To the editor:

The headline of the one editorial says “Cutbacks Unavoidable for Teachers!” In this time of economic crisis that is what the leadership of the Lee County School Board wants all to believe.

However, one board member, Robert Chilmonik has alerted the public that this is not true. In repeated votes against the budget and in voting against land acquisitions for schools that are not presently needed, he has shown that there is money available that could be used to prevent these cuts.

Unfortunately, the rest of the board members ignore his observations because they are more concerned in protecting the money for builders and developers who pay for their election campaigns.

It was also pointed out that the district had the ability to transfer monies from capital to operating budgets, but the superintendent and other board members would not take advantage of that opportunity, either. It is clear that there is money to maintain salaries and avoid personnel cuts, but other priorities seem more important to this present leadership.

Education of children and maintaining staff should be of the highest priority. One can wonder why this has been ignored and why Mr. Chilmonik, who seems to have the key, is always criticized for being right?

John E. Traube

Cape Coral