Editor:

It has come to my attention that the Skidmore-Tynan Independent School District (S-TISD) was recently testing for asbestos during school hours while our children were in the classrooms being tested! No one was notified about this before, during or after the testing. Furthermore, given that the probing results have come back positive for asbestos, we can assume our children were exposed to this airborne carcinogen. I think this issue should not be taken lightly and that, at the very least, the public should have been notified about this testing for asbestos.

​Our community needs to express our concerns on this issue to the school board. My question is: are they trying to cover this up? If so, do we need to start questioning the integrity of the management of the S-TISD? After all, this was an extremely irresponsible act on their part.

​Other issues are the spending of our tax dollars. The school board has taken it upon themselves to start tearing down the existing elementary school. They did not consider taking bids to get the best price available, but instead awarded the job to the contractor who is constructing the new elementary school building.

​When we decided to build the new elementary school (I am on the building committee), we were told the only structures that were going to be removed would be the portable buildings (initially installed as temporary classrooms). We were also informed the school bond (which was presented to the general public to vote on in 2011 for the purpose of building the new elementary school) would provide enough money to build and maintain the new elementary school and that the existing buildings would be used for the high school and the junior high. Obviously, this is not the case.

So, why are we now spending extra money to tear the buildings down when we were told they were going to be used? Where is the money coming from? Maybe this is why our taxes have been raised again!

​The school board (with the exception of Ricky Olivares) has voted to lift the homestead exemption on our taxes. Again, they are raising taxes and putting another burden on the taxpayers to support their careless spending habits.

​The school district has tapped us out through bonds. We, the public, were told the Skidmore-Tynan ISD would not ask for any more money, and perhaps, technically, they have not asked for any more money; they are just taking it. In today’s economic climate, this type of money management is exceedingly irresponsible.

​If you are concerned about taxes going up or the health of our children being put at risk, or if your brows are raised by the questionable integrity at Skidmore ISD, then we need to start voicing our opinions. I am not against our kids getting a new school or having the best equipment to work with; however, I am against being misled.

Concerned taxpayer,

Paul Ables