It may be a sleepy ski resort town, but lately the tempers have been less than cool. The citizens of Killington, Vt., are so upset about the high taxes they pay while receiving little in return that they have decided to secede from the state. Citing the state's history as an independent republic, they have opted to join New Hampshire instead. However, in order to complete the process of secession, both Vermont and New Hampshire's legislatures must approve the change, and the hopes of that happening are dismal at best.
Killington's ploy to draw attention to the town's unjust tax situation is unnecessary and silly. Rather than bypassing Vermont law altogether, residents of Killington should petition state representatives and work to change the law instead of simply leaving.
The problem stems from a 1997 tax law, Act 60, that changed the means of funding schools from property taxes to a statewide tax pool. Under Act 60, Killington pays nearly $20 million each year, while receiving only $2 million in return. In New Hampshire, Killington would pay half the taxes and receive more. But the fact that Killington is a resort town and its 1,100 residents are most certainly not shelling out the brunt of the $20 million makes their plight less lamentable. Tax revenue comes from not only property, but also sales, rooms, meals and alcohol - areas that are well covered by the tourist industry.
This is not the first time Killington residents have expressed their displeasure with the taxation system. They already challenged and defeated the law in court in 2002, but the Vermont Supreme Court overturned the ruling last year, perpetuating the vicious cycle of giving but never getting.
Killington's decision to secede, while not solving anything, makes a statement at best. Perhaps this media stunt will draw attention to the problems with Vermont's system of taxation and the residents of Killington will be relieved of the weight of heavy taxes.
Avoid segregation: keep Title IX same
Federal officials have decided to change the enforcement of Title IX, allowing for more freedom to teach boys and girls separately. While the loosening of the reigns on Title IX is welcomed, this laxity should not encourage all public classrooms to become segregated based on gender.
Passed in 1975, Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools. Consequently, this previously prohibited gender segregated classrooms, except for in limited cases, such as gym, where contact sports are involved. Under the new revisions, classes could be sex specific, as long as an equal opportunity was offered to the opposite sex. On the surface, this seems to be a fair and balanced plan; however, allowing students to study in a classroom solely with those of their own sex inhibits social growth. Yes, studies have shown that children perform better in a classroom with peers of the same sex, but this sort of environment is unrealistic and will never exist in the real world.
It also must be considered whether or not students will be willing participants in this sex-based separation. If a parent and child disagree on what sort of learning environment is best, the child may not perform as well if placed in a situation in which they are uncomfortable, whether it is single-sex or coed. Also, a single-sex environment may also be difficult for gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered students.
Children must develop a sense of how to interact with those of the opposite sex so they can function properly in future work and social scenarios. Segregating by sex is no different than segregation by race; the reasoning for both is the same: students perform better surrounded by students that are most like them. Cultivating this sort of environment, one of ignorance rather than understanding, is not what the public school system should strive to achieve. Students must learn to deal with one another, no matter their sex, color, size, level of ability or sexual preference.
17 Archives
