Apologies for the Delay in Posting...

...but when I was reading the paper this morning I spit coffee all over the paper itself. Then, I think I sprained my keyboard accessing the BCCT website to re-read this letter.

School closing no big deal; you'll get over it, kids

As a veteran of the Neshaminy/Maple Point debacle of 1975, I too was upset at the thought of losing friends to a “foreign” school. Guess what? I survived and my quality of life shows no ill effects from my experience. And I have news for the kids of Morrisville. The things that they think are life and death issues now, in five years, will not matter at all.

They must realize that as public school students, they are required to attend the school that the public (the taxpayers) can afford to provide. This is Morrisville, not Beverly Hills. When these kids become taxpayers, they will understand.

As for the kids who say they will drop out of school if they are sent elsewhere, I hope they realize that even if they do drop out, their parents will still be required to pay school taxes. Again, in time none of this will matter — except whether or not they have a diploma. These kids shouldn't throw away the opportunity to become a useful, productive citizen just because they think they are being treated unfairly. This is not a personal issue.

Isn't it also unfair for long-time Morrisville residents (especially senior citizens and those on fixed incomes) to lose their homes or be forced to move because they can no longer afford to live here? Be assured that the fallout from this issue will affect them long after these kids have gone on to their post-high school lives. These kids need to realize that, in the big picture, what they want, or don't want, does not take precedence over the needs (or very survival) of a whole community.

Whatever happens, kids, believe me, you'll get over it. So get out of bed, get dressed and go to school — wherever that is.

Wow. And people like this get to vote, drive, and everything.

Dear Letter Writer: How many borough council and/or school board meetings have you attended in the past few years? Are you part of the solution, or just heckling from the sidelines?

Let's start with the main topic, where you are somewhat correct despite channelling Captain Obvious: school is school, and you can learn wherever the school is. You will make new friends wherever you go. It is not the end of the world, and every one of us who has survived puberty and our teen years does know that.

Having said that, what are you smoking? You go off on dropouts and how parents need to make sure their kids attend schools. The same is true of the people of the town. They are as equally obligated to provide the place for the schooling to occur.

Beverly Hills? Please. At least compare apples to oranges. You insult all of us when you compare Morrisville like that. Morrisville is a good place to live. It's a good place to bring up children. And, it's a good place to grow old in. I'll live here any day over Beverly Hills. Why do you see it differently?

You're right: This is not a personal issue and I wish the seniors of this borough would take a deep breath for just a moment and reflect on what they are doing. I will ask it again, this time not in a comment, but in a post. Where were you in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s when the pottery closed, the rubber mill burned and the steel mill died? What did you do then to make things better for today? Did you attend council meetings, school board meetings, and business association meetings to make a difference? I'll give your criticisms more credence if you did. I'm working today for the Morrisville of the 2010s, 2020s, 2030s, and beyond. What are you working for?

I am not indifferent to the tax burdens placed on all of us. I pay high taxes too, but which of you is approaching our borough council to get the Gateway project started? Let's get some tax revenue into this place so the residential taxes can go down for a change. All we hear from are the same old people who want the Morrisville of their youth to reappear. News flash: It ain't happening. You want lower school taxes? Raise the tax revenue by supporting new buildings and the revitalization of downtown. When those front line people supporting a newer and better Morrisville are out there working, do they see you working side by side with them?

I'm not collecting it yet, but where's MY Social Security? There are too many burdens placed on that system for it to continue too much longer, but by law, I'm required to pay for that too. At least you get to complain about the school taxes. I have no choice but to see more of my paycheck go toward supporting the seniors. Since the seniors are calling for a general strike on the youth of this borough, what if the tables were turned and we, the wage earners, stop paying into Social Security?

Let's turn your own words around: You must realize that as taxpayers, you need to live in the house you can afford. I'm very sorry that inflation and recession and all manner of economic ills have befallen all of us. But why do you want to be protected, yet think it odd for the children to be protected too? Let's continue..."you need to realize that in the big picture, what you want, or don't want, does not take precedence over the needs (or very survival) of a whole community." You're looking very small picture at the seniors. Let's expand your vision just a bit, shall we? Look in the mirror and read that paragraph again.

Are you really sure this is the way you want to go? Generational wars where one side loses out in favor of another? I've seen this play out in a number of cities and towns. When one side has to lose out, eventually the entire town suffers. This isn't just about you.

The board meeting is this Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at 7:30 P.M. I will expect our letter writer to be there and to sign up to speak. Otherwise, your words today are meaningless. Whatever happens, you'll get over it, won't you?

The soapbox is now available. Next speaker?