Schools need business ventures

The circumstances at our schools have me concerned, but that’s nothing new, I’ve seen these budgetary shortcomings coming for several years now. Maybe my farm was small and inconsequential, but it was a viable business for more than a quarter century. My wife and I had to manage a budget that was produced by us, had a small staff and we didn’t get a subsidy from anyone. Research projects were funded by profits, not grants and loans.

Now I’m in a quandary; can public schools legally compete and make a profit from student activities? Friday night football competes with a movie at the theatre, or some beer and music at the brew pub. The school charges for the seat, the popcorn, the Pepsi, even the water. We must do what we can to pay the bills, right?

My wife and I had to learn much more than how to grow crops. We had to learn how to add value, so we pickled beets, grew our own popcorn, ground flour for pancakes, educated and entertained, wrote a book, made jams, jellies and the best compost to feed the land. We could have been fearful and sometimes we were, but we were smart and educated and seldom did our risk-taking leave us empty handed.

If the schools can make money, then let’s get busy! If they’re not supposed to make money, why are we being charged to watch our football and basketball teams? Yeah, I know, I get to look like the bad guy once again. I tried to get a fish program going that would compete with Onalaska’s school fish program, but officials here were too afraid some kid may get wet and raise a fit.

The Chehalis Tribe is pulling way ahead: they’ve been helping the school raise coho for nearly 20 years!! If I’d have been given some benefit of the doubt, the school could have been selling their own salmon for barbeque rather than the Kiwanis selling Alaska salmon.

People are taking their kids out of public schools because these sorts of STEAM curricula are not being offered.

Sorrowfully,

Glen S. Johnson

Skagit Valley