Kenyon is a special school. We have a beautiful campus, a group of talented and sharp alumni, and one of the best student bodies in the world (it’s just true!). But Kenyon would not be Kenyon without its professors.
Last year, The Princeton Review released the book The Best 300 Professors: Kenyon had nine professors on the list—more than any Ivy League university. We don’t need the statistics to prove that our professors are the best, though; we know that from conversations in class, meetings at Wiggin Street, and dinners at their homes. We pet their dogs, buy their books, and genuinely like being around them.
And that’s why the upcoming vote on the Mount Vernon school levy should matter to each and every Kenyon student. If the levy fails to pass, the Mount Vernon city schools will cut all extra and co-curricular activities, like sports, marching band, theater—anything that takes place after school; six teaching positions; one administrative position; and more positions that have not yet been released. Think about what that could mean to a child, to a family. Didn’t your extracurriculars not only help you get into schools like Kenyon, but also foster your passions and engage your talents?
Without a strong school system, professors will not feel comfortable raising a family here. Many professors have already said that they will leave. Recently, a group of more than 100 professors signed a letter to the Collegian, urging students to vote on the levy.
The school levy was originally on the local ballot in the November election and failed to pass by around 2 %. We can’t let that happen again. We are directly affected by the vote, and we should directly affect the result. Early voting has begun and continues until May 4th. If you don’t want to vote early, the special election will take place on May 7th. Kenyon Democrats will have shuttles running from Peirce to the polls on Tuesday, April 22nd and Tuesday, April 29th, from 10am to 4pm. If you are registered here, all you need to vote is a copy of your utility bill—it should be in your Kenyon inbox. It is important to keep in mind that this shouldn’t be a partisan issue. This impacts all students’ lives. Let’s show our professors how much we care. Let’s pass this levy.
What: Mount Vernon City School Levy, Special Election
When: Early voting—Now until May 4th; Election Day—May 7th
Where: Knox County Board of Elections, 117 East High Street, Suite 210 Mt. Vernon, OH 43050
For more information on the controversy surrounding the levy, so you can vote with knowledge, we have chosen to link to two op-eds published by the Collegian.
Community Member: Kenyon Students, Please vote Yes on Levy!
Community Member does not support Kenyon students voting yes on levy