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Chester County Press

Dropping participation fees makes sense

04/02/2014 11:11AM ● By Acl

Letter to the Editor:

I wish to commend UCF school director Gregg Lindner for his position on participation fees in our district. He was quoted as saying, “Shifting the financial burden to users is an unacceptable approach when applied to public education.”

I espoused the same position when these fees were first proposed. All public school offerings should be supported by public taxes and not by additional fees charged to any participant and his/her family. Over the years that these fees have existed, UCF has wasted far more funds than these fees bring into the district's coffers. The cost of construction and renovation of the high school that was opposed in two referendums would easily cover the costs of participation fees. Also, the costs of free and illegal education of out-of-district students would more than cover the need for participation fees. These fees should be eliminated from this year's and future year's budgets.

If four more board members would come to the same, proper position, these fees would no longer exist in our district.

Bruce B. Yelton

Pocopson Towhship