Mr. Wearn's opposition to Bethel School District's bond ("Reasons to vote against Bethel bond") obviously reflects misinformation and a misinterpretation of the facts. The reality is we are focused on improving the basic education of our students and have worked hard to become one of the most improved districts in the state of Washington. An example of this misrepresentation is our graduation rate, which increased 11.4 percent in the last two years and is now above the state average. (Our five-year graduation rate is also higher than the state's by an even a wider margin.) We have received accolades from OSPI (state office of the superintendent of public instruction) and the U.S. Department of Education for our curriculum and instructional programs. All of this has been accomplished with less state funding than we had in 2007, due to our dedicated staff. This bond campaign is not a hard sell; we are simply trying to share the facts with our constituents, as required by law. Perhaps, Mr. Wearn should have joined one of our citizens' tours to see firsthand the conditions of our schools. For example, Bethel High School has had four floods in the last five years due to old pipes and an electrical fire last year due to old equipment. The problem is the age of the building, not its maintenance, as we have a superb maintenance staff. At $95 million, the partial replacement and modernization of Bethel High is the most expensive part of the bond, but is the most cost-effective way to reduce crowding and fix the building's deteriorating condition. The bond will allow us to get rid of 17 portable classroom buildings behind Bethel High, many of which are Korean War-vintage, Army surplus buildings, all of which are nearing the end of their life. One is already condemned due to toxic mold. Further, Mr. Wearn stated Bethel "uses its condemnation powers, arbitrarily threatening to take land from a rural church.GÇ¥ That statement is not true. Bethel has not condemned any property. The land in question was purchased though a friendly negotiation process. There are many other misrepresentations in Mr. Wearn's statement, but the facts remain: " Bethel has grown 900 students in the past two years. " There are 3,000 more students coming. " The bond will enlarge our buildings, add one elementary school, and fix deteriorated conditions that exist in our oldest buildings. This $236.7 million bond will relieve overcrowding and maintain safe and healthy schools in our district. The cost is 65 cents per thousand, or approximately $10.83 per month for the owner of a $200,000 home. If Mr. Wearn, or any other member of the community, would like a firsthand look at the real conditions our students and staff face every day, I would be happy to provide them a tour. Thomas G. Seigel Superintendent, Bethel School District
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