<p>
</p>
<p>OF, it is good to remember that you only need two hands to count the games this high school football team will play annually in this stadium. </p>
<p>It is a matter of priorities. While it is true that this community approved the sale of the bonds needed to build the stadium, the PAC, and the bus barn, it also remains that could do this because of a the system used to pay our education expenses. In light of these extravagant expenses and the constant claims of budget deficits in education, one could advance that the Robin Hood plans used in Texas are stopping way short of what they could be. If this community has the ability and willingness to raise 119 millions, why not seek to recapture a good portion of that windfall by further reducing their education budget (yes, the budget that pays for their teachers) and redistribute to the districts that are facing population exodus and reduced tax bases. </p>
<p>The funding of public education is built on principles of equality. All students are supposed to have access to an equal and comparable system of education. It is clear that as long as the wealth of schools will be directly derived from their property taxes, the system will always be grossly divided among have and have-not. </p>
<p>The problem is not that a few thousands of people in Allen, Texas approved this funding and this construction; the real problem is that a system developed in different times did ALLOW them to do so. A system that allows the suburban Shangri-Las to build a stadium that rivals one that colleges would dream off and performing arts center that would make many cities envious, and at the same time leave other districts to struggle to finance the most basic necessities. </p>
<p>Reduced to its basic essence, the question to be answered is why have such expenses become justifiable in the world of education. </p>
<p>As I wrote in my original post several days ago … Who says we have a funding crisis in education!</p>