To the editor:
Imagine for a moment that our local school is a ship sailing through stormy seas. The vessel, once sturdy and reliable, is now showing signs of wear and tear. It’s taking on water faster than we can bail it out, and the crew is overwhelmed trying to keep it afloat. It’s time for us to make a difficult but necessary decision: abandon ship.
Many have deep emotional ties to Lakeview School. The thought of closing its doors is heartbreaking to them. But we must remember that our primary concern should be the safety and well-being of our children.
With only one full-time teacher for Pre-K through 6th grade and no principal, the school is struggling to serve its purpose. Students are not receiving the support they need to thrive. Anyone who claims otherwise is speaking from a misguided place of emotion. If one simply looks at the facts, the data speaks for itself.
Continuing to keep the school open under these conditions is like trying to patch up a sinking ship with duct tape. It’s a temporary fix that will only delay the inevitable. Instead, we need to have the courage to face reality and take decisive action.
We could choose to invest a million dollars into fixing the ship, but would it truly solve the underlying issues?
For those who do not see the answer clearly, it is a resounding “no.” Dumping another year’s worth of funds into a school that has dwindling enrollment, and which the district cannot keep staffed appropriately is not fixing anything. In fact, it is preventing district-wide solutions.
Alternatively to dumping funds into a failing micro-school, we could simply have the few members board the existing sturdy vessel right next door, where resources are available and the crew is ready to provide a safe and nurturing environment for our children.
Closing the school may feel like admitting defeat, but in reality, it’s an act of courage and responsibility. It’s an acknowledgment that we are putting the safety and well-being of our children first. And just as abandoning a sinking ship allows the crew to focus on saving lives, rather than salvaging the vessel, closing our school will allow us to redirect resources and energy toward providing our children with the quality education they deserve.
Mandy Spaulding
Hardwick
