“Education is a state-controlled manufactory of echoes.” Norman Douglas.
Lane/Tommy: After reading an article by Michael Hartwell in the Dec. 1 Lakes Region Suburban Weekly about daycare in the Windham School Department we feel compelled to speak out about our viewpoint. We’ll be commenting on the School Age Child Care (SACC) that is in the Manchester Elementary School, the middle school and the Windham High School. Evidently, there have been complaints from private daycare centers that SACC has an unfair advantage because of SACC’s location in the school system and its nonprofit status.
Lane: The Lakes Region article mentioned that SACC pays $525 a month for use of school facilities. This includes space in three school buildings and use of playgrounds, cafeterias and gymnasiums. I have no idea what the current cost of renting commercial property in Windham is but I feel it is much more expensive than SACC is paying to use in the Windham school system. What in the world would it cost for a privately owned daycare center to have the same facilities and accessories as SACC has? Our taxes already pay for maintenance in the school system. Does SACC help with these maintenance costs so our property taxes will be reduced?
Tommy: What is the purpose of the School Age Child Care in our school system? I thought the purpose was to help working parents afford child care. Are there any standards where parents who can afford private daycare having to pay more to use SACC? Is there a difference in payments between someone working a low-paying job or someone else like an attorney? Is SACC cheap enough that it takes children out of Head Start, a federally subsidized program paid for with tax dollars?
Lane/Tommy: We have no problem with our tax dollars providing a decent education for our children. However, we know that’s not the case. What we have a problem with is our tax dollars being used for child support by those parents who want something for nothing. At what point does parental responsibility and accountability become the indebtedness of all citizens? Is socialism raising its ugly head in Windham?
Lane: The article about SACC in last week’s Lakes Region clearly shows how there might be a conflict of interest with its location in the Windham school system. We have a sitting member of the school board on the SACC Board of Directors. The director of SACC is that school board member’s daughter. In my opinion that reeks of nepotism if this fact was hidden from anyone in the public prior to the school board permitting SACC to operate in the Windham school system. If that school board member voted on permitting SACC in the school system, it would appear to me that we have a strong conflict of interest.
Tommy: Is the Windham School Department curtailing free enterprise in our town? Has the School Board grown so self-important that they have lost accountability? I certainly hope not. If the competition from SACC is unfair to private daycare facilities what opportunity or remedy are they afforded? Lawsuits, maybe?
Lane/Tommy: If SACC was a commercial entity, not a nonprofit, what would the benefit be to the citizens of the town of Windham? Well folks, once again we mean taxes. Businesses across Maine pay various taxes and fees to do business in our state. SACC is a nonprofit located on school property. Therefore, we ask, do they pay a business property tax on the various school facilities like swings, desks, gym equipment, tables, chairs and numerous other items that a privately owned business would have to? What about property taxes? Is this equal treatment under the law or has SACC found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?
Lane and Tommy, of Windham, will open their own daycare center for students as soon as space becomes available in their basements. They are awaiting nonprofit status. If you are a student or know of a student in need of a daycare, have them call Lane and Tommy. Right now! Tell them you mean business.
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