To the editor:

Re: Mehlville School District proposed 97-cent tax levy

I just finished reading the propaganda, otherwise known as the Mehlville Mini Messenger, mailed to homes by the Mehlville School District. I sincerely hope that voters turn down the proposed 97-cent tax levy on Feb. 7.

Voters approved a 49-cent tax-rate in-crease in November 2000 to fund improvements that resulted in many new school buildings. Judging by some of the rationale for the latest 97-cent tax levy proposal, these new school buildings must not have come equipped with any basic school supplies like pencils, paper, erasers, books, crayons, storybooks and hand sanitizer.

We apparently need a separate tax in-crease for that. What’s next? A tax increase for field trips?

I find it truly amazing that some teachers would spend more than $1,000 — or $5,000 in one case — out of their own pockets for supplies. Either the district should be ashamed at letting the teachers spend so much of their own money for basic educational items or maybe the teachers have a lot of extra cash lying around.

I admire all teachers for what they do and how they do it on a relatively modest sal-ary. That’s why I’m just astonished at the claims made in the Messenger. Or maybe the school district wants us to take up a collection; I’m not sure.

If the district is so short on basic school supplies, here’s an idea that we use in private schools: Have the children supply their own pencils, paper, pens, crayons and tissues. Or have each family contribute a small amount to a supply fund at the beginning of each year. Please tell me that most district families can afford that much.

I choose to send my children to private school and accept the financial costs, in-cluding school supplies, that go with it.

But I can’t buy into the one-sided sales pitch published by the Mehlville school board in the latest Messenger.

Don Pavlacic

Oakville