[Vision2020] school facilities

[James Reynolds]

This year I have talked with two young couples that have used the issue of 
school facilities as part of the reason for not choosing Moscow as the place 
to start their first homes. Both couples had the mindset that consideration 
for their children came first and they thought that, although Moscow had 
nice looking neighborhoods the educational opportunities were lacking and 
activities for the youth were difficult to find. It is a small sample but I 
think it may be a wake-up call.

Are we preparing for the next generation and preparing the next generation 
for the future or are we digging in to protect our own little world of 
obsolete ideas. Is Moscow going to become the attic of us? How many of us 
have tripped up for sports meets to some of the N. Idaho School districts 
that have magnificent new schools? Have we noticed the pride and swaggering 
that the parents of those districts demonstrate toward their new school?

The reason those districts have the new schools and the pride that comes 
with it is because they thought their children needed it, so they got it 
done for them. If there are people in Moscow who really believe that the 
facilities in which our children get educated don’t matter in respect to how 
the children get off in life they should try to get a more open attitude 
generated in themselves. If we want a child to be successful in this modern 
world, today’s world, one of the most important tools is demonstrating 
success to the child. Success is more clearly demonstrated if we keep up 
with the times. You raise a child in a hovel then that becomes the 
expectation of the child. If you raise the child in a modern, 
up-with-the-times facility then that is what the child will be used to, and 
will be able to put their hand to, when the time comes for them to provide. 
I think it comes down to what we want for our children. Do we want them to 
hide out in their little town with their little obsolete facilities and 
their little obsolete ideas….to add to the time-capsule we have started or 
do we want them to be able to reach out and pick cherries from where ever 
want the world over because they are used to the best because that is what 
we tried our hardest to provide them?

We have a HUGE backlog of needed facilities renewals in this community, and 
it… is… “For the Children”. It is past time to quit the nonsense of crying 
about a hike in our taxes. Our whole district, with the exception of perhaps 
the junior-high needs to be replaced. If we can’t afford to raise our 
children in the best way possible then just what are we spending our money 
on? Remodeling our attic to add more shelves? Building adult playfields so 
the league teams can gather in greater forces to be amazed with each other? 
Building an ice-rink for the escapades? What the heck are we doing?

James Reynolds

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