“Upon the subject of education, I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people can be engaged in.” – Abraham Lincoln

Some half a year ago, I was shocked by a harsh reality that shouldn’t be real. Pictures of a tarp placed over a rack of books, funneling rainwater into a large, dark trash can standing in the middle of Reiche Community School. Utterly shameful.

The horror didn’t stop there, however, as a parade of slides displayed crumbling brick walls at Longfellow Elementary and portable classrooms awkwardly placed about Presumpscot and Lyseth elementary schools. Worse even, it was pointed out that during the winter, young children have to make their way to toilet facilities by walking on and through snow and ice paths. Utterly shameful.

How did this happen? The answer can only be a lack of leadership in not properly funding the upkeep of our schools so that these scenes need never have materialized.

Soon, the City Council has a chance to show that will and courage to pass a $70 million bond that will provide the funds necessary to repair these disgracefully neglected schools and, in so doing, prove they have the character to lead Portland in the right direction. A failure to do so clearly indicates that they lack that will and, therefore, do not lead.

If budget concerns or raising taxes are the stumbling block holding up some of the council members, I suggest they do a bit of outside-the-box thinking and come up with some original ideas. Perhaps a progressive property tax as one novel, but quite realistic idea?

Make the right choice and agree that education really is “the most important subject which we as a people can be engaged in.”

Craig Dorais

Portland

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