Well, it's happening again. The library has more reduced hours — no Thursdays and earlier closing. Now we hear that the public school budgets are cut back by millions of dollars. Then, we see the county votes for an anti-teacher governor.

What is happening to us? Do we think we can advance as a community when we do these things? What does it say about us?

In April, we will have a chance to reverse this. The Manitowoc school system is now on the verge of closing down many programs. Among the programs that the School Board is thinking of closing down, due to the desire to keep basic instruction available, are literary and math support, 4-K programs, high school advanced classes, assessing learning, athletics, $1 million to maintain the current buildings and classroom technology.

If you are not a parent of a student, you still have a vested interest in the education of our students. For one, the employees that you deal with should really know their job. The nurse or nurse's aide in the hospital needs to be as well educated as he or she can be to care for you and possibly save your life. We need doctors to be well educated as young people. We need young people who can read instructions.

You don't get those results by wishing it. You have to have buildings, electronic equipment, computers, staff, books and programs. The cost of these items is constantly rising. What happens when you take millions of dollars out of a school district's funding? You have to cut these vital items.

If you want to save the good name of the Manitowoc school system, join the effort to pass the three school referendums. If you are a grandparent and want to protect your grandchild's education, join me by calling my phone number and volunteering to Grandparents for Public Education.

Edward Rappe


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