Yet another reason why you should vote “No” March 21 on all education referenda.

How schools pass referenda! Welcome to the cavalcade of threats, program cuts and increased fees all in the name of “for the kids!”

Headlines:

Schools face cuts if Pec tax vote fails - Rockford Register Star

Missing school hour equals tough times for the college-bound - Sun Publications 

Dist. 96 warns of possible staff cuts - Daily Herald

Eliminating the extras – District 15 - Daily Herald

PTA parents not happy about shift District 25  - Daily Herald 

District 57 schools chief proposes more staff cuts – Daily Herald 

Farmington school officials eye cuts, changes - Peoria Journal Star

District 103 lists possible budget cuts – Daily Herald

Dist. 34 announces fee hikes, staff cuts – Daily Herald

Macomb schools may see staff cuts – Peoria Journal Star

$77 million in school cuts – Chicago Tribune

Staff, programs cut at high school to lower deficit - Bloomington Pantagraph

Principals to view teacher, program cuts - Chicago Sun-Times 

Glenbard schools prepare for cuts in wake of tax hike failure - Daily Herald 

Music, band students react to Dist. 135 program cuts - The Star

Geneva schools debate budget cuts or tax hike - Kane County Chronicle

District 70 may increase class sizes - Peoria Journal Star

Cuts in future if tax hike does not pass - Daily Southtown 

Schools to cut all student activities - Chicago Tribune

Cuts approved for Monroe district - Peoria Journal Star

Committee searches for least painful cuts – Daily Herald

Public can make last pitch to stop cuts – Daily Herald 

School fees rise as taxpayer support dwindles – Daily Herald 

High school fees take toll on parents – Daily Herald 

Consequences of a No, No vote - advance 300 .com

Possible Cuts - cut programs, eliminate staff, increase class sizes, and eliminate extra-curricular activities.  -voteyestwicewaterloo .com

This list is not an exhaustive list.  School districts and their employees across the state are using our children and their education as pawns to pass referenda. Schools exist to educate our children.  They do not exist for the sake of teachers’ and administrators’ wallets.  Despite increased funding every year it is never enough.  Schools have a spending problem not a funding problem.

I challenge anyone to find three districts in Illinois that have frozen salaries. I mean really frozen salaries, no step increases, no cost of living increases, no increased sick days in place of “frozen salaries” and no increases for “advanced degrees or further education.”

It is not about need, it is about greed.  Demand true education reform, demand school choice now.

Cathy Peschke

Co-founder

Citizens for Reasonable And Fair Taxes