A $38M school bond vote divides a Coast community. Are memes and misinformation to blame?

A bond proposal by the Bay-Waveland School District has left residents in the area divided as the vote quickly approaches on March 29.

The district, which is home to 1722 students, is asking voters to approve a $37.9 million bond which would be funded by an annual tax on property owners. Designed as a proportionate tax, homeowners would pay $55 for every $50,000 dollars their home is worth. If a homeowner’s house was assessed at $100,000, the owner would pay $110 annually.

Homeowners curious about the potential impact the bond would have to their wallet can see their property valuation online. Assessed tax values are often less than appraised values by sites such as Zillow.

If passed, Bay-Waveland plans on using the money for 16 projects including, a building for pre-k education, demolition and rebuilding of a large swath of Bay High School, new athletic facilities and more. The school district will also be using about $3.7 million from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds, federal money that was received during COVID-19.

“We have heat and air issues, we have plumbing issues and there’s electrical issues,” said Bay High School principal Amy Necaise. “These kids deserve more than we can give them currently.”

Mold and sewage plague Bay High School

Many of the high school’s classes currently take place in a building built in 1969.

The replacement of this and the building of an additional 12 new classrooms is the most expensive project proposed, which is expected to cost about $12.7 million.

Necaise and others at the school lament constant structural issues within the building.

Air conditioners often don’t work in a place that is warm much of the year. Bathrooms are out of order, and mold grows in many classrooms.

“Every once and awhile, a hallway will go out because it has sewage leaking,” said Adam Heitzmann, an 18-year-old Bay High student. “Another time before class even started, everyone had to leave because the water main burst.”

One day when the air wasn’t working in the building, moisture started to build up on the floors that kids walk down, making them slippery and created a safety hazard.

Kellie Zimmerman Gunn, an ACT prep and U.S history teacher at the high school, recalls buying supplies for her classroom that she had to throw away because they got moldy sitting in the cabinets of her classroom.

“Our facilities are very antiquated,” Gunn said, who works in one of the older buildings. She said ony two outlets in her classroom works, resulting in haviing to chain together power strips.

Opponents spread misinformation, Coast educators say

The vote on the bond has not been immune from what educators say is misinformation and a disheartening response to the bond.

“Sadly, there’s a group of people that have made this somewhat personal,” Necaise said.

She said on social media in particular she has seen misinformation about how the money will be spent. According to Necaise, there is a perception going around that a majority of the money would be spent on athletics, when in reality about 18% of the total anticipated expenses is earmarked for athletic improvements.

“I have seen on social media a lot of misinformation and disinformation that is just wrong,” said Eric Fry, the director of bands for Bay-Waveland school district.

He recounts people on social media claiming that kids must be vaccinated and masked to get the money. This is false. He also said he’s seen a lot of incorrect numbers about how much people’s taxes will increase.

“People have their minds made up because of rumors or pictures or memes or whatever they saw on Facebook,” he said.

One prominent critic of the bill is Ron Thorp, 77.

“They aren’t looking at what is best for the taxpayers,” Thorp said. “Those that have two homes, their needs are not taken into consideration at all.”

A retired entrepreneur from Texas, Thorp feels that one of the things in the bond that should be scrapped is pre-k education because it is not mandated by the state.

Thorp has driven around with a billboard pulled behind his car telling people to vote no on the bond. He says he has support from many people including small business owners.

“What I have been trying to do is bring awareness about various things this bond is trying to do,” he said.

Necaise hopes people consider others and not themselves when casting their vote.

“At the end of the day, our kids are going to suffer if it doesn’t pass,” she said. “These are things that they absolutely need and deserve.”

This story was originally published March 24, 2022 at 5:50 AM.