Education is a community issue

Bob Gatewood, Henderson

Friday, July 12, 2013 | 2 a.m.

Connie Mahida’s July 2 letter to the editor, “Selfishness is damaging Nevada,” complained that conservative selfishness is damaging Nevada. She, like numerous other liberals, talks while conservatives give.

Over the years, there have been numerous studies showing conservatives give more in charity, time, and even blood donations than liberals. One of these studies was written by Syracuse University professor Arthur Brooks: “Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism.” In his study, he states that people who reject the idea that “government has a responsibility to reduce income inequality” give an average of four times more than people who accept that proposition.

Mahida’s concern is that conservative selfishness hurts children. For every dollar taxpayers send the Education Department, how much of that dollar is returned to the schools in our community? How much influence do you and your neighbors have in the education of local children?

Compare the influence you have with the federal government against the influence you would have if education was decided locally or even statewide.

I have never heard a childless couple complain about paying school taxes because they don’t have kids in school. I and others complain that dollars I earn pay for Washington D.C. bureaucrats to dine at five-star restaurants, therefore denying money to teachers and students.