To the Editor:
There were tears shed at our house last week; no doubt the same scene unfolded in other homes throughout Tisbury. We are shocked, frustrated, and angry to learn that our children have been exposed to unsafe conditions resulting from chipping lead paint.
Parents, already worn thin at the end of a long summer, are hustling to find childcare for a delayed school start on short notice. Parents are distraught, faced with uncertainty regarding where their children will attend school when it does start, and how safe that location may be. Despite all this, the most tears were shed by our children, who were looking forward to the start of school, and disappointed that they would have to wait another week to see their teachers and friends. They love their school, and are proud to wear their “Tisbury Tiger” T shirts wherever we go.
It’s shameful that the town of Tisbury cannot provide and/or maintain a facility on par with the exceptional education we’ve been provided with at the Tisbury School. A quick fix isn’t the solution; it’s neither effective or fiscally responsible. Get the modular classrooms here, expedite the new building planning process, organize a special town meeting to allocate the funds required. Get it done and get it done right; we will accept nothing less. Make the Tisbury School the No. 1 priority that it absolutely should be.
Angie Francis
James Moffatt
Tisbury
This is the reaction Tisbury School was hoping for when it scheduled lead removal during the start of school. It looks like there might be another guilt/shame campaign run by those who want to demolish the building, instead of repair and maintain it. Town Hall used to have lead paint, too. Most Town buildings were checked for lead 25 years ago, but no one checked the School. The school is in poor condition due to neglect. Property Management at the Tisbury School has been very poor. This neglectfulness needs to be addressed and a new maintenance plan put into place. When you yell, “we need to do it right!” implies that those with a different point of view are “wrong.” Many Town residents, with Tisbury Tiger stickers on their car and crying kids at home, would like to see the building restored and improved upon. Thank goodness a group of Tisbury residents were able to save the Water Works from being demolished; we should also invest in saving the historic Tisbury School building. My kids did fine at the Tisbury School. As alumni, they’ll vote no to demolishing their beloved school, and our family votes to save the building, restore it, giving Coach Nichols a full-size gym, and making sure the School’s budget includes year-round maintenance and repairs.
The water works building is gorgeous. However, it serves no practical day in day out purpose. It is not comparable to the Tisbury School. Eventually you hit the point of diminishing returns. The school served it’s purpose but, it’s time has come. It’s a pipe dream but hopefully someday the residents of Tisbury will be cured of their myopia and do what needs to be done Build a new school!
ana– Band aids and lipstick will not make the school any more than what it is– it will be a constant drain on the town’s resources.
The school has been a point of discussion for years. It seems the irresponsible people who are responsible for maintenance or projecting a comprehensive view of the situation never bothered to spend $24 to get a standard lead testing kit. If they didn’t do that, why would any of us expect they will suddenly be responsible stewards of an ageing building ? It was a beautiful building in it’s day, but all things must pass.
No use spending good money to buy lipstick for a pig.