New school needed

It appears again that there is going to be a debate about whether or not Whitefish needs a new high school. In response to the recent letter from Cy Appel, I would like to clear up some assumptions made.

As a Whitefish High School student, I know first hand about the problems that the school has. I wonder if Mr. Appel has ever had to sit for hours a day in a classroom with his winter coat on because the heating doesn't work and struggling to hear your teacher talk over the rattling. Or, if he's ever had to be careful to only turn on three electronics at a time, so as to not short circuit the electricity. Has he ever had to avoid puddles in the freshman hallway when it rains too heavily?

I have personally lost many friends who have chosen to go to Glacier. If you ask them why they left, it IS because Glacier has a food court and a nicer facility. If they'd been thinking about having a better education, they would have stayed in Whitefish. We have some of the highest test scores in the valley and we are above average, according to the state. Last year alone, several graduating seniors made it into Ivy League schools. I think that is something to be proud of because we don't have a very big student body. Just think of the possibilities if we had a decent learning environment.

Another point I have to make is that we are not a bunch of druggies, which is what I understood Mr. Appel was trying to imply. I personally know a great deal of students at Whitefish High that choose not to use drugs. To imply that we don't deserve a decent school because we are "druggies", I find highly offensive.

I've been raised in Whitefish, my family is here, and I'm part of this community. I shouldn't have to go to Kalispell for an adequate learning facility. I'm never going to benefit from the new facility and I will have to deal with construction for my last couple years of high school if the bond is passed, but I'm willing to do that because it takes a community to raise a child.

Cassi Johannsen

Whitefish