To the editor:

A friend of mine recently told me how poorly Mehlville School District students were performing in reading and math, despite exploding tax revenues. So I did a little research. Using publicly available resources such as DESE and newspaper articles, I found those claims to be accurate.

Despite spending more per student than Bayless, Mehlville’s performance in both English and math is actually lower. Over the last few years, ACT scores and high school graduation rates have also declined. Additionally, Mehlville spends more per student than Lindbergh with far worse results. As a taxpayer, that’s just unacceptable.

There are four incumbent board members running for reelection this April. They have been in charge during this period of decline. While I do not know who I am supporting, I know this: I will not be voting for any Mehlville board incumbent. Failure cannot and should not be rewarded.

Milton Rudi

Oakville