My beloved grandson is moving away

Dear Editor,

My beloved grandson is moving away.

Max is autistic and requires special help to flourish as he should in school. He has been attending Dodgeville Elementary School, but our uncertainty over whether the school can continue the programs which he requires has meant that he will now be moving to a city that can support his needs.

We have no complaints about DES, or about his teacher Ms. Gilke and Ms. Payne. Joe and the other aides, teachers and therapists did a wonderful job with him, and he loved his time in their school. No, he is leaving  because of the Dodgeville School Districts financial situation.

It disappoints me that Dodgeville voters could not find a way to provide for what our students need. Twice we attempted to pass referendums to provide the extra funding our schools needed, and twice they were defeated. Due to substandard funding by the state of Wisconsin, these referenda were necessary to enable our schools to be a place for all students, whatever their needs.

This is no longer the place for Max. My family will no longer have his special brand of sunshine in our lives. I know that nobody likes taxes, but our school need more support than they are getting. When the time comes for our schools to ask for funding again, think of kids like Max and vote with your hearts, rather than with your wallets.

Thank you,

Bob Scheidegger, 

Dodgeville, WI