Wilson Students Deserve Better

Wilson, Oklahoma - Last week when I stopped by for a first-hand examination of the WISD Ag-Ed classroom facility, I discovered Ag-Ed Teacher Joe Buzidragis organizing his classroom in preparation for this year's students. Mr. Buzidragis was gracious enough to stop what he was doing to provide the twenty-five cent tour of his classroom and computer lab. Obviously, not inside the Taj Mahal, my expectations were rather mundane, but honestly, I was appalled at the cramped shanty conditions, behemoth MS-DOS computers, and obvious make-shift southern engineering interwoven throughout the poorest excuse for an educational environment I've ever witnessed.

When young, I occasionally heard my Granny Voyles say, "You can't make silk from a sow's ear." This always sounded funny to me and I would usually giggle, but never really thought about its meaning... until last week. Forty-five years later, from out of nowhere, Granny's handed-down colloquialism just popped into my head. Funny how our brains can effortlessly access memories carelessly stored over four decades ago, but unable to recall what I just walked back into the house to retrieve. Anyway, that's another story. This story is about investing in our future. Wilson students deserve no less educational opportunities than students elsewhere.

Our children's educational opportunities reflect our individual and community values. As parents, grandparents, and mentors, we encourage our kids and the younger generations to aspire to lofty goals. We challenge them to dare rise above the hopelessness and despair of our small community's modest and impoverished neighborhoods. Yet, we ask them to accomplish this without providing the critical tools and training necessary to compete for dwindling student financial assistance in an ever-increasingly expensive higher educational system to obtain professional careers in an even more competitive global job market. Our words ring hollow if we complain about our youth committing vandalism, falling prey to drug addiction, and possessing low self-esteem, if we fail to act responsibly on their behalf.

It's analogous to criticizing our military for losing a battle without providing weapons. In today's society, you can't win just by showing up. The economic battlegrounds of the future will be won by today's students best prepared for the technological and social challenges of the 21st century. If we are sincerely concerned about our children's future, we must invest in their education. This required investment is not a matter of "if", but only "when". Each student allowed to graduate without access to the best resources we can provide is lost ground. Not only will the future loss of higher taxable earnings negatively affect our community, but the lasting consequences of another generation struggling to overcome poverty will only broaden the economic gap for their children.

Most economists predict higher inflation rates in the near future. Thanks to the Fed maintaining low interest rates, the time for investing in our community's educational system is now. Of course, there are always those whom would rather pass on the costs to others by voting to delay the "when" until after they're dead and gone. In addition, I've heard others complain of not having children in school so they question the wisdom of voting to raise taxes. I'd like to respond to one and all. Even if you do not have children, grandchildren, or nieces and nephews in Wilson schools, you have a vested interest in supporting our school system. Thanks to our nation's educational system, reciprocity is always at work. Taxpayers without school-age children paid for your education and most likely, are paying to educate your descendents elsewhere, if not Wilson.

Ag-Ed teacher Joe Buzidragis comes from a teaching family. In fact, his hometown, Hartshorne, OK, named their middle school after his grandfather. Personally overcoming dyslexia to obtain his formal education, Buzidragis is no stranger to adversity. Since earning his college degree and teaching certification fifteen years ago, Joe has taught Ag-Ed at Wilson High School. Typically, he is given the opportunity to instruct and mentor approximately 70 students each year. He takes pride in guiding each and every student to achieve successes in their educational journey. Many of his former students have graduated college with agricultural degrees during his tenure. Emphasizing focus on leadership roles, one of his proudest moments was when the Oklahoma State Future Farmers of America Association selected former student Desiree Lynch out of 356 FFA chapters statewide to receive the prestigious State Agribusiness Star Award, the highest honor which can be bestowed upon an FFA member in this state.

As most rural community Ag-Ed teachers, Mr. Buzidragis will be teaching electives, Agri-Science I-II, Agri-Science Exploration, Ag Power and Technology I - II, and a science core credit course, Natural Resources, to classroom sizes ranging from five to twenty-five students. However, WHS students have a few stumbling blocks to overcome. The current condition of our Ag-Ed classroom facility is shameful. Buzidragis described six inches of water running underneath the dilapidated trailer classroom down the inside walkway and out the front doors during the last good rain. The trailer appears to be a fire hazard and has no storage. 8th grade students are required to carry desks in and out for class. The "computer lab" resembles a walk-in closet converted into five cramped workstations with computers and monitors as old as some of the students.

On June 26, 2009, The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education issued a letter providing a laundry list of Ag-Ed classroom deficiencies. For the sake of brevity, I will provide some particularly relevant statements, but a copy of the complete letter can be obtained from Supt. Stinson's office.

"It is unbelievable that this facility has been used as long as it has. My understanding is that is was put into place as a temporary facility in 1997. The current set up is a fire hazard. The classroom is not of adequate size for the instructional process, ...unsuitable for permanent use, ...not handicapped accessible, etc. Mr. Buzidragis has absolutely never complained, although he certainly has reason to do so. For many years he has done the best he could with what has been entrusted to him. ...and the Wilson Agricultural Extension program has done very well considering the situation. For over 21 years... without question, the Wilson Agricultural Education classroom facilities are by far the most inadequate and hazardous facilities I have visited."

Is this the notoriety we want for our community? What message are we sending our children, teachers, neighbors, prospective residents, and surrounding communities? Does this accurately reflect our values? For our children's sake, I hope not.