John Dewey, a famous American philosopher, once said, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”

From elementary school to middle school to C.M. Russell High School, many principals, teachers, and parents have supported our growth and education as students. However, a change has taken place, and it’s only fair to say that there is less support for education in the current economy. 

The recent mill levy has taken away many of our opportunities, and can continue to do so. The May 3 levy failed by more than 1,500 votes. It would have provided an additional $998,000 to the Great Falls Public School District, and due to its failure many drastic changes were made.

For the first time in many years, foreign language classes will not be offered in Great Falls until high school.

According to CMR Principal Dick Kloppel, cuts include half of a music teaching position, half of an industrial tech position, one literacy position, one social studies position, one health position, one English position, and half of a special education position. Due to these cuts, there are fewer classes offered and more students in each class period. Additionally, each budget has suffered a ten percent budget decrease.

As a student staff, we at the Stampede believe that education is a top priority. The mill levy was a crucial part of all of our educations, and its failure is devastating to our district.

However, sitting around and talking about all the cuts that have been made, and how angry we are that the mill levy did not pass will not help get the next levy passed. There are things that you can do as a student to help the next levy pass.

Write. Write your heart out, in any form. Write letters to the Stampede, or the Tribune, or to the school board members, or the city commissioners, or the district superintendent about how you feel about this subject. The public needs to know how we feel as a school, and how this levy affects us, because it does not affect most of them. Go to school board meetings and voice your opinion.

We challenge you to help make a change for your school, and for yourself. Opportunities are being taken away from you with each mill levy that does not pass. We encourage you to fight for those opportunities and a better future.