For those of you who weren't able to make it to our meeting Thursday night, I wanted to report on the discussion concerning the 204 referendum. Representatives from groups in favor of the referendum (204 The Kids) and opposed to the referendum (Citizens for Options) were invited to present, and each took about 15 minutes to make their case.

A vigorous discussion followed, and a motion to oppose the referendum was made. It failed, and a follow-up motion to endorse the referendum was made, which passed by a vote of 10-3. You can read the press release about our endorsement here.

A few words on what our endorsement means. As evidenced by the vote, our support for the referendum is not unanimous. Those of us who voted Thursday did so after listening to both sides of the argument over the referendum; I'd encourage you to do the same. Be sure to visit both groups' websites (linked above), and feel free to comment on this post with your thoughts. (While I admire the passion both sides bring to this discussion, let's please try to keep the discussion focused on the referendum, OK?)

Whichever side of the discussion you're on, this is a critical moment for the 204 School District. As a group focused on the community, we must do everything we can to engage our neighbors, encourage them to vote, and inform them about the issues that matter to us. Thanks to all of you who took time Thursday night to participate in the discussion, and please stay involved!