this open letter is 150 percent in favor of these new

taxes. Not so! There are far too many issues being laid

in front of voters along with far too reasonable and

practical explanations. Just to itemize a few: Of course

there are the planned modifications to the press boxes,

bleachers, fieldhouses and the terribly interesting

generic use of the word "renovations." Then

there is the banal talk of planning for the "future

students who will move here" - talk that is

approaching an almost religious fervor in some quarters.

Eleven million plus dollars is the amount quoted for this

little part-time activity. That buys a lot of beans,

folks.

Security devices absorb

their share of proceeds from this wishing well. Whatever

happened to the best of all such devices, parental

discipline and control over their own offspring, both at

home and at school? All of a sudden our teachers seem to

be nominated to serve as 8- to 10-hour-per-day parents in

addition to all of their other duties.

It is regretful that this

proposal isn't limited to exactly what is needed: Space

and certainly improvements in the actual plant itself

- up to a point. But in their effort to force this

issue, our educational leaders have added on that great

catch-all, sports equipment and all its ramifications.

It is past the time to

train semi-professional sports players and amateur

scholars and it is time to raise scholars who will

be able to read and understand history and who will

understand the ethics is not just something that the

other guy must have - these students must have it

before they graduate. It is time to place sports in the

perspective where it belongs, physical training for the

love of the sport, not the worship of the dollars it

could bring.

Dr. John DeCotis mouthed

the statements of alarm and doom made by our school board

that, among other things, there may be year-round school

and even, again heaven should forbid, double school

sessions. So?

What has happened to the

specter of "impact fees?" It is politically

expedient not to require new students to be both legal

residents and financially supportive members of the

school community? Must we accept the state's failure to

provide impact fee schedules for schools?

There are other

alternatives for funding schools that should be

investigated. When the Fayette County School Board and

its agents decide to stop living their unrealistic dreams

with our money, maybe we will listen to your pleas.

I submit that the plea for

yet another round of tax increase is a full admission of

defeat on the part of school officials and the parents

who support the "let someone else do it"

theory. For those of you old enough to recall when school

was school and athletics was an after-school volunteer

activity and helmets and gloves were passed down from

brother to brother, from sister to little brother, etc.,

try and remember the classic story of the now defunct

Gechee bird. It can't be reprinted here but most of you

will remember what happened to it. The very same and

identical fate will result from one or two or three more

tax increases. Do not let this happen!

Vote No ! But

whatever else occurs on Tuesday, Sept. 21, please go to

your poll and vote!

S.A. Sparks

Fayetteville

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