“That’s how I eat. That’s how I pay for my house,” Emily Keith said. “That’s how I get clean water, electricity, all of that stuff.”
Students, teachers, and parents throughout the district will be affected by Proposition A, a proposed tax rate increase that would give GISD funds. If Prop A is passed, teachers, student programs, special education, and safety would receive more funding. It also helps the district out of a $63 million deficit. Students like senior Keith, the daughter of a GISD employee, depend on and would benefit from this extra funding.
However, these students also feel the burden of this proposition shouldn’t fall on people who have already been giving money to the district.
“…I do feel that it is a little bit unfair to place the responsibility of funding for our essential programs,” Keith said. “As well as our technically nonessential but honestly more essential programs such as our fine arts, our sports, and things that make kids actually engaged to go into school…onto the people who are already supporting this district.”
In the chance Prop A doesn’t go though, students and teachers could lose parts of their community.
“If it doesn’t pass, we do have the potential to lose one of our theater teachers,” junior thespian Maya Waldon said. “And it affects me personally because I do want to pursue a career in theater and the arts past high school. He has a lot of tips, a lot of connections that could help me get further along in that field, [but] if we don’t have him anymore, I’d lose out on that.”
And if it does pass, students see many benefits, including senior Student Council President Varunya Pongvaramitchai.
“I think funding for those will be very beneficial, especially involving security in schools,” Pongvaramitchai said. “…And then, of course, teachers, their salary matters. And students need money for resources like laptops or curriculum materials. It really affects everyone, not just people that are directly in the education field, students, teachers like that; It affects pretty much the entire society.”
Because of its big impact and its locality, people believe voting is very important, whether or not it’s for Proposition A, including teacher Brittany Spears.
“I think people should vote,” Spears said. “Because votes, especially at the local level and the state level, really determine a lot about not only how our laws are formed but also how money is divided up and funding is provided for different aspects, like the school district or the city planning groups.”
Overall, students and teachers alike know the impact Proposition A would provide GISD. They believe it needs to come to a decision, a decision made by everyone.
“Those who are able to vote,” Keith said. “They need to get out there, need to vote, and need to make their voices heard.”
