Letter to the Editor: Our Teachers Have 'Honor'

While campaigning, and since winning the election for school board in Peters Township, it has not taken long to hear about the many methods that the current group has used to try to win/force the community to their way of thinking.

I was surprised to hear that during the recent, very unscientific survey about funding and renovations, this administration had tried to engage the teachers to get involved (even those outside of the district) to skew the votes by responding in an “affirmative” manner in dealing with the tax increase.

Then, after losing the vote in the survey by 2-1 (in reality, it might have been a 3-1 or 4-1) for the increased spending, they made comments in recent articles that you, the taxpayer, did not understand and "were not sufficiently informed.”

They are now continuing, according to a published statement, to push to “educate” the taxpayers in the need for these additional funds.

Now, usually that does not bother me but when the community (even after attempts to bag the vote) comes and tells you a resounding “NO” they are still moving into step two in their playbook, to overcome those results and move to their next tactic which includes trying to get our teachers to use your children to “carry the water” for them by “informing” them during the day to spread the word to the parents about the unsafe schools, etc.

This, will supposedly shame the parents to give into their wishes (this action, I was told about (and verified) had taken place during a very recent meeting that they had with our teachers).

It was bad enough to have them spend millions on another (redundant) football field (after all; USC built a similar field near Boyce school so could we do anything less?) but, those millions, if the safety issue was real, should have been spent, by the district to upgrade the facilities rather than trying to keep up with the Joneses.

After all, the “safety issue” was on their plate before they got the idea to put in the field. And since the terrible incident at the Columbine High School in CO (1999) had driven the PT school board, in the early 2000s, to invite the FBI and other concerned organizations in to assist with ideas to make our schools safer and they implemented many of the suggested processes which included the removal of trees and bushes, changing processes and limiting the access to the buildings, etc., which did take place.

In The Almanac (dated 11/9/2011 the article PT survey: “No” to tax increase), a comment is attributed to members of this board that states “…some voters may have been confused the taxing process in Washington County with those in Allegheny County.”

I believe that our residents are smart enough to know what county they live in and two, understand that a mill is a mill in whatever area you live in. What they (this board) does not seem to understand is that based upon when the home was built in this township a millage increase on a newer home will cost much (maybe 3 times as much) more than that of a currently similar priced older home (based upon the 1980 assessment vs. a newer homes assessment).

So, I do not believe that the homeowners got it wrong; I do believe that the board and their representatives did. These are only some examples of the many issues that have been told to me in the last few weeks dealing with the school, the potential taxing issues, and pressure on the teachers to skew results of the survey as well as pressure being put on certain teachers/coaches for special treatment for certain children.

I, like many of the taxpayers and residents of the community, do hope that none of these actions actually have taken place since not only would they be wrong, but anyone of these could take away energies that are really needed for the intended purpose to educate.

The newer/est board members are going to need your (the community's) constant support and assistance if we are going to stop all of these distracting side shows and get our school back to placing the education of the students back in the center ring. Our schools should not, and must not be used by individuals trying to advance their special interests, or ideas, on the backs of the taxpayers of the district.

-Bill Merrell