School Consolidation

In MSAD 56 where I teach and in MSAD 34 where I live, we have just voted to consolidate our school districts.  Despite much trepidation on the part of many people, the vote was really not that close and both school districts voted to combine, beginning in July 2009, less than a year away.

Not that the state gave us much choice.  It is a law that schools must consolidate unless they are already a certain size.  Then they left it up to the people to vote.  However, if the people decided not to consolidate, the state was going to fine the school district a huge chunk of their funding.  The loss of funds would devastate any school district that said no.  I doubt MSAD 56 could have continued to function without the state funds.  I suspect a third of the teaching staff would have been let go and the smallest of our three elementary schools would have been forced to close.  Maybe even the smallest two.  I suspect those of us who survived the cuts would have had more than thirty students per classroom.

Luckily, the people of both school districts made the only decision they could: to consolidate.  For good or for bad, we will soon be one school district.  I suspect the good will far outweigh the bad.  Then again, I usually see the glass half full.

Voting

I voted today.

You know, it feels good to vote. It feels like you did a good deed when you vote. I'll admit, I don't vote every year, but when I do it makes me feel good.

It does make disgruntled when I hear people say, "it is your civic duty to vote." Hogwash, I say. It is everyone's right to vote, not a duty to vote. If someone does not feel they want to vote, then they have every right not to. Many people make a statement by not voting. "None of the above." I often wish that was one of the choices. Especially this year in the Presidential category. I don't like any of the candidates. I chose one and voted for him, but I am not happy with my choice. I picked the one I felt would do the best overall job, but let's face it, anyone with any common sense would never run for President. Who would want the job. Have you ever looked at a photograph of a President when he (I use he, because we have not had a she yet) first takes office and compare it to his photograph as he leaves office? He has aged double the number of years he was in office. Have you ever compared Abraham Lincoln's photos from his first and last years in office. He appears to have aged 25 years.

Anyway, voting makes me feel good, even when the choices don't.