Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board. Letters to the Editor reflect the view of a member of the campus community and are submitted to the publication for approval.

To the Editor:

Education matters.

I’m from Fort Collins, a life-long Choice City resident and the daughter of a Poudre School District educator who sees first-hand the enormous benefit PSD Mill Levy Override Ballot Issue 4A will have on our community.

Regardless of political affiliation, age, race, gender or socioeconomic class, we can all agree on one thing — our children deserve high quality education, delivered by high quality educators.

By approving 4A, we will allow the district to offer competitive, market-value wages to recruit and retain high-quality teachers. The cost of living in the Fort Collins area is higher than most of Northern Colorado, yet PSD is funded at the lowest level allowed by law, and for the first time in recent history, teachers are paid thousands of dollars less than neighboring areas like Greeley.

Understanding the importance of 4A is an important message to get out to the CSU students who can and will be voting in Fort Collins in November.

Almost 200 teachers left the district in the last school year alone. If we don’t pay them what they deserve and need, we will lose them to districts who can.

Additionally, 4A will directly increase the number of counselors and mental health professionals for our children and youth, as well as enhance their safety through improved school security and suicide prevention professionals.

Overall, nearly 75% of voters in the PSD area think positively about 4A. However, positive thoughts mean precious little — we need to take that action further and vote. Colorado State University students who receive ballots in Fort Collins have an important voice in this matter.

I recognize that this issue is not isolated to the CSU campus and student body. However, many CSU students receive ballots to vote in the Fort Collins jurisdiction elections. Therefore, understanding the importance of 4A is an important message to get out to the CSU students who can and will be voting in Fort Collins in November.

Protect our schools, protect our students and protect our hard-working educators. They are all counting on us. Now is the time to invest in them.

To learn more about Ballot Issue 4A, click here.

Sincerely,

Kaitlyn Ewan

B.S.W., B.S. in Psychology CSU ‘19

Graduate student in the CSU Master of Social Work program, graduating in spring 2020