45%
Meet Steve Machesky, SDMA School Board Candidate
Steve Machesky,
Candidate for SDMA School Board
submitted photo
The following is a submitted article from a candidate. I would be happy to publish submitted campaign statements from any of the candidates in this election. Publication does not imply endorsement.
According to Wisconsin Department of Revenue (Division of Research and Policy; December 27, 2019) the State of Wisconsin collected $11.20 billion dollars in property taxes. There are 2.7 million housing units in Wisconsin. A simple math equation revels that each household provided over $4,000 in tax revenue to fund state programs. In FY 2019, over 45% of property taxes were directly allocated to school districts. Of course, that is not the only source of revenue for operation of schools. There are special referendums, an equalization formula for redistributing state resources, and federal tax revenue.
Certainly, we all need to ask ourselves are those resources utilized efficiently and effectively by local school districts instructing/training our children in developing critical skills to become productive/competitive citizens.
A fall 2022 publication from the Menomonie School District provided a chart on Average ACT Composite Scores. The chart displayed the average Menomonie scores relative to average State scores. For the year 2021, the Menomonie District average was 20.1 and state 19.1. I’m not convinced that this indicates the outcomes our parents and taxpayers would celebrate.
Is being mediocre sufficient or should we expect better?
That’s a question that parents and other stakeholders should be concerned about.
Now let’s turn to something more insidious infecting our schools. As if budgetary, fiscal, and college placement exams are not enough, during the week of February 16th elementary students in the Madison Metropolitan School District will be exposed to a weeklong introduction of gender identity and sexual orientation curriculum as part of the districts “Welcoming Schools Agenda”. Children will be taught about “different identities, which include gender identity, sex assigned at birth, and sexual orientation.” The week will be capped off with a “Rainbow Day on Friday”, according to a district email obtained by “Wisconsin Spotlight”.
Gender identity, sexual orientation at elementary school level is not likely to remain in the Madison area. Published materials on these topics have already been uncovered, voted on, and approved by the Menomonie School Board.
I’m no fan for banning books but seriously, in elementary schools. This has no place in any school, let alone with children who are only learning to spell, read, and write. Parents need to be actively engaged demanding that school curriculum be shared with district taxpayers for comments prior to implementation and published in the district newsletter.
Active parental engagement, budgetary discipline, age-appropriate materials; These are just of the few imperatives that Board Members must hold our District Administrators accountable for.
Steve Machesky