By Tonya Lynch, Guest Column

In the words of Ghandi, we need to &8220;be the change we want to change.&8221;

Change is scary to some but sometimes necessary. Transformation is exhilarating. Working collaboratively on a shared vision, such as the education of our youth in School District 241, is vital.

LEARN, &8220;Let&8217;s Educate and Accept Responsibility Now,&8221; is a group of concerned citizens that would like the community to get out and vote on Nov. 6 based on facts and not guilt. I would like to take this opportunity to offer TEAM, &8220;Together Education Achieves More,&8221; and District 241 the following advice.

Please:

– Don&8217;t use taxpayers&8217; money to send out pro-referendum propaganda without spending the same amount of taxpayers money on anti-referendum information. How many citizens are aware that we, as taxpayers, are footing this cost, which involves postage and printing for a population of 17,758?

According to the Minnesota Attorney General &8220;the public funds entrusted to the board belong EQUALLY to the proponents and opponents of the proposition,&8221; and the use of the funds to pay not just for the presentation of facts only but also to persuade the voters to side with one position only, is not a proper use of PUBLIC funds. This can be found on the Attorney General&8217;s Web site. Now ask yourselves if you feel that District 241 has equally presented opponents views that we, as taxpayers, are paying for.

– Don&8217;t equate more spending with better scholastic achievement unless you have the facts to support this. North Dakota spends among the least per capita but has some of the best scholastic achievement. Washington, D.C., and New York spend the most per capita and have the worst schools. &8220;Simply spending more money on education is not enough to increase student achievement. We need increased accountability for results,&8221; Gov. Tim Pawlenty said May 30, 2007.

– Don&8217;t keep telling citizens that their taxes will only go up $8-$11 a month on average and treat it as though every citizen should be able to afford this, when in reality some can&8217;t. Don&8217;t make them feel like it is their &8220;social responsibility&8221; to vote the way TEAM or the district wants. Freedom is being able to vote the way we as individuals want to vote, not what status quo says.

– Don&8217;t use the preschool screening list to mail out pro-referendum propaganda addressed to 18-month-old children.

– Don&8217;t hang 32 posters on Southwest Middle School cafeteria walls that say what &8220;could&8221; be cut if citizens don&8217;t vote yes.

– Don&8217;t threaten our fifth-grade students that you may not have a job next year if citizens don&8217;t vote yes.

– Don&8217;t come to our picnics with our children as a school function and take away the time we are spending with our children to ask us how we are going to vote. It&8217;s our time with our children, don&8217;t bring politics into it.

District 241 Policy 8020 states: The school board affirms its belief that instructional settings shall be totally dedicated to appropriate teaching and learning and such processes shall relate to approved school programs and curricula.

Therefore, it is the policy of the school board that school employees shall not use instructional settings as a forum to discuss or develop support in the areas of labor disputes, collective bargaining, work stoppages and/or other matters relating to conditions of employment since such displays tend to disrupt instruction.

We, as citizens, need to feel that District 241 and our elected school board members reflect the wishes of the people. The difference between TEAM and LEARN?

TEAM says: &8220;We need more money to keep things as they are.&8221;

LEARN says: &8220;We want better than the way things are. Let&8217;s Educate and Accept Responsibility Now!&8221;

Tonya Lynch is a co-creator of LEARN and a citizens&8217; rights advocate.