Letter: ICCSD facility upgrades are worth cost of bond

I am a teacher and parent in the Iowa City Community School District, and I write in support of the GO Bond.

I teach at Coralville Central and our school received its upgrades during the 2015-16 school year. These upgrades included, but were not limited to, safety components and safe entrances, air conditioning, flooring, ceilings, paint, windows throughout the school, and an elevator that made our building ADA-compliant.

I wish you could have been at our school when we opened the doors for an ice cream social. You would have heard squeals of delight from the kids and genuine, awestruck comments from adults at how new, fresh, put together and professional our school looked.

If you could have been there on the first day of school, you would have seen learning happening from day one instead of kids and teachers sweltering in the heat and trying to stay cool.

I want all schools to experience what Coralville Central experienced. I want my daughter, her friends and kids they don't even know to feel like their school matters.

Supporting healthy and safe learning environments should be a priority for our community.

If you are undecided, I urge you to talk to teachers and students who have received facility upgrades. Ask them if it has made a difference, and then vote to help make a difference for all.

Devin Redmond

Iowa City

Opinion content represents the viewpoint of the author or The Gazette editorial board. You can join the conversation by submitting a letter to the editor or guest column or by suggesting a topic for an editorial to editorial@thegazette.com