The Mehlville School District has come to a very important point in its evolution.

Proposition T, the district’s proposal on the Nov. 4 ballot, is the beginning of a new turning point in that evolvement. This proposition, which is not a tax-rate increase, simply transfers money from the debt-service levy to the operating levy, allowing the district to restore cuts made earlier in the year. Those budget cuts were in the vital areas of textbook purchases, tutoring, new teacher recruitment and very importantly, the ability to retain the highly qualified teachers the district currently employs.

As a parent in the district, I cannot stress enough the importance of a “yes” vote for Proposition T. Our children are the future of this country and a quality education is the basis for that.

Let’s look at it in another way: If the schools begin to fail, property values within the district area will begin to fall and that will benefit no one. Taking it a step further, it’s conceivable that if property values fall and people have trouble selling their homes in an effort to move into a higher rated school district, they would be forced to stay in their homes.

Since the public schools would be substandard, many would feel forced to send their children to parochial schools. With the influx of so many new students, it’s possible that tuition would skyrocket because those schools would have to build additions to accommodate the increase in student population. Therefore, the passage of Proposition T benefits everyone, including those who aren’t directly involved with the district.

Please consider the children of the Mehlville School District and the dedicated teachers and administration that work tirelessly for their cause and vote “yes” for Proposition T on Nov. 4.

Teresa Willyard

Oakville