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Dr. Paul Smith raises interesting questions in his “My Turn” opinion, “Levy unclear on how it will help children learn.”

Neither the ballot language nor the LPOSD-provided literature, school official interviews, and pro-levy letters address how the levy funds would help increase “the intelligence of the people” necessary for the “stability of a republican form of government” through “a general, uniform and thorough system of public, free common schools,” as described in Article IX of the Idaho Constitution.

More than 60 percent of Idaho’s budget already goes to education. Dr. Smith rightly questions how supplemental levies affect how and what our children will learn.

LPOSD’s levy makes up a third of its total budget. The vast majority of the levy goes to salaries of administrators, coaches, general staff, and extracurricular-related activities. LPOSD’s staffing level already exceeds state recommendations, as the school’s CFO has admitted, and more is being added with this levy. How all this staffing helps children learn is never clearly explained. What we know is that we are not in, or near, the top 10 of Idaho SAT scores.

I agree with Dr. Smith that teachers are in the forefront of helping children learn, and curriculum can help. In this levy, the bulk of funding does not go to teachers or curriculum.

I recommend voting this levy down. I would consider voting for one that is more responsive to helping children learn and reducing staffing levels to at least bring them in line with state recommendations.

BRENDA KLEIN

Hope