Letter to D39 School Board About Tax Levy

Board Member emails:

steenm@wilmette39.org

panzicaf@wilmette39.org

schaffa@wilmette39.org

kearneyt@wilmette39.org

cesaretj@wilmette39.org

fabesl@wilmette39.org

sternwee@wilmette39.org

Sample Letter:

To the School Board of District 39:

Again, thank you all so much for your service:

I would like to make clear my opposition to D39 schools raising the levy (and our property taxes) again this year.

I do not believe that D39 has a “right” to expect millions of additional dollars, year after year, from the Wilmette taxpayer simply because you are allowed to collect it. Rather, I believe that you should make your case for this action. So I am asking that you:

– Make the case for the increase in terms of the improved student outcomes you expect to see as a direct result, and the metric you will use to measure these outcomes. If your answer refers to the funding of new programs, please explain how these programs will directly improve student outcomes, and what metric you will use to measure them.

– Conversely, please make the case for what specific need or needs will NOT be met if the levy were not increased this year?

Second, I am concerned students who express a conservative political philosophy, across all three surveys you administered on these issues – parents, teachers, students – report being the second highest group experiencing bullying. You have plans and goals for addressing a wide range bullying behavior, and that is fantastic. I commend you.

But this harassment and intimidation of conservative students is one of the few that happens because of speech, and the way one thinks, and so I believe it might take a different kind of response.

I would like to know what you doing to specifically address the issue of students who express conservative political views experiencing higher rates of harassment than almost any other student group in D39?

Thank you so much for your time. I look forward to hearing back from you.

xxxx xxxxx
Wilmette