SHOULD ALL MISSOURI SCHOOLS SUFFER FOR URBAN EDUCATION?

Most Missourians are concerned about the fact that federal judges have ordered us to fund the two most expensive desegregation cases in the United States in St. Louis and Kansas City.

If it could be demonstrated that the $1.4 billion we have transferred to the two urban school districts had brought them quality education, that would be one thing. It wouldn't make us feel better about the cutbacks we're being forced to make in outstate Missouri, but at least we would come closer to understanding the rationale. No such demonstration of improved urban schools can be made.

A recent editorial from a newspaper in north Missouri elaborated on this subject with some lucid comments.

Missourians outraged at desegregation costs

State Rep. Annette Morgan of Kansas City says we shouldn't be outraged about this year's $191 million price tag for Kansas City desegregation.

In fact, she says our criticism is both racist and anti-city. She's wrong. Dead wrong.

Our outrage is aimed solely at the seemingly endless free-spending ways of Kansas City and St. Louis to achieve what should have been achieved long ago.

We paid the costs to desegregate Mexico schools. We didn't look to the state coffers. We don't see why simply being a city entitles the residents of our cities not to pay their bills.

Students in other communities are being shortchanged because of the inability of either our legislature or our courts to contain desegregation costs. Last year some $75 million was stripped from the state education budget to pay for desegregation cost overruns. The some $200,000 lost by the Mexico School District could have done much to provide an even better education for our students.

No, we are not racist. Mexico students black, white, Hispanic and Asian all suffer alike because of outrageous desegregation costs.

No, we are not anti-city. Our cities provide many positive things to make Missouri a better state.

We simply want equity. When all Missouri school districts suffer for the sake of St. Louis and Kansas City school districts it is wrong. Dead wrong.

The Mexico Ledger

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Coming up this weekend is a fun event to raise money for one of Southeast Missouri's most important institutions. I'm referring to Notre Dame High School's fundraising dance to be held Saturday night, June 27, at the A.C. Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau. The festivities get under way at 7, with music for dancing from 8-12 p.m., featuring the Marv Herzog Bavarian Band from Frankenmuth, Minnesota.

Tickets are $7.50 in advance, $8.50 at the door. Call the school at 335-6772 for more information for this worthwhile cause.

Here's wishing all involved much success and gemutlichkeit (rough translation: "the good life)."