Letter to the Editor - Vote no on the 6 mill levy

After decades of supporting the Montana 6 mill levy, I’ll be voting no this November. Here are but two of many reasons:

By and large most institutions of “higher learning” seem to be losing their way. Political correctness, lower academic standards, poor graduation rates, useless degrees, ever higher student debt and frivolous spending, the diversity delusion and a group-think atmosphere indicate “higher” education is headed the wrong way. No longer allowing the past to inform and guide the present, it colors the past to fit contemporary (misguided) ideologies (rewriting history.) The basic purpose of higher learning, “to lead forth,” is being lost, abused and terribly distorted.

On a local level, one or more branches of the state system have historically opposed and promoted the blockage of natural resource development and brainwashed their students with the same ideology. Counties and communities devastated by this attack on their livelihoods are at or near bankruptcy with high unemployment and little funding for schools, libraries, police, etc. Why should the people in such places support higher education? Said university(s) have made their bed, now they can sleep in it.

The Board of Regents must understand that support for the system is dying and for good reason. More and more of these institutions less and less reflect the values of the taxpayers who support them. More and more they must recruit out of state students to fill their enrollment — all subsidized by Montana taxpayers. More and more they are departing from their mandated purpose and betraying the trust of Montana citizens. The Board of Regents must hold them accountable, as should Montana taxpayers.

C.A. Disney

Libby