This parent will vote with pride for Issue 109

To the Editor:

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights school district spends a lot of money on its students. Some people point to this as a reason not to support public education. I actually think it’s a fact about which we should all be proud.

We spend this money because our community values opportunity, equity and access. We believe that children should be introduced to foreign languages in elementary school. We believe that fourth-graders should have the chance to learn musical instruments, regardless of their parents’ ability to afford private lessons. We believe that students should be enriched by some of the most highly regarded musical programs in the nation. We believe in providing programs and clubs that match up with the varied interests and abilities of all our community’s children, and that keep them engaged in, and returning to, school each day.

This community also values doing what is right in the face of need, again reflected in the money the district spends on its students. Whether it’s providing wrap-around services for refugees and their families (who make up nearly 10 percent of the student body at Noble Elementary School), or providing academic or behavioral intervention services to any child who needs a personalized strategy, our district has made careful choices about providing what it believes is right and good and necessary.

It is difficult and expensive for districts to provide high-quality educational experiences for all children regardless of their background or ability, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do it. I will vote for Issue 109 so that our schools can continue to offer all children access to the opportunities they need to succeed in life. And I will do it with pride.