New finance measure deserves full backing

After reading The Acorn article on Oak Park school facility bond measures I flipped back to the front to see if it was marked "editorial" as its out-of-balance report nearly tipped me over.

The need to update our schools is very real, as I witnessed first hand on a tour offered by Superintendent Tony Knight. The Acorn reporter was not on the tour.

The state no longer funds updating of school facilities, as much as we wish it would. On the school tour we saw a flooded room at the high school with a leaky roof damaged by rain. Another classroom had warped, stained ceiling panels and water stained walls. I could picture the mold which must be present in these "portable" and temporary classrooms now many years older than their intended use. Electrical outlets were not grounded on the science lab work spaces.

The Acorn report implied these bonds will be used for school luxuries. The B6 bond measure will replace leaking roofs and replace ancient portable classrooms with permanent structures. The bond will pay to update electrical systems. It will pay for other "luxuries" such as replacing outdated fire alarm systems and repairing earthquake damage.

The C6 bond measure is to outfit classrooms with new desks and chairs and update obsolete computer and science labs. An independent oversight committee will handle accountability of expenditures. Barbara Schwartz Oak Park