“The cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated electorate,” ”“ Thomas Jefferson.

This has been my belief for as long as I can remember, instilled in me by my grandmother (also a school board member). Providing an excellent education to the children, our future, is the most important investment we make in our society as a whole and especially in our towns of RSU 21.

To me, this is not a burden, but a privilege to be able to provide our children with excellent public school offerings ”“ it is an investment in our community.

The education provided by RSU 21 schools is ranked in the top echelons of the state rankings, and the high school is high in national rankings. Unfortunately, our investment in the physical infrastructure to support these substantial academic offerings has not kept pace with modern facility standards. In three of our six schools, the buildings are not ADA-compliant, have no fire suppression systems, have mechanical systems well beyond the end of their expected life cycle, and have undersized and outdated rooms (high school science labs are 35 years old).

It’s time to fix these shortfalls and make a proper investment in our education infrastructure. The RSU Facilities and Building Committees have worked diligently to design renovation plans that modernize our buildings, while adhering to the voters’ voices that told us “no turf fields, no performing arts center, no frills ”“ just the necessities.”

It’s time to provide a proper investment in our education infrastructure to match the investment we’ve made in the RSU 21 academic offerings. Please join me in voting YES on the RSU 21 Renovation Bonds and YES on the RSU 21 operating budget to support the children, our future, and the education investments in Kennebunkport, Kennebunk, and Arundel.

Maureen King, Kennebunkport

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