed up the order for the College. They asked Reynoldsburg if they wanted the upgrade, FOR FREE, and they said yes.
Secondly the law requires Reynoldsburg to bus the kids who live in Reynoldsburg to the private schools they attend. That will not change. They either have to bus the kids or provide they with funds for transportation.

If this were the case why did the BOE pay approximately 1.3 million dollars for a new football field and track? The upgrade may have been free but 1.3 millions was spent. That is one hell of a lot of busing.

Who sponsored the appropriation - Charles Martin BOE member
Who was past president of the the Touchdown Club- Charles Martin BOE member
Who is a big donator to the school - The touch Down Club

You conntect the dots...Check the board minutes

Congratulations to the no voters- Reynoldsburg is becoming a slum. This is the first step. Pat yourselves on the back! Give yourself a big old high five when your neighbors move and rent their house out or sell it to the lowest bidder because that is what you are getting. HOORAY FOR YOU.

Levies aren't about expanding programs for kids--they're about increasing compensation for teachers and administrators. Let's get that straight.

Reynoldsburg school district has averaged 40% remediation for the last four years--and likely historically for the prior ten, at least. This means that 4-in-10 of your kids leave Reynoldsburg schools unprepared for college, have to repeat "high school" math and English. This isn't just an inconvenience, they re-take the classes and all is okay. Only 15% of remediated students ever earn their college degrees, and it takes more than five years to do it. This data is empirical and comes from the deans of Ohio's colleges and universities who submit it to the Ohio Board of Regents.
http://regents.ohio.gov/perfrpt/hs_transition...

If your board did it's job it would hold your superintendent accountable and index raises according to improvements in your remediation rates. The teachers and administrators get their raises when the educational position of your kids improves.

Let's stop pretending that it's "all about the kids". It's not. It's about district employees making more and more money. Your superintendent and administrators have known for YEARS about your high remediation rates and have swept it under the rug, preferring to embrace the accolades from the state DOE that is shown empirically to have low expectations.
http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/10/...

Here's where Ohio maps to where our standards should be:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pubs/stu...

Your kids are paying the price, and oddly because you supported levies for so long. You who voted down the levy did the right thing. Now you have a solid reason other than financial unsustainability to justify it. Use this as leverage to demand accountability and results.