Our city is at a critical moment in deciding whether our youngest children’s futures are a priority.

I am a proud parent of a child at Presumpscot Elementary School, a neighborhood school in Portland that uses an expeditionary learning model and has a strong, tight-knit community.

I love our school, and incredible learning takes place there, but the building does not reflect our pride in our community. Children are learning in dilapidated trailers and closet spaces with no windows.

Along with Presumpscot School, Lyseth, Longfellow and Reiche schools have been neglected for decades. These schools do not meet basic fire safety, security or Americans with Disabilities Act standards. Students are expected to learn in extreme heat and cold, with leaking roofs and a severe lack of community spaces conducive to welcoming families and community members to engage in the schools.

For 22 years, school board and community members have been working to get these issues addressed, yet nothing has been accomplished. We cannot afford to put off these critical renovations any longer. Our youngest and most vulnerable students are being cheated out of what they deserve – an equitable and safe learning environment.

The renovations of these four Portland schools will cost $70 million, according to a March report by Oak Point Associates. Further delay only increases the cost and continued deterioration of these neglected buildings. We need the school board and City Council to act now, to get a $70 million bond on the November ballot to renovate our elementary schools and bring equity to Portland’s schools.

Aura Russell-Bedder

Portland

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