By Del Norte Patriot – July 17, 2021

The saying, “You get what you pay for.” Is a crock when it comes to public school education and its funding. It isn’t a secret or even a difficult concept to grasp at this point, that DNUSD is in it for themselves by coming up with new ways to taxing families more, to keep their pockets full. Taxing property owners for every “Feel Good” project to “Beautify” the school grounds or enhance “Learning” has always turned out to be a 40 year bust of a tax burden that never showcases the fruits of its labor. In fact, the 2008 $25 Million Bond is a perfect example.  $25 Million on what? Ok. Smith River got their long, awaited gym, but that was matched in donations and grants.  Del Norte High? It still has a gravel parking lot and botched up entrance to an antiquated Football Field. I’ve taken walks through a few of the vacated elementary schools during the Covid lockdown and it is a total embarrassment. We were lectured from the CDC, our local radio and Lame Stream media, daily, to sanitize, wash hands, disinfect. Well then why didn’t DNUSD take advantage of this time with the schools being empty to completely disinfect and power wash our schools? Instead when you walk through or drive by, they’re not a far cry from looking a like Third World school that has been vacated from a post-war situation. You know what the District’s lame duck excuse is? “We don’t have the money.” Yeah, ok, what was your excuse before Covid? The schools are atrocious. The bathrooms will make you gag. Word on the street was that Smith River School had rats roaming around. Gutters clogged to the top causing dirty rain water overflow, which flooded the hallways, where the little kids had to walk through, causing their shoes and sometimes their socks and pants to get wet with disgusting, germ-infested water. There is visible black mold on the exterior walls of nearly every temp building on every campus; green moss growing on the roofs; spider webs are layered so thick on all of the awnings, windows and gables. Shameful.

Since Covid, not only are our children being deprived of the services and benefits we Tax Payers religiously have to fork out, no matter if you have kids in the system or not, but let’s tack on the aggressive Indoctrination that CA Legislation has slipped into the classroom from as early as 3^rd grade. Then add the unprecedented filth and deferred maintenance that every building suffers. Just head over to Medford or another more developed community and go to their schools. DNUSD schools are a total disgrace! These are PUBLIC buildings where our children are suppose to be safe and educated in a clean facility. There is no excuse for the maintenance department in our district to not have enough bleach and disinfectant and a few power washers to be able to thoroughly clean these schools. I guess cutting the grass is too expensive too. Cruise by any school and at least one of them will have grass about a foot tall.

This dereliction of duty and complete incompetence of maintaining clean and safe facilities should infuriate you, knowing how much money comes out of your property taxes every year. As we know right now, DNUSD is not stopping. They have a proposed $47Million Bond they are already salivating over. You think our schools will FINALLY be up to par after that?? NO! It’s time Del Norte property owners stand up to #STopDNUSD FromTaxingFamilies!

Del Norte Patriot