Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

Manteca Unified School District school sites need the funding from Measure G. As a landlord holding several properties it is incumbent upon MUSD to provide necessary maintenance on the 31 school sites under their care, and it’s not just a legal prerogative, but a moral and civic one as well. 

I worked for seven years providing support to schools that had been deemed Underperforming, labeled “Low Performing”. Although each school suffered from a variety of problems, the one common denominator was the poor physical condition of the grounds and buildings. It was depressing to walk onto those campuses, and there were teachers and students who were walking onto and working in those conditions 182 days a year. Some students would never know another environment, attending from kindergarten through 8th grade. I have also walked the grounds and sat in the classrooms of schools nominated for acknowledgment as “Distinguished Schools.” The difference is indeed night and day. 

As we move toward Election Day 2014 I wish everyone could see that initial contrast of first impressions between high and low performing schools. A clean, well-kept school creates a positive climate and builds upon that positivity each day. As a parent I am proud of the school system that Manteca Unified operates and am in favor of upgrading facilities. Think of Measure G as regularly scheduled maintenance. Cracks develop, asphalt deteriorates, wires fray, hinges sag. I have a 6th grader and an 8th grader attending Shasta Elementary School. My 6th grader is scheduled to graduate from Manteca High in May of 2021. I would hope that he and his classmates are not still being protected by the same smoke alarms that were there when I attended from 1977 to 1981. 

We can’t let our schools deteriorate to a point where they are unsafe, foster a depressing environment and create negative perceptions. It is 2014, and contrary to the Nattering Nabobs of Negativity who stubbornly refuse to acknowledge the march of time and would have our children continue writing their alphabet on chalkboards and do their science projects on cardboard tri-folds, technology continues to advance and evolve. Measure G provides a means for Manteca Unified to remain current and competitive. I am in favor of Measure G as a means to address school repair and provide needed upgrades. I hope you will join me in voting Yes on Measure G. 

Mark Condit

Manteca