To the editor:

I sure am glad Bill Graves declared September “support public education month.” It kind of helps me forget that he just cut $17.4 million from our public schools. This act has prompted our school board to approve a hiring freeze and adjust budgets to make up for a $664,000 deficit.

A recent study by the Denver consulting firm Augenblick and Myers determined that to provide a “suitable education” for our children would cost an additional $390 million in state money. In spite of that, Tim Shallenburger has stated on record that our schools could get by with 3 percent less. Shallenburger seems unable to comprehend that, in inflation-adjusted dollars, our schools are already getting less than they did 10 years ago when our current finance formula was passed. That’s 10 years of inflation without matching increases in school funding.

Our current governor and his party’s candidate to be our next governor have our school district looking at massive layoffs and school closings. In Tuesday’s J-W, Kathleen Sebelius says she will increase school funding by $400 million. All candidates say they support public schools. Some politicians even declare “support public education month” when challenges arise. Such clever publicity stunts don’t cover their actions. Let’s not be fooled by stunts. Let’s elect someone who will put OUR money where their mouth is.

David Reber,

Lawrence