Letter to the Editor

Posted

To the Editor,

As most people in Pampa are probably aware, early voting for the Pampa ISD Bond Election began this week. As a mother of five children currently attending PISD schools, and as a parent volunteer who has been in many of the meetings over the past 2.5 years that have preceded this election, I wanted to share some things I have learned through this process:

First, I have learned that Pampa ISD has many employees who truly care about the children of Pampa. They regularly make many sacrifices on behalf of our children. I have been inspired by the courageous decisions our school district employees have made and by their vision to give all Pampa students the best possible educational opportunities. I trust the staff and administrators of Pampa ISD with my children’s education. As parents, community members, and Pampa ISD staff work together in these most important efforts, the future of education in Pampa is very bright!

Second, we have many school programs that are severely limited because of lack of space, inadequate technology, or deteriorating facilities. Our youngest elementary school is over 60 years old! Our students are learning in buildings that were built long before the security and technology needs of today even existed. Upgrades to our facilities are necessary, and the substantial upgrades our schools need can only come through the passage of a bond.

Finally, I’ve learned that our community can rise only as high as we are willing to support our school system in rising. The educational opportunities and jobs provided by Pampa ISD are vital to the success of Pampa as a whole. When we vote for both Proposition A and Proposition B, we are voting to invest in our schools, which is an investment for the betterment of our community. My husband has worked as a municipal attorney for over a decade, representing many cities throughout the panhandle and south plains, including representing Pampa for the last 3 years. One thing he has noticed in his work is that cities that invest in education and growth thrive, and cities that are not so invested stagnate and their progression stops. We do not want that for Pampa! Change is hard and having our taxes go up is hard, but seeing our community dwindle in population and amenities would be much worse. We must be willing to invest in improvements to our community, and educational investments should be at the top of that list! Please join me in voting for progress in Pampa, join me in voting for Proposition A and Proposition B.

Thank you,

Janelle Guymon