Canfield schools need kindergarten, not levy

Canfield schools need kindergarten, not levy
EDITOR:
A 6.9 mill levy? Give me a break! Superintendent Hiscox continually repeats that this levy is needed to "provide the services that our children need." The only service we parents need is all-day kindergarten, but he does not even want to discuss that issue.
Not long ago, we passed a large construction bond. Superintendent Hiscox and the school board made additions and beautifications to our schools. This is great, but knowing that the young parents of the community want and need all-day kin dergarten, why did he not even consider construction of classrooms for this need?. How do new vaulted ceiling entranceways and a large snack bar outside our high school gym help our kindergartners achieve excellence in a strong all-day program?
Then we come to find that the school board took out a note (loan) for $250,000 to purchase property on Shields Road by the McCune baseball fields. They are not even sure if they will build on it, and yet parents are screaming for all-day kindergarten and the response is "No." Why did Superintendent Hiscox not listen to a large parent group and borrow the $250,000 to add the needed classrooms for all day kindergarten. Also, did we, as a community say no to a new school being built, so why did they purchase land?
As far as I am concerned, along with a majority of young parents and other community members who are on fixed incomes, this 6.9-mill levy is outrageous.
Every year the citizens of Canfield are voting on a renewal levy for the schools. Maybe it is time tfor us to say "No," since Superintendent Hiscox is saying "No" so easily to the young parents of the community, and let them start working within a reasonable budget. It is time to cut costs, and if it comes to teachers not getting a 4 percent raise in their next contract or other personnel not getting a raise in their next contract, then so be it. We already pay our teachers extremely well.
Citizens of Canfield please be informed and question seriously before voting for this outrageous levy. Do not fall victim to their half-truths in their campaign for this levy. It is time the community stands up and asks specifically where the money we are already paying is going.
CHARLOTTE WELCSH
Canfield
Innocent priests hurt by evil deeds of other clergy
EDITOR:
As a lifelong Catholic I am saddened that innocent, good, hard-working and dedicated priests are being smeared by some because of the criminal and despicable actions of other priests.
While we are all children of God, we are also human beings with flaws, some more than others. This in no way excuses those who molest children.
The victims of child molestation deserve to be helped medically as well as financially, and perpetrators of such crimes harshly punished.
I was raised to believe that God loves people of all religions, nationalities and races and when one of His children commits a terrible deed He weeps for that child and rejoices when they find themselves on the right path. Unlike human beings, God does not discard even the very worst of His children.
The Catholic church has suffered a storm of criticism for its handling of child molestation cases in the past. While its judgment of some matters was faulty, the church deserves credit for the strides it is taking to rectify this serious matter.
The judgments and self-righteous attitudes of some people finds me thinking what a wise high school teacher told her class. She said we could get to know ourselves as well as the truth better if we looked in the same mirror every day. There would be days when we looked just great, and other days in the same mirror we looked like hell. Those who could recognize the difference would recognize truth and realize no matter how great we may think we are, we all have imperfections. When we pick up that stone to throw at others we should be careful that it doesn't fall on us.
Child molestation is a despicable crime. A child's innocence is what keeps nim or her a child. Those who rob a child of that innocence deserve harsh punishment, but in our haste to punish the guilty let's not include the innocent who are dedicated in helping to do Gods work.
MARY LOU JURINA
Youngstown