Columbus schools wants our money no questions asked. Union president has disdain for voters

They want your money, not your questions

The Dispatch guest column written by Columbus Education Association President John Coneglio about the Columbus City Schools’ proposed levy highlighted the establishment attitude.

Their attitude is give us your money and do not bother us or ask questions.

In addition, if voters do not give us the money, children will suffer and we will ask for more money in the future.

More: Columbus schools, kids need our tax dollars. Don't withhold money for political grievances.

George A. Elmaraghy: Voters can't accept Columbus schools' lame claims or threats. Levy not justified.

What he ignored mentioning is that the district’s poor academic performance — only one district in Ohio has lower performance rate than Columbus schools — is destroying the future of our children.

He also did not mention that although the Columbus schools is currently flush with money —Columbus schools has more than $200 million of unspent pandemic money — it failed to improve performance.

This failure is no surprise considering that in the past the district’s idea for improving performance was to falsify their records. 

CCS leaders should be held accountable for their failure. Approving this levy would be an acceptance of the status quo and will only delay actions to improve performance and reduce cost.

Coneglio resents the “nonprofit CEOs and experts in water quality” who provided their input on the proposed levy to the Dispatch.

He should know better.

Education is everyone’s business.

Columbus City Schools history of meager academic performance and the failure of district officials to improve performance necessitate the involvement of every citizen including “nonprofit CEOs and experts in water quality."

George A. Elmaraghy, Columbus

I gladly support students

We need great public schools so all of our city’s children can learn skIlls to hold jobs.

More important, they should learn how to study and understand history, civics, literature plus how to critically think and analyze issues, ideas etc.

Children are the future of our country and its democracy.

To my regret, I had miscarriages, not children.

Still, I do not want to keep my property tax dollars and deny our country an educated population in the future.

Janyce C Katz, Columbus

School board should be dunked

I don't usually go to the Ohio State Fair, but if I were to learn there would be a dunking booth and that Columbus school board President Jennifer Adair and other board incumbents would be in it, I would buy a season ticket and practice my pitch.

I am a graduate of Columbus Public Schools and have voted for every levy since 1980, but the current school board has destroyed my trust and earned my contempt for the way they treated the teacher's union, lied to the public, and allowed the schools to deteriorate.

More: Transparency lacking. Drop school board president, pull levy now, 75 Black leader group

None of the incumbents should be allowed to manage public resources or hold any public office, and Adair should be too ashamed to appear in public at all.

It is sad that the incumbent candidates are running largely un-opposed. My one vote for a school board candidate in November will be for the one candidate who has not yet served and who promises to work for real reforms.

Evan Davis, Columbus

Mad about your property evaluation? Use your voice.

I, like many other property owners within Franklin County, received notice of a probable significant increase in our property value.

And, like many others, my husband and I were not happy.

In these uncertain economic times, it is very stressful to take on additional financial burdens, especially for seniors on fixed incomes who are fortunate to still live in homes they own.

More: Property tax increase is about to hit Ohio seniors – hard. Freezing taxes will help. | Our View

I attended an in-person informal review session at the King Arts Complex because I wanted a face-to-face meeting. While the staff person who assisted me was knowledgeable, polite and courteous, I left the review still concerned that our property taxes will increase.

My personal experience was positive, and I would like to commend Auditor Stinziano’s office for sending staff into the community to speak directly with property owners.

I would hope that more homeowners will take advantage of either the in-person or virtual review opportunity.

It is the engagement of community in local government that provides an opportunity to use our voice for change.

Donna Bates, Columbus

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Teachers' union president showed disdain for voters