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After personally experiencing the anguish and exhaustion that comes with working hard to inform our public about the upcoming levy referendum in our school district (Brainerd Public Schools), I am PLEADING with you to do whatever you can to reform the manner in which schools are funded in our state.  How can we say we are giving all children equal access to quality educational opportunities across this state, when the funding is so dependent on what the community can afford or is willing to commit to education?  Is it fair that my nieces are schooled in a district with a $1500 levy, when my children attended school in a district that only supports a $199 levy?  Brainerd Schools in my opinion have done an exceptional job of educating our youth on a very conservative budget, but the time has come to repair a broken system of funding.  Please take a leadership role in doing what is right for kids.  School districts across the state should not have to focus on fundraising, rather than on what is most important, that being educating our children. The good that has come of this nightmare, has been a more informed public.  However, the loss of focus on what is really important, which is teaching our students, has taken a devastating toll on our school district staff, students and families.

Thank you for your consideration of this request,

Pat Altrichter
Fort Ripley, MN