Why I voted "no" for the Highline School District bond:

I am a mother of three, a former PTA president, active volunteer at both of my daughters’ schools and preschool, and a concerned citizen who lives in Burien. I have spent many, many hours as a volunteer at my childrens’ schools trying to figure out how to get the taxpayers of our community to understand what their tax dollars pay for when they vote yes/no for a bond or levy measure.

While this most recent bond measure will build beautiful, extra large schools with great computers, it will not fix the largest problem of all, and that is what happens inside the schools. Sure the roofs wouldn't leak and the teachers would all have telephones in their rooms. But will they have enough books to teach their students? What about library books? Or paper? Or pencils? What about field trips?

This was always a highlight of the school year, especially for a kindergartner taking that first school bus trip to the zoo. Or how about an assembly? After school programs? Playground equipment? Balls? Jump ropes?

Let's not forget the art programs, music programs and sports teams that are no longer funded and/or taught in our public schools.

Do the taxpayers know that the average teachers spends $1,500 a year, and most of the teachers I know spend considerably more. Most of this is on essentials for their classrooms. Books, paper, pencils, notebooks, Kleenex -- and some provide lunch for children that come to school hungry.

I have bought more unneeded wrapping paper, cookie dough, coupon books, magazine subscriptions, etc. to fund these things.

I think it is about time that people know where their money actually goes. It doesn't fund the things that make a school a great place to learn.

If you live in the Highline School District, it builds beautiful warehouse-sized buildings that our children get lost in. It makes us look like we are a great place to raise children. But what about what is on the inside? There isn't a whole lot going on.

That is why I voted no on March 14. I'm saving my yes vote for a levy that will make the inside of our schools just as beautiful as the outside.

Tahnee Runions

Burien